Big Evs © Photo Healy Racing
When conquering America 12 months ago, Big Evs had already assured his place in the affections of his connections. But now he will attempt to cement his own legacy when he returns to California for the sequel to his Breeders’ Cup story.
Trained by Barnsley-born Mick Appleby, the Big Evs journey is one already fitting of the silver screen.
The son of Blue Point broke the Rutland handler’s Royal Ascot hoodoo during an almost flawless juvenile campaign, before rubber-stamping his star status with his blockbuster Breeders’ Cup success at Santa Anita in the shadows of the San Gabriel mountains.
For a man of humble beginnings, considered as an all-weather specialist, that Juvenile Turf Sprint success was not only a first victory at the highest level for Appleby, but a triumph that propelled his Langham training operation into the limelight.
The colt is owned by East Yorkshire-based Paul and Rachael Teasdale under their RP Racing banner and is certainly a favourite at the Appleby yard.
“He’s a once in a lifetime horse and a lot of trainers dream of having a horse like this,” said Appleby.
“All credit has to go to Paul for bringing horses to us and putting his faith in us.
“You have to savour days like last year because they are far and few between.”
Last year’s Breeders’ Cup experience was also a step into the unknown for the Teasdales, who took the brave decision to turn down eye-watering offers for the horse named after friend Paul Evans – who died of lung cancer in 2022 – in favour of continuing the Big Evs journey with Appleby.
It was a call that resulted in memories of a lifetime for all concerned, as the youngster who carries the colours of his beloved Crystal Palace proved far too good for the best juveniles in the world.
“He had an amazing season at two, culminating at the Breeders’ Cup which was just incredible and there was a lot of temptation to retire him last year. We had some huge offers to retire him, but we really wanted him to have a three-year-old career,” explained Paul Teasdale.
“We got there (to America) late, we only got there on Thursday and his race was on Friday. We arrived about an hour before the Breeders’ Cup launch party – they have a cocktail party on the night.
“When we went on Friday it was a brand new experience, we didn’t know what to expect. They looked after us enormously well, they are great people and very friendly, but it was slightly overwhelming at times and it took us a while to settle in.
“I guess we should have expected him to win, but we never expected anything like that. He travelled over there well, took all the proceedings well and then just acquitted himself in a fantastic way.
“Turning for home there was only one horse in the race and (jockey) Tom Marquand’s view was he just wasn’t getting beat and we were all delighted with him.”
Kept in training at three, the plan has always been for Big Evs to bring the curtain down on his racing career back in California and attempt to repeat the feat achieved by Wesley Ward’s Golden Pal, who claimed juvenile honours at Keeneland in 2020 before downing his elders 12 months later at Del Mar.
Golden Pal was famed for his rapid gate speed and sustained acceleration, and Appleby is confident his once in a lifetime performer shares the same characteristics ahead of his swansong.
“He’s so quick and he’s not the biggest, so he can nip round that bend and with his natural speed, America just seems to suit him,” explained Appleby.
“It will be nice to go back to America and it would be great if he could win.
“We’re not going there under any illusions it will be easy, but as long as he runs his race and is thereabouts, we’ll be happy. If he doesn’t win, he doesn’t win, but we’re going there with every chance.”
For Teasdale, there might never be another Big Evs, but he can also look forward to watching the up-and-coming Big Mojo search for sprinting stardom in the San Diego suburbs.
That only really serves as the appetiser before the main event though, and nothing would give him more joy than seeing the ‘people’s horse’ sail off to stud as a Breeders’ Cup great.
“He’s absolutely a horse of a lifetime for us and we’ve had a fantastic run of success and he means the world to us,” added Teasdale.
“It would mean everything for him to go back there and win again. It would be a fantastic way for him to sign off and say ‘look who I am and how good I am’.
“I think he is a very-well followed horse and someone described him to me as being the ‘people’s horse’. Everyone always asks about him and it would be great and synonymous with how he’s been in his career to just finish off in style.
“He’s proved everyone wrong and has trained on really well this year. He won a nice Group Two at Goodwood, was third in the King Charles at Royal Ascot and we look forward to going back to the Breeders’ Cup, which will hopefully suit him.”
