By Alan Carasso
The late English Channel was himself a two-time winner of the race now known as the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, scoring in 2006 and 2007, the last of which preceded a victory in the Monmouth bog in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf a handful of weeks later.
George Krikorian's outstanding turf distaffer War Like Goddess (English Channel) was in search of an unprecedented third straight win against the boys in the 12-furlong contest, but LSU Stables' 'TDN Rising Star' Far Bridge (English Channel)–whose dam sire Kitten's Joy (El Prado {Ire}) won the 2004 Turf Classic and accounted for 2015 winner Big Blue Kitten–was patiently ridden by Joel Rosario, slipped through at the inside with less than a furlong to race and outfinished the mare to lead home a 1-2 finish for the late stallion.
Whereas Joel Rosario surprised the field in the Aug. 24 GI Sword Dancer Stakes by leading through slow fractions, Far Bridge was taken back to second last this time around, while crucially racing against the rail as is his preference, with only War Like Goddess trailing him, as Get Smokin (Get Stormy) controlled the pace while being tracked through by favored Silver Knott (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), a latest third in the Sword Dancer.
The Godolphin runner inherited the lead fully three furlongs out when the pacesetter dropped anchor and went for home, but Junior Alvarado had gone for the two-time defending champion in the meantime and the duo advanced wide from the tail to rally up into second nearing the stretch. The 7-year-old mare went to Silver Knott at midstretch and looked well on her way to the victory, but Far Bridge was steered around the up-and-down 'Rising Star' Emmanuel (More Than Ready) nearing the entrance to the final furlong, dove down back to the inside to hit the lead where the chute intersects the course proper and fought off a resurgent War Like Goddess to stamp himself as America's best hope for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf five weeks down the line.
“We just think it's easier for the horse mentally to relax when he's on the rail,” said trainer Christophe Clement, winning the Turf Classic for the first time since Winchester in 2010. “I told him [Joel Rosario] if you can be 1-2-3 on the rail, great. If not, take back and be on the rail. So, he was fourth on the rail and the good news is with the short field, it was easier [to navigate], but he ran great.”
A member of the Clement barn and owned by his breeder when he whooshed home to be named a 'Rising Star' at second asking at Gulfstream Park in March 2023, Far Bridge made five starts while under the care of Todd Pletcher following a private purchase by LSU Stables, including a one-length victory in last year's GI Belmont Derby.
Returned to this shedrow for his 4-year-old campaign, Far Bridge was victorious in Gulfstream allowance company Mar. 31, but was only fifth in the GI Turf Classic at Churchill May 4 and a dead-heat third in the Manhattan. Tried over 11 furlongs for the first time in the GI United Nations S. July 20, he never really got into it from post 11 and finished ninth to pacesetting Get Smokin as the 2-1 favorite.
LSU's Randy Sarf is not lacking for confidence looking ahead to Far Bridge's next appearance.
“He can be anywhere, any place, any time–he loves the rail the most, but he can be on the outside or even on the lead if he needs to. He can come from the back if he wants to. He is in top form right now and he is ready to win the Breeders' Cup.
“We'll give him a nice little rest and he'll go out to California and we're going to win the Breeders' Cup.”
Main Sequence (Aldebaran) is the last to complete the Hirsch/BC Turf double in 2014.
Pedigree Notes:
English Channel has now sired the winners of no fewer than five renewals of the Turf Classic, having been responsible for Channel Maker in 2018 and 2020 before War Like Goddess doubled up in the two most recent runnings. In addition to his two victories in the race, English Channel was beaten a head into second by Shakespeare as a 3-year-old in 2005.
Far Bridge is one of 14 top-level scorers for English Channel, who called Calumet Farm home from 2014 until his death in late 2021 at the age of 19. Far Bridge is the last of three foals to race from his dam, who passed away in 2021.
FAR BRIDGE gets it done in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes with @JRosarioJockey up for @clementstable! pic.twitter.com/9vFdpiKuD3
— NYRA (🌳) (@TheNYRA) September 28, 2024
Saturday, Belmont The Big A
JOE HIRSCH TURF CLASSIC S.-GI, $485,000, Belmont The Big A, 9-28, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:32.22, gd.
1–FAR BRIDGE, 126, c, 4, by English Channel
1st Dam: Fitpitcher, by Kitten's Joy
2nd Dam: Teenage Temper, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Pleasant Temper, by Storm Cat
'TDN Rising Star'. O-LSU Stables; B-Calumet Farm (KY);
T-Christophe Clement; J-Joel Rosario. $275,000. Lifetime
Record: 13-6-3-2, $1,752,700. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
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2–War Like Goddess, 123, m, 7, English Channel–Misty North,
by North Light (Ire). ($1,200 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $1,000 RNA Ylg
'18 KEESEP; $30,000 2yo '19 OBSOPN). O-George Krikorian;
B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-William I. Mott. $100,000.
3–Silver Knott (GB), 126, g, 4, Lope de Vega (Ire)–God Given
(GB), by Nathaniel (Ire). (725,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT).
O-Godolphin, LLC; B-St Albans Bloodstock LLP (GB); T-Charles
Appleby. $60,000.
Margins: HF, 4 1/4, 7HF. Odds: 2.95, 1.70, 1.65.
Also Ran: Emmanuel, Get Smokin. Scratched: Daunt, Truly Quality.
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