Somebeachsomewhere’s legacy grows as son Bay Of Biscay wins$2.1 million TAB Eureka
Seven years after the legendary stallion died, his 4-year-old son – produced via frozen semen — won the world’s richest harness race.
by Adam Hamilton
A powerhouse young stallion with strong and deep ties to North America won the world’s richest harness race at Menangle last night (Sept. 6).
Bay Of Biscay, by ill-fated Ontario-sired stallion Somebeachsomewhere, out of the strongly U.S. performed mare Nike Franco, went one better than his second-place last year to win the $2.1 million TAB Eureka (2,300 meters).
“We seriously thought about sending this horse to the U.S. to sell him as a weanling in Kentucky because he was so well-bred from a North American point of view,” Alabar Farms owner Alan Galloway said.
“He’s by the best stallion in the world at the time and out of a wonderful mare in Nike Franco, who was from such a great family in New Zealand and made a name for herself in the States.
“It’s fair to say he’s one mighty valuable stallion now, and, if the owners are keen, we’d love to stand him at Alabar when the time is right.”
U.S. breeding buffs will be scratching their heads how a 4-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere can win a major race now, given the stallion died on Jan. 14, 2018.
“It’s because the rules with frozen semen are different over here [in Australia],” Galloway said. “In the U.S., when a stallion dies, you can’t use the frozen semen [past the year of the stallion’s death], but you can here.
“That’s why we thought so seriously about the U.S. weanling sale thing, but it’s turned out to be an amazing story here and we’ve kept our involvement with him.”
Equally amazing, Somebeachsomewhere, who stood at Hanover Shoe Farms in Pennsylvania before dying of cancer, is also the sire of the dam of this year’s Hambletonian winner, Nordic Catcher S — yes, a trotter out of a pacing dam.
Bay Of Biscay continued champion Victorian trainer Emma Stewart’s remarkable dominance across the first three years of the TAB Eureka.
She and partner Clayton Tonkin won the inaugural 2023 running, then finished second (Bay Of Biscay) and third (High Above) last year.
Last night (Saturday) they had a record four of the 10 runners and finished first, second (Fox Dan), fourth (Go Miki) and fifth (Miki To Success).
“I never thought I’d top winning the first one [TAB Eureka] with Encipher, but this tops it because this horse has been so special to Clayton and I from the first day he walked into the stable… Clayton called him the ‘Golden Child,’” Stewart said.
“We thought so much of him, we ran him as a 3-year-old in the race last year and he was an unlucky second. Everything has been built around coming back to go one better this year and he’s done it.
“We love this race. Getting four into it was fantastic; to have them all run so well and win it… just, wow.”
Australia’s top young driver Cam Hart said the thrill matched any of his stellar career, including two New Zealand Cups and a Hunter Cup with champion stayer Swayzee.
“It’s right up with any thrill I’ve had in such a huge race in my own backyard,” Hart said. “I’ve been so lucky to have the owners and Emma and Clayton back me in to drive this horse. I was on him last year and going one better means everything.”
Hart summed the race up perfectly early when, from a wide draw, he balanced up and then rushed forward to take the lead from Seathestars and then cut Bay Of Biscay loose over the last 1,200 meters.
Bay Of Biscay, the first horse to contest the TAB Eureka twice, held-on strongly to beat stablemate Fox Dan by 1.5 meters with another meter to Luke McCarthy’s Hesitate in the third spot, in a slick 1:52.6 mile rate for the long 2,300-meter trip. He blazed home his last three splits in :28.4, :26.6 and :27.
Part-owner and Alabar Farm’s general manager Brett Coffey reflected on the daring decision to decline a spot in the $1 million Miracle Mile back in March.
“We were all mixed about it at the time, but it was purely an Emma and Clayton call and when they say to do something, you’ve got to listen,” Coffey said.
“It really has been a single focus to come back and try to go one better than last year and we’ve done it.”
Coffey praised the whole team at Alabar Farms.
“This is just so special for all of them, too,” he said. “I’m so happy for them because breeding is such a tough game at times. This will give them all a massive thrill. They all loved this guy from when he was a foal.”
Bay Of Biscay’s win was his 12th from just 25 starts with another nine placings and he’s earned $1,838,830.
It was important for the race — restricted to Australian-bred 3- and 4-year-olds — that 3-year-olds raced well again, which they did with Fox Dan (second), Hesitate (third), and Go Miki (fourth).
Not forgetting, Bay Of Biscay was just 3 when he ran second last year.
Bay Of Biscay raced in the slot of leviathan West Australian owner/breeder, Rob Watson.
“I heard he was available, so I snapped him up straight away,” Watson said. “He was the first horse to get a slot and I never regretted going so early.
“I love slot races and am proudly one of their biggest supporters, especially of this race. It’s been such a massively important innovation for our industry.
“Winning it means the world.”
CYA ART UPSETS IN GROUP 1 LEN SMITH MILE
It was the result almost nobody expected.
Cya Art’s monstrous upset in the main support race to the TAB Eureka, the $150,000 Group 1 Len Smith Mile, shocked everybody.
Well, almost everybody, except his driver Josh Gallagher.
Trainer Kerryn Ann Turner revealed Gallagher had targeted the race for months and then had to sweat on sneaking a spot in the field as first emergency.
The door opened when defending champion Catch A Wave was scratched with a hoof abscess on Tuesday.
“Josh really gave him [Cya Art] a chance,” Robbie Morris said. “He’d drawn well, so when he got the run, he started to get excited.”
Punters didn’t share the excitement, sending out Cya Art the $126 (for a $1 bet) rank outsider of the 10-horse field.
But Gallagher had already earned the nickname “Giant-killer Josh” after stunning everyone by winning the 2021 Inter Dominion pacing final on $41 outsider Boncel Benjamin, also at Menangle.
Just as he did on Boncel Benjamin, Gallagher used the inside runs and Cya Art held-out Captains Knock to win by a nose with another head away to champion mare Eye Keep Smiling, who stormed home from last.
Gallagher wiped away tears as he declared the Len Smith Mile had trumped the Inter Dominion as his career-highlight.
“This tops everything,” he said. “To share the win with Kerry Ann and Robbie [Morris], who have been such a huge part of my life, not just my career.
“And we own this horse. Aleisha [Gallagher’s wife] and I bought him earlier this year and hoped he picked up a race or two along the way.
“Coming out and winning a Len Smith, against these sorts of horses, and doing it with our horse and Robbie and Kerryn Ann… it doesn’t get any better.”
Amazingly, the win was the first in 26 starts since the Gallaghers bought Cya Art.
That said, Cya Art did shock people just seven weeks earlier when he ran third, again as a $71 outsider, behind Leap To Fame in the Inter Dominion final on July 19.
The 7-year-old former New Zealand gelding has now banked almost $240,000 for Team Gallagher.
The biggest talking point of the race was the return from a spell of champion stayer Swayzee.
But the task of sitting outside the leader, Kingman, in a scorching and race record 1:47.5 mile was beyond him.
Swayzee battled away, but finished almost five meters from the winner in sixth.
He will now stretch out in distance as he prepares to defend his title in the $250,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton on Oct. 18.
Waiting for him will be his arch-rival and younger half-brother, Leap To Fame, who is due to return to racing in the coming weeks.
Leap To Fame hasn’t raced since winning his second Inter Dominion crown at Albion Park on July 19.
