page_title: Abel Tasman (horse)
section_title: 2018: four-year-old season
hierarchical_section_title: Abel Tasman (horse) / Racing career / 2018: four-year-old season
caption_attribution_description: English: Abel Tasman at the 2018 Breeders' Cup
context_page_description: Abel Tasman is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse. After finishing fifth in her first start at age two, she won her next three races including the Starlet Stakes. At age three, she finished second in both the Santa Ysabel and Santa Anita Oaks before winning the Grade I Kentucky Oaks, the female equivalent of the Kentucky Derby. She extended her winning streak by taking the Acorn Stakes and Coaching Club American Oaks, before finishing the year with second-place finishes in both the Cotillion Stakes and Breeders' Cup Distaff. She was named the American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly of 2017.
  At age four, Abel Tasman finished fourth in her first start of the year in the La Troienne Stakes, then rebounded to win the Ogden Phipps and Personal Ensign. She finished her career with 8 wins from 16 starts and winnings of $2,793,385.
context_section_description: After the Breeders' Cup, Abel Tasman was turned out for a few weeks of rest. Baffert did not rush her return as he planned to focus her campaign on the second half of the season and another chance at the Breeders' Cup Distaff. She made her four-year-old debut in the La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2018, a year after her biggest win in the Kentucky Oaks. She was the only Grade I winner in the race and went off as the odds-on favorite. However, she raced wide throughout the race and lacked her normal closing kick, finishing fourth behind Salty.
  Abel Tasman made her next start in the Ogden Phipps Stakes on June 5 at Belmont Park, the same day Baffert would win the American Triple Crown with Justify. She stalked the early pace then moved to the lead on the backstretch when the pace slowed down. She maintained an easy lead around the turn then opened up down the stretch, eventually winning by ​7 ¹⁄₄ lengths. "I'm so proud of her," said Baffert. "She's one of my favorite all-time horses."
  On August 25, Abel Tasman started in the Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga as the 3-5 favorite. Her main rival was Elate, the filly she had defeated the year before in the Coaching Club American Oaks after surviving a stewards' inquiry. After half a mile, Abel Tasman moved to the lead on a rail-hugging trip. Elate was racing behind her, then swung wide as they rounded the final turn. Elate started to close ground rapidly, getting to within half a length in mid stretch. Elate then started to drift out, then was guided back to her original path. Meanwhile, Abel Tasman moved away from the rail and the two fillies bumped. Elate lost her momentum and lost by a neck. Elate's jockey filed an objection but the steward's let the result stand.
  The result proved controversial, with the crowd booing Abel Tasman and Smith in the winner's circle. Elate's jockey Jose Ortiz stated, "He (Smith) clearly came out, knocked my filly off balance, knocked me off balance and beat me by a neck. I think [Abel Tasman] should have come down, 100 percent." Smith disagreed, saying, "We just kind of came together, I didn't herd him [Ortiz] at all and she wasn't going to let him by no matter what."
  Abel Tasman made her next start as the heavy favorite in the Zenyatta Stakes on September 30. She broke poorly and trailed the field early by ten lengths. Turning for home, she lacked her usual closing kick, finishing fifth. "I'm just really not sure what happened with her today," said Smith. "I'm kind of at a loss for words. The good thing is that she didn't get outrun. She didn't run period. For whatever reason she was lethargic loading and she was slow into stride and never wanted to pick it up."
  On November 3, Abel Tasman was entered in the Breeders Cup Distaff, held in 2018 at Churchill Downs. Smith rode her aggressively from the gate and secured third place to the inside of Monomoy Girl going around the turn. She held her position down the backstretch but did not respond when Monomoy Girl started her drive, eventually finishing last. "She just quit running," said Baffert. "I thought she was in a good spot, (Smith) got aggressive with her, but she just doesn't want to run anymore, it looks like."
caption: Abel Tasman at the 2018 Breeders' Cup
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