In profile: Rebel's Romance

By Peter Fornatale 

REBEL’S ROMANCE heads back to Del Mar this November for the 30th start of an extraordinary career. If he can take his tally of wins to 21 by landing a third Breeders’ Cup Turf, he will surpass his owner-mate Thunder Snow to become the highest-earning European-trained horse in history. As well as that, he will also earn his place amongst the meet’s all-time greats, joining the likes of Goldikova and Beholder as three-time Breeders’ Cup winners.

This remarkable gelding first landed the Turf what seems like a lifetime ago in 2022, back when he was beating the likes of fellow high-earner Mishriff - a stark reminder of his longevity. After a disastrous turf campaign in 2023, Rebel’s Romance bounced back in fine style last year, with his season culminating in a second Breeders’ Cup Turf victory at Del Mar. And he has very much carried that momentum into 2025.

Having made a successful seasonal debut in Qatar, Rebel’s Romance finished fourth in the Sheema Classic before going on to land both the Yorkshire Cup and the Hardwicke Stakes, with the latter Royal Ascot victory coming over subsequent Irish St Leger winner Al Riffa.

Following that success, the Dubawi gelding returned to the Berkshire venue to contest the King George, a race in which he had finished third in 2024. He could only fill the same spot this time around, but this year’s race looked a stronger renewal and Rebel’s Romance arguably should have finished closer, as he was shuffled back on the inside at a key part of the race whist his rivals were making moves down the outside. All in all, that was a fine effort, and suggested that there was still plenty of zip left in the old legs.

Charlie Appleby’s star travelled to Germany next, where he landed the Grosser Preis von Berlin to give Billy Loughnane his first Group 1 win. Rebel’s Romance maybe wasn’t quite at this best for this contest and was pretty workmanlike in victory, but he got the job done and was only pushed out late by Loughnane to beat a solid yardstick in Junko, with the pair pulling clear.

With a seventh top-level score in the bag, Rebel’s Romance was soon on his travels again, this time heading back over to the United States in search of Group/Grade 1 win number eight in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic under a fellow legend in the shape of Frankie Dettori.

Sent off at odds-on, both Rebel’s Romance and Dettori rolled backed the years with a vintage display. Having initially tracked the pace, Dettori moved his mount into the lead with a circuit to run. Quickening the pace around the long home bend, Rebel’s Romance hit top stride at the head of the lane and rolled on remorselessly to win with plenty in hand against inferior rivals.

Ultimately, Rebel’s Romance did what was expected of him there, but he showed that he remains in fine fettle, and we know that the demands of Del Mar and American racing suit him perfectly. Much will depend on whether the likes of Minnie Hauk and Calandagan turn up to challenge him, but either way this super cool horse clearly has plenty left in the tank, even at the age of seven, and it’ll take a big performance to beat him under his optimum conditions.

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