DEL MAR, Calif. - He’s been here before and considering the longevity of his career and the way his 2024 season has unfolded he may be back again. For the second time in three years, Rebel’s Romance won the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar on Saturday. The 6-year-old gelding won the 2022 running at Keeneland at 5-1, but was a solid favorite in a field of 13 in Saturday’s $5 million running. Ridden by William Buick, Rebel’s Romance raced near the front after a half-mile, led by as much as 3 1/2 lengths in the final furlong and won by a desperate neck over the Japanese shipper Rousham Park. “He’s an amazing horse,” Buick said. “He just seems to find a way, a sign of a very, very good horse.” Shahryar, third in the 2023 BC Turf at Santa Anita, closed from ninth in the final quarter-mile to finish third again. The race was marred by an incident in which Jayarebe died after galloping out. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. According to a statement issued by the Breeders’ Cup, Jayarebe, who finished seventh, “suffered what appears to have been a cardiac event.” Jayarebe, 3, had won the Group 2 Prix Dollar at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris on Oct. 5 in his preceding start and was the 8-1 sixth choice. In the BC Turf, Rebel’s Romance ($5.80) ran 1 1/2 miles in 2:26.07, recording his seventh Grade 1 or Group 1 win and the 12th stakes win of his 22-race career, which began in the fall of 2020. He earned a 106 Beyer Speed Figure. Owned by Godolphin Racing and trained by Charlie Appleby, Rebel’s Romance broke from post 11 and was fourth for the first quarter-mile behind early leader Cabo Spirit. Buick boldly moved Rebel’s Romance closer to the pacesetter when the field reached early stretch for the first time, deciding to gain a forward position and increase his chances of a trouble-free journey. “I spoke with Charlie this morning and we agreed we would ride him positively,” Buick said, referring to a forwardly placed trip. “I expected [Cabo Spirit] to lead. I sensed he was getting a soft lead and he was putting the brakes on. “I opted to go forward,” Buick continued. Rebel’s Romance “was a little competitive when I first moved him forward and he got into that lovely rhythm that he’s so accustomed to in that he travels powerfully but is well within himself.” Cabo Spirit set a fair early pace of 24.33 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 48.77 for a half-mile, with Rebel’s Romance within a length for the first mile. Cabo Spirit (51-1) faded approaching the stretch for the final time when Buick urged Rebel’s Romance clear. Rebel’s Romance’s advantage diminished rapidly in the final strides when a threat emerged from 22-1 Rousham Park. “In the last half-mile, when he made that move off the turn, I was pretty confident that we got the job done,” Appleby said. “To be fair, the second horse was closing.” Appleby said Rebel’s Romance benefited from the late threat. “Wiliam said he wasn’t idling, but he needed something to come after him,” Appleby said. “When he felt that horse on his girth, he picked up again. It’s a sign of a good horse.” Rousham Park, a four-time stakes winner in Japan, was ridden by Christophe Lemaire in the BC Turf and ran his best race outside of Japan. He was eighth in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup last December. “The jockey rode according to plan,” trainer Hiroyasa Tanaka said through an interpreter. “He gave him a good ride.” :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports Shahryar finished 1 3/4 lengths in front of Gold Phoenix, who was also fourth in the 2023 BC Turf. The remaining order of finish was Wingspan, Luxembourg, Jayarebe, Emily Upjohn, Far Bridge, There Goes Harvard, Grand Sonata, Cabo Spirit, and El Encinal. Rebel’s Romance has earned a remarkable $11,777,574, including $8,717,342 in 2024. This year, Rebel’s Romance has won stakes in Qatar, Dubai, Hong Kong, Germany, and now California. An Irish-bred gelding by Dubawi, Rebel’s Romance will stay in training in 2025, Appleby said. “A horse like this takes the pressure off of you,” Appleby said. “When you roll a horse out like him, you know he’ll be giving you the best out there.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.