BC Internationals: Turf/Mile contender Mondialiste

Mondialiste has already been the subject of prior mini-biographies in advance of last year’s Woodbine Mile (G1) and leading up to this summer’s Arlington Million (G1).

Given those diverging targets between 2015 and 2016, it’s not that much of a surprise that trainer David O’Meara is more inclined to try the 1 1/2-mile Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) this time around.

Indeed, on pedigree, the Wertheimer-bred Mondialiste always figured to excel beyond a mile. Although his dam, Occupandiste, captured the 6 1/2-furlong Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1) and seven-furlong Prix de la Foret (G1), he’s by Galileo. And his three-quarter brother, Intello, earned his signature win in the French Derby (G1) and handled 1 1/2 miles well enough to place third in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1).

Mondialiste’s original trainer, Freddie Head, even started him out at 1 3/16 miles before shortening up to a mile. Joining O’Meara after being sold, he spent most of 2015 at a mile. But the way he stayed on late to win last summer’s nine-furlong Strensall (G3) at York indicated that more ground was welcome.

The same holds true for his rousing rally in his next outing, the Woodbine Mile, where he needed all of the stretch to get up:

 

That was my biggest concern about him going into last year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). Wouldn’t Mondialiste leave himself too much to do around Keeneland? As it turned out, traffic trouble was the real culprit. He barreled home once in the clear, but it was too late to threaten Tepin.