Nations Pride (IRE)

Nations Pride, Teofilo colt bred in Ireland by owner Godolphin, emerged as a top international turf 3-year-old in 2022 after winning two of three starts at age 2 in 2021. He began the year with a win in an allowance event in Dubai and then took a listed stakes at Newbury in England before trying the Cazoo English Derby, where he finished eighth.

Trainer Charlie Appleby shipped Nations Pride to the U.S. for the Grade 1 Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational on July 9, and he closed well but could not catch pacesetter Classic Causeway and settled for second, three-quarters of a length behind that foe.

In his next start, Nations Pride turned the tables on Classic Causeway by taking the Grade 1 Caesars Saratoga Derby Invitational on Aug. 6 with a stout stretch run under William Buick, continuing well to defeat Annapolis by 1 ¾ lengths, with Classic Causeway third.

Nations Pride won yet another $1 million race in New York on Sept. 17, when he emerged victorious over The Grey Wizard again in the Grade 3 Caesars Jockey Club Derby Invitational in course record time of 2:24.14 for the 1 1/2 miles under jockey Frankie Dettori. 

Sent off as the favorite in the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf, Nations Pride got into some trouble early in the race and finished willingly for fifth behind his stablemate in the Appleby barn Rebel’s Romance.

Nations Pride started his 2023 season in Dubai and won a Group 3 race at Meydan before running third by three-quarters of a length in the $5 million Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World.

Nations Pride returned from a four-month layoff with a win by three lengths in the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen at Munich in Germany. Appleby then shipped him back to North America for the $750,000 Canadian International Stakes and he reeled in fellow European invader Royal Champion to win the Grade 1 race by 2 1/4 lengths Oct. 8 at Woodbine

Nations Pride is out of the stakes-winning Oasis Dream mare Important Time. His second dam is Group 1 winner Satwa Queen.