DEL MAR, Calif. — It’s almost impossible to imagine someone fitting the international flavor of the Breeders’ Cup more than globe-hopping jockey Rachel King.

She’s from Oxford, England. She’s lived in Australia for the last decade. She will ride a Japanese horse, Satono Carnaval, in the Cup’s Juvenile Turf on American soil at Del Mar.

One woman. Four continents. Those worlds will converge in a $1 million race-day capper Friday that lasts a shade over a minute and a half.

Walking to the paddock after signing licensing paperwork Thursday, King smiled at the small episodes of confusion her scattered background has created.

“They can’t get their head around it,” King said. “I’m Australian, from England, riding a Japanese horse. When I would go to the quarantine barn (holding international horses when they first arrive), they looked at me. I know I’m not Japanese, but I’m in the right place.”

King is the perfect representation of the colorful global flair at the Breeders’ Cup, which began the week with entries from Asia, Europe, North America, Africa and South America.

The 80 horses who traveled to Del Mar from beyond U.S. borders shattered the record of 60 set a year ago at Santa Anita.

King, who married Luke Hilton in June, can barely keep up herself.

“I haven’t been able to change my name legally because I keep traveling everywhere,” she said. “I can’t send my passport back to get it changed.”

Forgive King if the lines blur a bit.

When she returned to England for the wedding, she followed the ceremony by riding at the famed Royal Ascot before tacking on the honeymoon afterward.

“We fit it all in,” she said.

King also bounced from Australia to Japan, where she piled up 16 wins in 2024 alone. Now she’ll guide Satono Carnaval, 2-0 lifetime, for trainer Noriyuki Hori. The horse opened at 20-1 odds in Friday’s race among five stacked races for 2-year-olds.

Home remains clear, though: King will become the first Australia-based jockey to ride in the Breeders’ Cup.

“Everyone says I sound more Australian than English,” she said. “I didn’t have a very strong accent where I’m from in England, so it changed over quite quickly.

“But I’m a proper Australian resident now. So I’m representing Australia, definitely.”

More proof?

“I love Vegemite,” King said.

Eleven women have ridden in the four-decade-old Breeders’ Cup, according to event officials. Two have won.

Hall of Famer rider Julie Krone broke the gender barrier with Halfbridled in the 2003 Juvenile Fillies. Rosie Napravnik finished first twice, the last aboard Untapable in the 2014 Distaff.

King is joined this lap by Hollie Doyle in Saturday’s Turf Sprint.

“I’m not one to think about being the first female to do anything because, especially in Australia, we’re not classed as female jockeys, we’re just jockeys,” King said.

“It is nice afterward to know that I’ve created history. It’s been similar in the big races I’ve won in Australia. Most of the Group 1s have been the first female. It’s always nice to be a part of that, but I don’t massively think about that beforehand.”

The potential magnitude of the moment lingers, however.

“The whole occasion is massive,” King said. “In Australia before a big race, we might have one morning of something called breakfast with the stars where they gallop and everybody watches. Here, you have a whole week of it.

“And around town, there’s Breeders’ Cup signs everywhere. It’s just another level.”

Though King raced in the U.S. on two quick trips, one an amateur race in 2011, she has not seen or competed on the West Coast.

That led to some modern-age homework.

“I obviously didn’t know the horses and the track,” she said. “Luckily, the internet’s pretty good so we can watch plenty of replays. I watched races on the turf (at Del Mar) and started going through all the all the horses in the race as well to know the opposition.”

The time she spent researching online?

“A lot,” King said, with a laugh.

One thing struck her about Del Mar.

“The racetrack is a classic, old American-type of racetrack,” King said. “It’s a beautiful area.”

Asked to envision explaining the trip to Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup to her children a decade or two down the line, King paused.

Then an obvious thought struck her.

“I hope I say we had a winner,” she said. “That would be good.”

A few countries will agree.

©2024 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Visit sandiegouniontribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.