Tarnawa (IRE)

HH Aga Khan Studs’ Tarnawa (IRE) rallying widest of all in the stretch, drew clear late to post a 1-length victory over Magical (IRE) to win the 2020 $4 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Keeneland Race Course during the 37th Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

In completing an unbeaten season of four wins, and her third consecutive Grade/Group 1, Tarnawa became the fifth female to win the Longines Turf in its 37 runnings. Trained by Dermot Weld and ridden by Colin Keane, Tarnawa covered the 1 ½ miles on a firm turf course in 2:28.02. She paid $11.40 as the 4.7-1 third choice.

The victory is the first in the World Championships for Weld and Keane.  It was also the fourth Breeders’ Cup Turf victory in the Turf for the Aga Khan, who won the first in 1984 with Lashkari (IRE), and with Daylami (IRE) (co-owned with Godolphin) in 1999 and with Kalanisi (IRE) in 2000.  

Under clear skies and temperatures in the low 70s, Channel Maker shot out to an uncontested lead while Tarnawa raced near the back of the 10-horse field, which included the 2-1 favorite Magical, who finished second to Enable (GB) in the 2018 Turf, and was a three-time Group 1 winner in Europe in 2020, including a win over males in the Irish Champion Stakes (G1). On the far turn, Keane angled Tarnawa to the outside and hit the top of the stretch eight wide as Channel Maker continued unopposed on the lead.  

Tarnawa finally collared Channel Maker inside the sixteenth pole with Magical edging Channel Maker by a nose for second money. 

“Pretty straightforward to be honest,” was the quick description of the race by winning jockey Keane. “Mr. (Dermot) Weld said get her out the gates and ride her as you find her. I spoke to Oisin Orr (who had ridden her previously) and he said she’s very straightforward. We just tipped away down the back straight then we got going before the bend then off she went. We got a clean run then and she was very good to the line.” 

A 4-year-old homebred daughter of Shamardal out of Cape Cross (IRE) mare Tarnawa (IRE), Tarnawa improved her record to 14-8-2-2. Saturday’s winner’s check was $2,200,000 and boosted her earnings to $2,988,503.  

Tarnawa came into the Breeders’ Cup off two impressive performances Group 1 wins at Paris Longchamp in France. Arriving from her Irish base in September, Tarnawa captured the 1 ½-mile Prix Vermeille by 3 lengths in preparation for the Prix de l’Opera Longines (G1) on Oct. 4, which she won by a neck.