Auguste Rodin (IRE)

Auguste Rodin ran second in his career debut in June 2022 at the Curragh in Ireland and followed with a three-race winning streak that established him as one of the most talented European runners of his crop. He posted clear wins in the Group 2 KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes and the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes to close out his juvenile season.

In 2023, he lived up to the hype by sweeping both the Betfred English Derby and Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. He was eased in his next start in July but bounced back to top form with a win in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes in September at Leopardstown.

Auguste Rodin was sent to race in North America for the first time for the 2023 $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, where he was sent off as the 5-2 favorite on the tote board in a field of 11. Under a dramatic ride by jockey Ryan Moore for trainer Aidan O'Brien, Auguste Rodin came from the rear portion of the field, made a move on the turn and got through traffic on the inside at the top of the to make the lead. He gamely held off runner-up Up to the Mark by three-quarters of a length. Auguste Rodin stopped the clock in a time of 2:24.30 for the 1 1/2 miles.

Multiple Group 1 winner Rhododendron, by Galileo, is the dam (mother) of Auguste Rodin, who is named after the French sculptor who is considered one of the greatest portraitists in the history of sculpture.