Fundamental takes Cardinal in final stop on European Road

Apr 01, 2021 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Cheveley Park Stud’s homebred Fundamental justified favoritism in Thursday’s Cardinal Conditions Stakes at Chelmsford, bringing the curtain down on the European Road to the Kentucky Derby. Although the victory would be worth 30 points, enough to top the final leaderboard and earn an invitation to Derby 147, the well-bred colt is set to raise his sights on turf.

Indeed, Fundamental has a prior engagement on Kentucky Derby Day, May 1 – the 2000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket. Even if connections don’t aim that high straightaway, the very entry is informative. 

Fundamental had not raced since Oct. 15, when scoring his first win on this Polytrack circuit in commanding wire-to-wire fashion. The son of Dark Angel and multiple Grade 1 queen Integral was also facing several other well-bred prospects looking to take a step forward here. But such was his reputation that he was well backed to win, going off at odds of 5-4, and the gray lived up to billing.
Trained by John Gosden and son Thady, who just officially became co-trainer, Fundamental worked out an inside stalking trip. Godolphin’s Quintullus, the 3-1 second choice, strode to the lead from his rail post and found himself pressed by Oo de Lally. 
Fundamental drafted in the slipstream of Quintullus until turning for home. As Oo de Lally drifted out, a gap opened between him and Quintullus, and Fundamental seized the chance to split his foes. Picking up well for jockey Rab Havlin, the favorite drew away from the early leaders.
Late-running Qaader swooped on the outside, but Fundamental still had a half-length to spare at the wire. His final time for the mile was 1:37.40. 
Another three lengths back came Moraaheq, who edged Quintullus by a short head for third. Qaader and Moraaheq, both representing the late Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Estate Co., would bank 12 and six points, respectively, and Quintullus’ fourth was good for three points. None of the Cardinal entrants, however, is Triple Crown nominated. 
Oo de Lally retreated to fifth, followed by Juddmonte’s Duty of Care, who never looked in the zone after missing the break, and Decisive Edge. 
Fundamental now sports a mark of 4-2-1-1, reflecting placings in a pair of turf starts prior to winning both sorties on the all-weather. His dam, Integral, ranked as England’s highweight older mare in the mile division courtesy of major victories in the 2014 Sun Chariot (G1) and Falmouth (G1) at Newmarket as well as the Duke of Cambridge (G2) at Royal Ascot. 

The seven-race European Road ends without producing a 2021 Kentucky Derby contender, for no Triple Crown nominees were among the points scorers throughout the series.  

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