Auguste Rodin (horse) explained

Horsename:Auguste Rodin
Sire:Deep Impact
Grandsire:Sunday Silence
Dam:Rhododendron
Damsire:Galileo
Sex:Colt
Foaled:26 January 2020[1]
Country:Ireland
Colour:Bay
Breeder:Coolmore Stud
Owner:Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier & Westerberg
Trainer:Aidan O'Brien
Record:13: 8-2-0
Earnings:US$5,782,288[2]
Race:Juvenile Stakes (2022)
Vertem Futurity Trophy (2022)
Epsom Derby (2023)
Irish Derby (2023)
Irish Champion Stakes (2023
Breeders' Cup Turf (2023)
Prince of Wales's Stakes (2024)
Timeform rating: 129
Updated:20 June 2024

Auguste Rodin (foaled 26 January 2020) is a multiple-Group 1 winning Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2022 he won three of his four races, including the Vertem Futurity Trophy. In the following year he won the Epsom Derby, Irish Derby, Irish Champion Stakes and Breeders' Cup Turf. As a four-year-old he continued his brilliant form winning the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Background

Auguste Rodin is a bay colt, with a white blaze and a white sock on his left hind leg, bred in Ireland by the Coolmore Stud. He raced in the ownership of the Coolmore partners Michael Tabor, Sue Magnier and Derrick Smith in association with Georg von Opel's Westerberg organization. The colt was sent into training with Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle.

He is from the thirteenth crop of foals sired by Japanese Triple Crown champion Deep Impact, who was the Japanese Horse of the Year in 2005 and 2006.[3] Auguste Rodin is the first foal produced by Rhododendron, whose wins included the Fillies' Mile, Prix de l'Opéra and Lockinge Stakes. Rhododendron's dam Halfway to Heaven won the Irish 1,000 Guineas, Nassau Stakes and Sun Chariot Stakes in 2008.[4] and was a descendant of the Kentucky Oaks winner Native S.[5]

Racing career

2022: two-year-old season

Auguste Rodin began his track career in a seven-furlong maiden race at the Curragh on 1 June when he started the 4/6 favourite but finished second to Crypto Force, beaten two and a half lengths. A month later the colt started odds-on favourite for a similar event at Naas Racecourse. Ridden by Seamie Heffernan he won "comfortably" by two lengths from Shadowed.[6] The colt was then stepped up in class for the Group 2 Juvenile Stakes over one mile on soft ground at Leopardstown Racecourse on 10 September when he was ridden by Ryan Moore and started 11/10 favourite in a six-runner field. After tracking the leaders he took the lead a furlong out and despite hanging to the right in the closing stages he stayed on well to win by one and a half lengths from Caroline Street.[7] After the race Aidan O'Brien commented "He's always showed a lot and has a beautiful physique, a lovely nature... He was a little idle when he got to the front, but we're delighted with him. He's always gone through his work very impressively. He has plenty of class and quality, and probably will sharpen up a lot from today. We thought he could be the type of horse to do both the Guineas and the Derby".[8]

For his final run of the season Auguste Rodin was sent to England to contest the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy winning "readily" by three and a half lengths.[9]

In the official two-year-old ratings for 2022, Auguste Rodin was rated the equal fourth-best juvenile of the season in Europe, behind Little Big Bear, Blackbeard and Chaldean.[10]

2023: three-year-old season

In the early part of 2023 there was speculation that Auguste Rodin would become the first horse since Nijinsky to complete the Triple Crown by winning the 2000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger.[11]

On 6 May Auguste Rodin began his second season in the 2000 Guineas, eventually coming in twelfth, more than twenty lengths behind the winner Chaldean.[12]

The 244th running of the Derby took place over one and a half miles on good to firm ground at Epsom Racecourse on 3 June and Auguste Rodin started the 9/2 second favourite behind the Chester Vase winner Arrest. The other twelve contenders included Military Order (Lingfield Derby Trial), The Foxes (Dante Stakes), White Birch (Ballysax Stakes), Sprewell (Derby Trial Stakes), San Antonio (Dee Stakes) and Dubai Mile (Criterium de Saint-Cloud). Ridden by Moore, Auguste Rodin caught the leader 100 yards from the finish and won by three quarters of a length.[13]

Auguste Rodin made his next start in the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes on 29 July.After running in midfield for most of the race, he dropped out into the back of the field and was eased home last as the 9/4 favorite, beaten by more than 100 lengths by winner Hukum.[14] [15]

Statistics

DateDistanceRaceGrade/
Group		TrackOddsFieldFinishWinning
Time		Winning
(Losing)
Margin		JockeyRef
2022  - two-year-old season
7 furlongsMaidenThe Curragh 4/6*921:29.11 (lengths) [16]
7 furlongsMaidenNaas 30/100*1311:31.53 2 lengths[17]
1 mileChampions Juvenile Stakes II Leopardstown 11/10*51 1:45.25 [18]
1 mileVertem Futurity Trophy I Doncaster 9/4*81 1:44:76 [19]
2023  - three-year-old season
1 mile2000 Guineas I Newmarket 13/8*14121:41.64 (22 lengths)[20]
1m 4f 6yEpsom Derby I Epsom Downs 9/21412:33.88 [21]
milesIrish Derby I The Curragh 4/11*912:33.24 [22]
1m 3f 211yKing George VI and
Queen Elizabeth Stakes		 I Ascot 9/4*10102:33.95 eased[23]
milesIrish Champion Stakes I Leopardstown 11/4*81 2:02.68 [24]
milesBreeders' Cup TurfISanta Anita 2.50*1112:24.30[25]
2024 – four-year-old season
2410 metresDubai Sheema Classic I Meydan (UAE) N/A12122:26.72 (lengths) [26]
1 mile furlongsTattersalls Gold Cup I The Curragh 11/10*822:11.61 (3 lengths)[27]
1m 1f 212yPrince of Wales's Stakes I Royal Ascot 13/8*1012:03.12[28]

Notes:
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Auguste Rodin was the post-time favorite.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Auguste Rodin pedigree. Equineline.
  2. Web site: Profile of Auguste Rodin . Equibase . 20 June 2024.
  3. Web site: Deep Impact - Stud Record. Racing Post.
  4. Web site: Cassandra Go race record . Racing Post . 14 July 2013.
  5. Web site: Thoroughbred Bloodlines – Brown Bess – Family 3-d . Bloodlines.net . 14 July 2013.
  6. Web site: Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden result . 2 July 2022. Racing Post.
  7. Web site: KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes result . 10 September 2022. Racing Post.
  8. Web site: 'He's always showed a lot' - Auguste Rodin heads Derby market after Group 2 win . 10 September 2022. Mark Boylan. Racing Post.
  9. Web site: Vertem Futurity Trophy result . 22 October 2022. Racing Post.
  10. Web site: 2022 European 2yo Classification. 17 January 2023. British Horseracing Authority.
  11. Web site: O’Brien’s leading classic hope Auguste Rodin 16-1 for Triple Crown glory. The Irish Times. 27 March 2023. 6 June 2023.
  12. Web site: 2000 Guineas result . 6 May 2023. Racing Post.
  13. Web site: Epsom Derby result . 3 June 2023. Racing Post.
  14. Web site: King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes result . 27 Jul 2023. Sky Sports.
  15. Web site: Hukum on top in final heave of King George to keep Westover at bay. Greg. Wood. 27 July 2023. 27 July 2023. The Guardian.
  16. Web site: Ryans Cleaning Waste And Recycling Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden . 1 June 2022 . 7 November 2023.
  17. Web site: Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden . 2 July 2022 . 7 November 2023.
  18. Web site: KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes (Group 2) . Racing Post . 10 September 2022 . 7 November 2023.
  19. Web site: Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes (Group 1) (No Geldings) . Racing Post . 22 October 2023 . 7 November 2023.
  20. Web site: Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Colts) . Racing Post . 6 May 2023 . 7 November 2023.
  21. Web site: Betfred Derby (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (No Geldings) . Racing Post . 3 June 2023 . 7 November 2023.
  22. Web site: Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Group 1) (No Geldings) . Racing Post . 2 July 2023 . 7 November 2023.
  23. Web site: King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) . Racing Post . 29 July 2023 . 7 November 2023.
  24. Web site: Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (Group 1). Racing Post . 9 September 2023 . 7 November 2023.
  25. Web site: Longines Breeders' Cup Turf Grade 1 – (Race 8) . Equibase . November 4, 2023 . November 5, 2023.
  26. Web site: Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (Group 1) . Racing Post . 30 March 2024 . 31 March 2024.
  27. Web site: Tattersalls Gold Cup (Group 1) . Racing Post . 26 May 2024 . 2 June 2024.
  28. Web site: Prince Of Wales's Stakes (Group 1) . Racing Post . 19 June 2024 . 20 June 2024.

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