British trainer Charlie Appleby has left his mark with Godolphin-owned horses at the Breeders' Cup, winning 11 Breeders' Cup races from 27 starters, beginning with victorious Outstrip, his first runner, in the 2013 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T).
Since then, the conditioner has impacted the United States racing scene with shippers for other major races, or with auxiliary divisions of horses kept in the States for longer campaigns.
The past two years, Appleby was active in the U.S. from spring through fall, winning grade 1s such as the Maker's Mark Mile Stakes (G1T), Manhattan Stakes (G1T), Arlington Million Stakes (G1T), Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T), and Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T).
In 2025, his stable's concentration has been focused abroad. Since three of his horses were unplaced on Pegasus World Cup day in South Florida in late January, Appleby has not run a single horse in North America.
That changes Aug. 9 when he runs the duo of Nations Pride and El Cordobes in the $750,000 Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course. A prestigious 1 1/2-mile race on turf and part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, the Sword Dancer provides its winner with a paid, automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Turf. Appleby has won the latter race three times—first with Yibir in 2021 and then with Rebel's Romance in both 2022 and 2024.
Rebel's Romance is again one of the early favorites with British bookmakers in antepost (future) wagering for the Breeders' Cup Turf.
More immediately, Appleby's American hopes rest with Nations Pride and El Cordobes in a bid to win the Sword Dancer for the first time. Stable jockey William Buick travels to Saratoga for the mount on Nations Pride, the 3-1 second choice in the Sword Dancer morning line behind favored Far Bridge, trained by Miguel Clement for LSU Stables. El Cordobes, not as accomplished as Nations Pride but with more recency and up-and-coming form, picks up jockey Flavien Prat.
Nations Pride is a battle-tested North American performer, having won the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) and Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes (G3T) in 2022 in New York, the Canadian International Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine in 2023, and the 2024 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs—mostly over shorter distances than the Sword Dancer.
"Last year, he won over the mile and a quarter in the Arlington Million, as we know, but he's won over the mile and a half in the Jockey Club Derby at Aqueduct and ran a very creditable race in the Breeders' Cup Turf," Appleby said, referring to Nations Pride's fifth behind Rebel's Romance in 2022.
The trainer feels that at this stage in the 6-year-old Teofilo horse's career, he needs more ground to be at his best—explaining the horse's presence in the Sword Dancer and not a return appearance in the Arlington Million, also Saturday. The two races have split the ranks of many of the better turf horses in the eastern part of the country.
Nations Pride, 11-3-2 in 22 starts with earnings of more than $3.6 million, has won at nine racetracks in five different countries. But he has also been outrun in three of his last four starts, including last out when 10th in the April 5 Dubai Turf (G1T) at Meydan Racecourse and in January at Gulfstream Park when ninth in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T).
When he fired in winning the March 1 Singspiel Stakes (G2T) at Meydan, he posted a 117 Racing Post Rating and an official rating of 115.
El Cordobes, a 4-1 morning-line shot, ran a lower 115 Racing Post Rating and a 108 official rating in taking his last start in the four-horse Princess of Wales's Stakes (G2) July 10 at Newmarket. The 4-year-old son of Frankel prefers firm ground, which appears likely with dry conditions forecast Aug. 8 and Saturday.
El Cordobes is out of the winning Sea The Stars mare Bold Lass, a half sister to group 1 winner Tante Rose, as well as Rosie's Posy, dam of dual grade/group 1 winners Dubawi Heights and Make Believe.
Both Godolphin horses have shown they can win after remaining in touch with the early leader, a desirable trait in a Sword Dancer without much pace. Morning-line favorite and defending race winner Far Bridge, under Joel Rosario, is one of the few entrants to have won when going to the early lead on occasion.
