Auguste Rodin (horse)

Auguste Rodin is a bay colt, with a white blaze and a white sock on his left hind leg, bred in Ireland by the Coolmore Stud. He raced in the ownership of the Coolmore partners Michael Tabor, Sue Magnier and Derrick Smith in association with Georg von Opel's Westerberg organization. The colt was sent into training with Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle.

He is from the thirteenth crop of foals sired by Japanese Triple Crown champion Deep Impact, who was the Japanese Horse of the Year in 2005 and 2006.^[3] Auguste Rodin is the first foal produced by Rhododendron, whose wins included the Fillies' Mile, Prix de l'Opéra and Lockinge Stakes. Rhododendron's dam Halfway to Heaven won the Irish 1,000 Guineas, Nassau Stakes and Sun Chariot Stakes in 2008.^[4] and was a descendant of the Kentucky Oaks winner Native S.^[5]

Auguste Rodin began his track career in a seven-furlong maiden race at the Curragh on 1 June when he started the 4/6 favourite but finished second to Crypto Force, beaten two and a half lengths. A month later the colt started odds-on favourite for a similar event at Naas Racecourse. Ridden by Seamie Heffernan he won "comfortably" by two lengths from Shadowed.^[6] The colt was then stepped up in class for the Group 2 Juvenile Stakes over one mile on soft ground at Leopardstown Racecourse on 10 September when he was ridden by Ryan Moore and started 11/10 favourite in a six-runner field. After tracking the leaders he took the lead a furlong out and despite hanging to the right in the closing stages he stayed on well to win by one and a half lengths from Caroline Street.^[7] After the race Aidan O'Brien commented "He's always showed a lot and has a beautiful physique, a lovely nature... He was a little idle when he got to the front, but we're delighted with him. He's always gone through his work very impressively. He has plenty of class and quality, and probably will sharpen up a lot from today. We thought he could be the type of horse to do both the Guineas and the Derby".^[8]

For his final run of the season Auguste Rodin was sent to England to contest the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy winning "readily" by three and a half lengths.^[9]

In the official two-year-old ratings for 2022, Auguste Rodin was rated the equal fourth-best juvenile of the season in Europe, behind Little Big Bear, Blackbeard and Chaldean.^[10]

In the early part of 2023 there was speculation that Auguste Rodin would become the first horse since Nijinsky to complete the Triple Crown by winning the 2000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger.^[11]

On 6 May Auguste Rodin began his second season in the 2000 Guineas, eventually coming in twelfth, more than twenty lengths behind the winner Chaldean.^[12]

The 244th running of the Derby took place over one and a half miles on good to firm ground at Epsom Racecourse on 3 June and Auguste Rodin started the 9/2 second favourite behind the Chester Vase winner Arrest. The other twelve contenders included Military Order (Lingfield Derby Trial), The Foxes (Dante Stakes), White Birch (Ballysax Stakes), Sprewell (Derby Trial Stakes), San Antonio (Dee Stakes) and Dubai Mile (Criterium de Saint-Cloud). Ridden by Moore, Auguste Rodin caught the leader 100 yards from the finish and won by three quarters of a length.^[13]

Auguste Rodin made his next start in the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes on 29 July.After running in midfield for most of the race, he dropped out into the back of the field and was eased home last as the 9/4 favorite, beaten by more than 100 lengths by winner Hukum.^{[14] [15]}