Audarya got up in the dying strides to down big home hope Rushing Fall in a pulsating finish to the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland.
All eyes were on Chad Brown's five-year-old Rushing Fall beforehand as she bid to cap a fine campaign but she couldn't repel a sustained late challenge from Audarya (12/1), who was providing Newmarket trainer James Fanshawe with his first Breeders' Cup winner.
Audarya had been ridden by Ioritz Mendizabal in her last two starts but after testing positive for COVID-19, he was replaced by fellow Frenchman Pierre-Charles Boudot who gave his new partner the perfect ride, stalking the early pace before timing his run to perfection and getting up to score by a neck.
It rounded off a remarkable rise through the ranks for Audarya who began the season in Listed company but ended it by claiming her second success at Group One level following victory in the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville in August.
Rushing Fall went down on her sword in second, with Harvey's Lil Goil finishing third, but Peaceful and Terebellum were ultimately well held while Cayenne Pepper faded late on having been rushed up by Shane Foley from her wide draw.
There was drama at the start when Starship Jubilee unseated her rider Florent Geroux after stumbling coming out of the stalls but both jockey and horse were fine after the incident.
Fanshawe said of the Alison Swinburn-owned filly: “We took it step by step with her and found that she really improved for a step up to a mile and a quarter.
“She won a tiny race at Newcastle and then managed to win the Group One Romanet in France after which we mapped out a proper campaign, which started with a very good run in the Prix de l’Opera, in which she was done by the lack of pace.
“It then left us with six weeks before the Breeders’ Cup and Alison was very keen to go.
“We did have a slight concern before Deauville about whether she would handle soft ground, because she is a very good mover, but it seems she can go on anything.
“I said to Pierre-Charles she might be a bit keen and to try to get a bit of cover, but how he got from stall 11 to the rail was just incredible. She kept finding under a wonderful ride from the jockey.
“The plan now will be for her to remain in training and if she remains in one piece hopefully she will come back to the States to run in this race at Del Mar.”
He added: “Alison was unable to come this time, but she will be having quite a celebration.
“It was bad luck on Ioritz, but he shares the same agent as Pierre and she just kept finding when he asked her in the final two furlongs.”
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