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'He's extra special': Ninth Dewhurst for O'Brien as Darkness Falls beats Desert Castle
By Tom Frary
Coolmore's Triple Crown dreams are very much alive after Darkness Falls (Camelot) conquered Desert Castle (Frankel) in a thrilling tussle for Saturday's G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.
Sent off the 6-4 second favourite coming down from nine furlongs, the impressive Golden Fleece winner was sent forward by Ryan Moore and was there for Godolphin's Champagne winner to shoot at. Despite the gallant effort of the classy 10-11 market-leader, he could never quite get to the fellow TDN Rising Star and at the line there was a neck between the duo with the Coventry winner Great Barrier Reef (No Nay Never) two and quarter lengths away in third.
“You'd be really happy with that,” Moore said of Aidan O'Brien's ninth Dewhurst winner and possibly his most exciting. “He's shown he has the speed and the ability to handle Newmarket, so he's looking like he could be a Guineas horse now. He's very straightforward and well-mannered, he just wants to please you.”
“He's (Darkness Falls) shown he has the speed and the ability to handle Newmarket, so he's looking like he could be a Guineas horse now.” - Ryan Moore
Winning in a time of 1:22.47s, which is fractionally outside the race record of U S Navy Flag, Darkness Falls had looked more of a Derby prospect prior to this but now very much has this track's mile Classic in his sights. O'Brien was understandably excited about the prospect of his latest star colt completing the heralded treble his sire so narrowly missed out on.
“It was a big call to come back from Leopardstown and it was tough to do, but he is obviously very classy and extra special,” he said. “We dreamed of him being a Triple Crown horse and John (Magnier) thought if he was to come back for the Guineas the experience of this, win, lose or draw, was going to stand him in good stead.”
“It was a big call to come back from Leopardstown and it was tough to do, but he (Darkness Falls) is obviously very classy and extra special.” - Aidan O'Brien
“He has loads of speed and there's every chance he could get a mile and a half and his class might get him through in a Leger,” he added. “The Camelots get a middle-distance trip well and from day one he always had a great mind. Ryan said he was just lazing along there and was nowhere near finished.”
Aidan O'Brien | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
“We got to the winner, but just couldn't get past. He's come forward and mentally he's growing up,” he added. “I've always felt this horse was a 'next year horse' as he's a big, scopey horse with some more maturing to do. We'll put him away now and look ahead to the Guineas and decide then if we need to go to the Craven beforehand or not. I see no reason why we wouldn't be having a rematch with the winner here in the spring. We'll look forward to it and see then who comes out best. It'll be a great race.”
Charlie Appleby said of Desert Castle, “You are always disappointed when you get beat, but I think they are two smart colts and our fellow will definitely benefit from a winter on his back. I was pleased with our horse, for one with just two runs under his belt and bearing in mind how raw he has been, and his racing brain is going the right way.”
Pedigree notes: Darkness Falls gets his speed from his Listed-placed dam You'resobeautiful (No Nay Never), who never went beyond six furlongs for Fozzy Stack and who is out of the Irish 1000 Guineas and Rockfel winner Hula Angel (Woodman). Her daughter Promise Me by Camelot's sire Montjeu produced the star stayer Coltrane (Mastercraftsman), whose career tally includes wins in the Lonsdale Cup, Doncaster Cup and two renewals of the Sagaro and placings in the Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and two editions of the Prix du Cadran.
With that essential blend of speed and stamina required of a Triple Crown prospect, Darkness Falls could be the real deal. His family includes the celebrated Kentucky Derby-winning champion Spend A Buck and Pulpit's Florida Derby winner and Kentucky Derby runner-up Ice Box. You'resobeautiful's 2025 and 2026 colts are also by Camelot.
United States
Tam Tam runs QEII rivals off their feet
She went right to the front, and would not come back late in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland, earning Tam Tam (Medaglia d'Oro) the honor of collecting her second elite-level victory Saturday afternoon.
The daughter of the venerable Medaglia d'Oro was unveiled last August at Saratoga, and as the connections told the TDN's Steve Sherack after the race, did everything right but win. She's only taken off from there, breaking her maiden this past February on the grass at Gulfstream Park and she hasn't finished off the board since winning two Listed races and placing twice against Graded company.
It all culminated in her first top-level win last out August 22 at Del Mar, when she shipped in from the East Coast to pounce in the lane and take home the G1 Del Mar Oaks over two rivals who made the trip to Kentucky for a rematch.
The betting public had an embarrassment of talent to choose from for this Keeneland feature for 3-year-old turf fillies, but their wagering dollars drifted most heavily to Luster (Knicks Go) at 2-1 favoritism, and Faithful Departed (Yoshida {Jpn}), who was named the 3-1 second choice. Tam Tam went off at 4-1 odds.
Away well, she quickly cleared the early scramble heading into the first turn and was allowed an uncontested advantage through 0:23.55s and a half in 0:47.81s before posting six panels in 1:12.88s on a loose rein.
King's Plate victress Luster tracked her in second to the outside of Faithful Departed, who resolutely held the lane along the fence to make the most of a ground saving trip. The field strung out behind the top flight but tightened ranks after a mile in 1:37.57s with the closers taking closer order.
Faithful Departed made the first move to try and run down the long time leader, and Luster was trying to rally from the overland route coming off the final bend, but Tam Tam had too much left in the tank after having everything go her way. Faithful Departed fought on valiantly in the final yards, but couldn't close the gap with the winner pulling away late. French raider Braida (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}) kicked on powerfully inside the final 16th to claim third.
The final time was 1:49.91s.
“Looking at the fractions coming back, I thought I was traveling 49 (seconds for the half-mile), the way she was doing it,” said Junior Alvarado. “Then I saw it was 47. But like I say, 'Sometimes it's not how fast you're going; it's how you're going fast.' She was a filly that was traveling beautiful the whole way around. You don't want to get in her way. When you let her do her own thing, she runs like she did today.”
“You don't want to get in her (Tam Tam's) way. When you let her do her own thing, she runs like she did today.” - Junior Alvarado
“You don't think you can top Grade 1s, but this tops Del Mar,” said trainer Phil Bauer after the race. “Del Mar was extremely special, but Keeneland is the top. Growing up, coming here–I mean, this is the (top) echelon.”
“I like when Junior gives me that slogan, 'It's not how fast you're going; it's how you're going fast.' That's what I told (owner) Mr. (Richard) Rigney down the backside, 'They went 47 but she's cruising; she looks good.' We were excited by how she was traveling, and when she turned for home I was glad he didn't wait.”
“Good horses take you places, and she has. Scary to say, but I really think she's just going to keep getting better and better. She's all class. We kind of joked all week that we were walking around the barn like roosters with our chests puffed out. You watch her train, she puts a smile on your face. She did it all week.
“Scary to say, but I really think she's (Tam Tam) just going to keep getting better and better.” - Phil Bauer
“Her last breeze, she went out with a quartet of horses, breezing, and three of them came back panting like, 'We did something,' and she was looking around like, 'What else do I need to do?' So we knew she was ready and are just elated that she could get the job done.”
Pedigree notes: Tam Tam is the first black-type runner for her dam, and thusly, the only Grade 1 winner as well. Of her two siblings to make the races, both have gotten their picture taken, and the trio has a juvenile half-sister by Charlatan in the wings. Princess Julia, herself a daughter of champion juvenile filly and multiple Grade 1 winner Folklore (Tiznow), has a yearling Twirling Candy filly to her credit and was bred to Omaha Beach for 2027.
As a daughter of Folklore, Princess Julia is also a half-sister to Rhodochrosite (Unbridled's Song). She is most famous for her son, three-time Japanese champion and Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). This is also the immediate female family of two-time champion and multiple Grade 1 winner Essential Quality (Tapit) and stakes winner Famed (Uncle Mo).
