Kalpana Prevails in Thrilling Yorkshire Oaks Finish

Same jockey, same trainer, same owners, but a different day and superstar. Just 24 hours after Colin Keane, Andrew Balding, and Juddmonte's Aug. 19 to remember, Kalpana (GB) continued their sensational summer in a puzzling Yorkshire Oaks (G1) Aug. 20 at York Racecourse. After Item (GB) plundered International Stakes (G1) glory by a head Wednesday, it was the turn of their King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) winner to shine in another Ebor festival highlight. The outcome was just as thrilling, yet in entirely different circumstances. Whereas Item timed his challenge to last-gasp perfection, Kalpana needed courage after she became a sitting duck in front in another group 1 made all the more muddling by a pacemaker going miles clear. Sugar Island (IRE), on front-running duty for Aidan O'Brien-trained stablemate Minnie Hauk (IRE), set the fractions before Ronan Whelan sent her away from the peloton on the turn for home. With just over 2 furlongs to go, she was still 15 lengths ahead of the field. Yet her petrol tank emptied and Kalpana cruised past, only for the 10-11 favorite to drift when in front in the final furlong. It meant she had to find reserves of toughness to hold off the fast-finishing challenge of Sparan Nua (IRE). Minnie Hauk finished third, 2 1/2 lengths back. "I could hear the commentator getting very loud!" Keane said. "Kalpana was giving me everything and I didn't want to be hard on her for no reason. Thankfully the line came at the right time. "She's the full package. It felt like we went along nice and even, but then the pacemaker got a break on us and I didn't realize how far she'd gone until we turned for home and leveled up. It felt like nothing beside me was going to bring me forward and Kalpana's very willing—she'll do anything you ask her. "I was trying to time it well, but she got there very easily and wandered a bit and waited for the others to come. For a filly that had very good form early doors on slower ground, it felt plenty slow enough. She's probably got used to the fast ground, but she showed her class and will to win." Her short-head winning margin was less than Item's, but it was the same victorious outcome in a staggering six-week period for the jockey, trainer, and powerhouse owners. It was their fifth group 1 success since July 10, with two of those now thanks to Kalpana. But for a while during the race, Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon had feared defeat. "You knew after going a couple of furlongs it was going to be messy," he said. "Definitely going past the 3-furlong pole, I thought the pacemaker was gone. "Colin probably had to commit sooner than he wanted, and she was always going to be vulnerable to one closing late, but she was very gutsy. She knows where the line is. It wasn't pretty, but she got the job done." He added: "Fast ground or slow ground, she's just versatile—and you wouldn't be afraid to drop her back to 10 furlongs. She's just the ultimate pro and fully mature. She keeps answering all the questions." For Balding, these are halcyon days. As well as securing a fifth group 1 since the start of July, Kalpana's victory was also the second leg of a 1,832-1 four-timer on the card for the Kingsclere trainer. The winner was cut to 7-1 (from 10) by Paddy Power for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), in which she was seventh last year. Coral left her unchanged at 8-1. However, after Item also showcased his talents for the ParisLongchamp showpiece on the Knavesmire this week, Juddmonte may be tempted to keep Kalpana in Britain for a history-making hat-trick bid in the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes (G1). Mahon said: "Whether we wait for Ascot, we'll wait a week or two to discuss it. It's a beautiful problem to have with Item coming to the fray. He's definitely a top-of-the-ground horse and we got away with good to soft. "If the ground came up good, you could prefer Item there, whereas if it was softer, you could prefer Kalpana. Ground is immaterial to her. If it was good at Longchamp, it would make sense to skip it and wait for Ascot, but that's a big if as it's a long way away." Whether it be the Arc or Ascot, what is certain is Kalpana's superb summer has left connections hoping for an awesome autumn. Mahon said: "She had a tough race at Ascot, as you don't beat the caliber of horse there without having a tough one. It was a relatively quick turnaround, so we'll freshen her up. It'll very much be October when we'll see her again." Kalpana also has options abroad. With her victory Thursday, she earned an automatic, fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) Oct. 31 at Keeneland through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In. Her win in the King George also sewed up a Challenge Series berth to the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) against males.