Workforce (horse)
Encyclopedia
Workforce is a 2007-born thoroughbred
racehorse
that won the 2010 Epsom Derby
and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
, ridden by Ryan Moore. The bay colt
is trained by Sir Michael Stoute
and owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah.
bay colt
, Workforce is owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah, having been bred by the Prince's farm Juddmonte Farms Ltd
. He is trained for the Prince by the Newmarket based Sir Michael Stoute
. Workforce was foaled on 14 March 2007 to the dam Soviet Moon (IRE) by the stallion King's Best
(USA), with the dam's sire being Sadler's Wells
(USA).
. As the 3–1 favourite in the seven-furlong race, he beat the second-placed finisher Oasis Dancer by six lengths. He finished the race going away, reportedly showing a "remarkable turn of foot" according to Will Hayler of The Guardian
. Further race preparation was then hampered by an infection picked up early in 2010, although the trainer was always confident the horse was a potential Derby winner following his first "eye-opening" outing, describing him as "brimful of promise".
at York. Losing by more than three lengths to Cape Blanco
, the performance was said to have been affected by his metal bit
becoming displaced. Trainer Stoute also suggested Workforce would have preferred slightly softer ground in the race, pointing out he was still "a once-raced baby".
After the York race, Workforce was practised at Lingfield Park in preparation for the Epsom race, and the trainer's confidence in the colt remained high, describing him as "very straightforward mentally". Having only raced twice, Workforce was duly entered into the 2010 Derby as one of the least experienced horses in the field.
by seven lengths, breaking the Epsom Downs
track record in the process. With a finishing time of 2m 31.33s, he beat the previous track record of 2m 32.31s set by Lammtarra
in the 1995
Derby. Only two horses had ever won the Derby by a larger distance, Shergar
by ten lengths in 1981, and Manna
by eight in 1925. In addition to setting a new course record, the win was also the first time a horse that had been beaten in the Dante Stakes had gone on to win the Derby.
Workforce won the race having caught the pacemaker and early leader, the 100–1 long shot At First Sight, inside the two-furlong mark. At First Sight had looked to be going for a surprise win heading into the final straight ahead of the other 11 horses, before the 6–1 Workforce produced a powerful surge to win the race by seven lengths, with the 9–4 priced favourite, Jan Vermeer, finishing in fourth. Workforce ran the race with a cross noseband, as a precaution against the earlier misplaced metal bit.
Moore said of the race, "I may have sent him past the leader sooner than I needed to and I didn't let up on him much after that. But the way he quickened to get there was remarkable and he just didn't stop quickening".
. Still being ridden by Ryan Moore, the horse came fifth in the mile-and-a-half long King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, having entered the race as the 8–11 favourite and as the experts pick due to the earlier Derby win. The eventual winner was, in fact, Workforce's stablemate, Harbinger
, also trained by Michael Stoute, who set a new course record time and winning distance in the process.
With two furlongs to go in the race, Workforce and Cape Blanco
were leading the six-horse field, when they were said to have been passed with ease by the 4–1 entry Harbinger who "coasted home" after running the last quarter mile alone. Moore was said to have eased Workforce off toward the line, and the horse eventually finished fifth, only ahead of the pacemaker.
Moore put the loss down to the horse not settling as he had done in the Derby, and due to the fast ground. Moore said of the performance that Workforce had "run badly before and come back from it and will again", while Stoute said it was disappointing. The Ascot run was described as "nothing like his Derby performance" by Marcus Armytage in The Daily Telegraph
.
at Sandown on May 26. In his next start he was beaten by half a length in the Coral Eclipse Stakes by ex-Australian champion So You Think
.
This was followed by another attempt at the King George at Ascot, where he ran second behind Nathaniel.
in Japan
.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
that won the 2010 Epsom Derby
2010 Epsom Derby
The 2010 Epsom Derby was a horse race which took place at Epsom Downs on Saturday 5 June 2010. It was the 231st running of the Derby and was won by Workforce in a course record time. The winner was ridden by Ryan Moore and trained by Sir Michael Stoute...
and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...
, ridden by Ryan Moore. The bay colt
Colt (horse)
A colt is a young male horse, under the age of four. The term "colt" is often confused with foal, which refers to a horse of either sex under one year of age....
is trained by Sir Michael Stoute
Michael Stoute
Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...
and owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah.
Pedigree
A white-blazedHorse markings
Markings on horses usually are distinctive white areas on an otherwise dark base coat color. Most horses have some markings, and they help to identify the horse as a unique individual. Markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse's life...
bay colt
Colt (horse)
A colt is a young male horse, under the age of four. The term "colt" is often confused with foal, which refers to a horse of either sex under one year of age....
, Workforce is owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah, having been bred by the Prince's farm Juddmonte Farms Ltd
Juddmonte Farms
Juddmonte Farms is a famous and award-winning horse breeding farm, owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. A member of the Saudi Arabian royal family the successful businessman presides over the massive conglomerate Mawared...
. He is trained for the Prince by the Newmarket based Sir Michael Stoute
Michael Stoute
Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...
. Workforce was foaled on 14 March 2007 to the dam Soviet Moon (IRE) by the stallion King's Best
King's Best
Kings Best was an American bred Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2,000 Guineas.-Background:He was a half brother to the Arc winning Urban Sea - the dam of Sea the Stars and Galileo...
(USA), with the dam's sire being Sadler's Wells
Sadler's Wells (horse)
Sadler's Wells was a Thoroughbred racehorse that was later a leading sire in France, Great Britain & Ireland and North America during the 1990s. He was foaled in 1981 in the United States, but achieved most of his racing and breeding fame in Europe....
(USA).
Two-year-old
On 23 September 2009 ridden by Ryan Moore, Workforce won his first race as a juvenile at GoodwoodGoodwood Racecourse
Goodwood Racecourse is a horse-racing track five miles north of Chichester, West Sussex, in England controlled by the family of the Duke of Richmond, whose seat is nearby Goodwood House...
. As the 3–1 favourite in the seven-furlong race, he beat the second-placed finisher Oasis Dancer by six lengths. He finished the race going away, reportedly showing a "remarkable turn of foot" according to Will Hayler of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
. Further race preparation was then hampered by an infection picked up early in 2010, although the trainer was always confident the horse was a potential Derby winner following his first "eye-opening" outing, describing him as "brimful of promise".
Three-year-old
On 13 May 2010, again ridden by Ryan Moore, Workforce finished second in the Derby warm-up race the Dante StakesDante Stakes
The Dante Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 88 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
at York. Losing by more than three lengths to Cape Blanco
Cape Blanco (horse)
Cape Blanco is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who won five Group One/Grade I races between 2009 and 2011. In addition, he also won twice at Group 2 level and once at Group 3 level between 2009 and 2010.-Background:...
, the performance was said to have been affected by his metal bit
Bit (horse)
A bit is a type of horse tack used in equestrian activities, usually made of metal or a synthetic material, and is placed in the mouth of a horse or other equid and assists a rider in communicating with the animal. It rests on the bars of the mouth in an interdental region where there are no teeth...
becoming displaced. Trainer Stoute also suggested Workforce would have preferred slightly softer ground in the race, pointing out he was still "a once-raced baby".
After the York race, Workforce was practised at Lingfield Park in preparation for the Epsom race, and the trainer's confidence in the colt remained high, describing him as "very straightforward mentally". Having only raced twice, Workforce was duly entered into the 2010 Derby as one of the least experienced horses in the field.
2010 Epsom Derby
On 5 June 2010, being ridden for the third time by Ryan Moore, Workforce won the Epsom DerbyEpsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
by seven lengths, breaking the Epsom Downs
Epsom Downs Racecourse
Epsom Downs is a Grade 1 racecourse near Epsom, Surrey, England. The "downs" referred to in the name are part of the North Downs. The course is best known for hosting the Epsom Derby, the United Kingdom's premier thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old colts and fillies, over a mile and a half...
track record in the process. With a finishing time of 2m 31.33s, he beat the previous track record of 2m 32.31s set by Lammtarra
Lammtarra
Lammtarra was an undefeated Thoroughbred racehorse who won three Group One races in 1995 and was voted the Cartier Three-Year-Old European Champion Colt...
in the 1995
1995 Epsom Derby
The 1995 Epsom Derby was a horse race which took place at Epsom Downs on Saturday June 10, 1995. It was the 216th running of the Derby, and it was won by Lammtarra. The winner was ridden by Walter Swinburn and trained by Saeed bin Suroor...
Derby. Only two horses had ever won the Derby by a larger distance, Shergar
Shergar
Shergar was an acclaimed Irish racehorse, and winner of the 1981 Epsom Derby by a record 10 lengths, the longest winning margin in the race's 226-year history. This victory earned him a spot in The Observer newspaper's 100 Most Memorable Sporting Moments of the Twentieth Century...
by ten lengths in 1981, and Manna
Manna (horse)
Manna was a British Thoroughbred racehorse an sire. In a career which lasted from summer 1922 until September 1923, Manna ran four times, winning eight races. As a three-year-old in 1925 he won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Epsom Derby by a record margin of eight lengths...
by eight in 1925. In addition to setting a new course record, the win was also the first time a horse that had been beaten in the Dante Stakes had gone on to win the Derby.
Workforce won the race having caught the pacemaker and early leader, the 100–1 long shot At First Sight, inside the two-furlong mark. At First Sight had looked to be going for a surprise win heading into the final straight ahead of the other 11 horses, before the 6–1 Workforce produced a powerful surge to win the race by seven lengths, with the 9–4 priced favourite, Jan Vermeer, finishing in fourth. Workforce ran the race with a cross noseband, as a precaution against the earlier misplaced metal bit.
Moore said of the race, "I may have sent him past the leader sooner than I needed to and I didn't let up on him much after that. But the way he quickened to get there was remarkable and he just didn't stop quickening".
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes
Workforce's next outing was on 24 July 2010 at AscotAscot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 9 of the UK's 32 annual Group 1 races...
. Still being ridden by Ryan Moore, the horse came fifth in the mile-and-a-half long King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, having entered the race as the 8–11 favourite and as the experts pick due to the earlier Derby win. The eventual winner was, in fact, Workforce's stablemate, Harbinger
Harbinger (horse)
Harbinger is a retired thoroughbred racehorse trained by Sir Michael Stoute. He won the 2010 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in a track record time, and beat the previous race record set by Grundy in 1975, albeit at the old Ascot track.He was sold at yearling auction for 180,000 guineas...
, also trained by Michael Stoute, who set a new course record time and winning distance in the process.
With two furlongs to go in the race, Workforce and Cape Blanco
Cape Blanco (horse)
Cape Blanco is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who won five Group One/Grade I races between 2009 and 2011. In addition, he also won twice at Group 2 level and once at Group 3 level between 2009 and 2010.-Background:...
were leading the six-horse field, when they were said to have been passed with ease by the 4–1 entry Harbinger who "coasted home" after running the last quarter mile alone. Moore was said to have eased Workforce off toward the line, and the horse eventually finished fifth, only ahead of the pacemaker.
Moore put the loss down to the horse not settling as he had done in the Derby, and due to the fast ground. Moore said of the performance that Workforce had "run badly before and come back from it and will again", while Stoute said it was disappointing. The Ascot run was described as "nothing like his Derby performance" by Marcus Armytage in The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
.
2010 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
After much discussion about whether Workforce would run in the Arc, the decision was made on the Thursday prior to the race to run. In the race itself, he settled back in the field before running through the middle of the field to take the lead halfway up the straight, and held on to win by a head from Japanese runner Nakayama Festa.Four-year-old
Unlike most recent Derby and Arc winners, Workforce has remained in training for the 2011 season. He won the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard StakesBrigadier Gerard Stakes
The Brigadier Gerard Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late May or early June.The event was established in...
at Sandown on May 26. In his next start he was beaten by half a length in the Coral Eclipse Stakes by ex-Australian champion So You Think
So You Think
So You Think is a New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred racehorse, now majority owned by Coolmore Stud of Ireland. So You Think came to prominence through winning the 2009 and 2010 Cox Plates, Australia's premier weight for age race. His second Cox Plate win came at just his tenth career start...
.
This was followed by another attempt at the King George at Ascot, where he ran second behind Nathaniel.
Retirement
On November 14, 2011, Sheik Abdullah's racing manager, Teddy Grimthorpe, announced that Workforce would be retired to stud at Shadai StudShadai Stallion Station
is a thoroughbred breeding facility located in Abira on the island of Hokkaido in Japan. The farm was begun in the late 1970s, early 1980s by the late Zenya Yoshida and is now run jointly by his sons , known collectively as the Shadai Group. As of 2006, the brothers own 3,000 horses worldwide...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.