Way back when, before the Breeders’ Cup arrived in 1984, most divisional championships were determined in autumn at Belmont Park. The Fall Championship meeting lured the stars to Long Island, and victory in a prestigious stake often meant an Eclipse Award.
Those races remain fixtures in New York, but instead of deciding year-end trophies they’re Breeders’ Cup preps. The venue is different, too. While Belmont Park is being rebuilt for its reopening next fall, Aqueduct will host five graded stakes on Saturday. Besides the Woodward (G2), which usracing.com is covering in a separate story, the Big A will feature the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1), the Gallant Bloom (G2) and two Grade 3s, the Belmont Turf Sprint and the Vosburgh Stakes, a Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” event for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
The 49th running of the Joe Hirsch, named for the late Daily Racing Form columnist, has the largest purse ($500,000) and the biggest names. Two-time Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) hero Rebel’s Romance (the even-money favorite) will face challenges from stable companion El Cordobes and Far Bridge. It’s not a “Win and You’re In” but it could be. Six Turf Classic winners also took the Breeders’ Cup Turf – Manila (1986), Theatrical (1987), Tikkanen (1994), Buck’s Boy (1998), English Channel (2007) and Main Sequence (2014).
England-based Charlie Appleby trains the 7-year-old Rebel’s Romance and the 4-year-old El Cordobes, last-out winners of a Group 1 in Germany and the Sword Dancer Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, respectively.
“They’re both in good order. El Cordobes is younger, but both come in off the back of successes in their last races,” Appleby said. “Hopefully that gives us a little confidence that one of them will be picking up the prize.”
For those who like to bet on horse racing, here’s some intel that may help. Races are listed in the order in which they’ll be run, with program numbers and odds in parentheses.
Twenty Six Black (5, 9-5) is 4-for-7 at the distance and 3-for-6 over the Aqueduct course. His main rival looks like defending champion Alogon (4, 3-1), who beat him in this race last year. New York-bred Senbei (3, 7-2) and likely pacesetter Dancing Buck (2, 6-1) also are course-and-distance winners. Twenty Six Black’s superior closing punch makes the difference.
1 Live High Live Low (Javier Castellano, George Weaver), 12-1
2 Dancing Buck (Kendrick Carmouche, Michelle Nevin), 6-1
3 Senbei (Manny Franco, Miguel Clement), 7-2
4 Alogon (Dylan Davis, Edward Allard), 3-1
5 Twenty Six Black (Flavien Prat, Horatio De Paz), 9-5
6 Bold Journey (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott), 8-1
7 Run Curtis Run (Jose Ortiz, Mike Maker), 8-1
Main track only
8 Acoustic Ave (Dylan Davis, Linda Rice), 9-5
This five-horse field (plus two main-track only entries) has a ton of quality to make up for lack of quantity. Globetrotter Rebel’s Romance (3, 1-1), one of the century’s best grass runners (14-for-20), is a 12-furlong specialist (12-for-17).
Can improving stablemate El Cordobes (1, 3-1) knock off the old master? Difficult, but far from impossible. He won his last two at 1½ miles, flying the Sword Dancer’s final quarter in about 23 seconds. Before that, the son of standout sire Frankel scored by two lengths over subsequent Grade 1 winner Wimbledon Hawkeye.
Far Bridge (5, 4-1) is 2-for-2 on the Big A grass but was dominated by Rebel’s Romance (by 5¾ lengths) in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf and recently by El Cordobes (8¼ lengths). Rebel Red (4, 8-1) was a close second to El Cordobes and is on the way up. Two-time stakes winner Redistricting (2, 7-2) looks overmatched (0-for-3 in Grade 1).
1 El Cordobes (John Velazquez, Charlie Appleby), 3-1
2 Redistricting (Flavien Prat, Chad Brown), 7-2
3 Rebel's Romance (Frankie Dettori, Charlie Appleby), 1-1
4 Rebel Red (Jose Ortiz, Cherie DeVaux), 8-1
5 Far Bridge (Joel Rosario, Miguel Clement), 4-1
Main track only
6 Bank Frenzy (TBD, Rudy Rodriguez), 6-5
7 Le Gris (TBD, Rudy Rodriguez), 4-1
R Disaster (1, 3-1) is a standout and logical single in multi-race wagers. She has the best early speed, is 6-for-11 and never been out of the exacta. Expect Jose Ortiz, who’s in career form, to have her burst out of the gate.
Play R Disaster in a cold exacta over Sterling Silver (5, 7-2), a stalker who’s 13-for-13 in the money at Aqueduct. Sunday Girl (9, 10-1) is 2-for-2 at 6 furlongs and could be quick enough to pressure R Disaster early.
1 R Disaster (Jose Ortiz, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 3-1
2 Impel (Flavien Prat, Brad Cox), 6-1
3 Patricia Ann (Javier Castellano, Carlos Martin), 20-1
4 Scalable (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher), 6-1
5 Sterling Silver (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott), 7-2
6 All Class (Kendrick Carmouche, Linda Rice), 10-1
7 Street View (Manny Franco, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 15-1
8 Senza Parole (Dylan Davis, Chad Brown), 7-2
9 Sunday Girl (Katie Davis, David Duggan), 10-1
Although not a vintage Vosburgh, which has showcased champions Cody’s Wish and Elite Power in recent years, it’s a wide-open betting race.
Crazy Mason (9, 3-1) is the best closer in a field loaded with speed, He’s 3-for-4 at the distance, including an April win in Aqueduct’s Grade 2 Carter. Two of his last three losses were against Book’em Danno, the nation’s top sprinter and likely Breeders’ Cup favorite.
Scotland (1, 5-2) is the second-best late runner but 0-for-3 in graded stakes the past two years. Patriot Spirit (8, 5-1) likes 7 furlongs (2-for-3), is quick early and is training brilliantly.
1 Scotland (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott), 5-2
2 Nash (Flavien Prat, Brad Cox), 6-1
3 Super Chow (Madison Olver, Jorge Delgado), 20-1
4 Doc Sullivan (Joel Rosario, John Ortiz), 6-1
5 The Golden Gorilla (Jose Morelos, Jena Antonucci), 20-1
6 Baby Yoda (Ricardo Santana, Jr., Robert Falcone, Jr.), 6-1
7 Light the Way (Kendrick Carmouche, Linda Rice), 20-1
8 Patriot Spirit (Javier Castellano, Michael Campbell), 5-1
9 Crazy Mason (Manny Franco, Greg Sacco), 3-1
