Oscar Performance Looks to Emulate Sire in Hirsch

It was a monumental performance, one that led many to call him the best 3-year-old turf horse since Manila. When Kitten's Joy (El Prado {Ire}) swept past a field of accomplished older horses in the 2004 GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational, the chestnut stamped himself as a generational grass talent and sewed up champion turf male Eclipse honors for that season. Saturday, one of his sons, 'TDN Rising Star' Oscar Performance, will try to repeat his dad's feat when he takes on 10 rivals, nine of them elders, in this year's renewal of the Hirsch, a “Win and You're In” race for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf.

Dominating a field of maidens by 10 1/4 lengths to earn his 'Rising Star' nod last August at Saratoga, the Amerman Racing homebred followed up with a romping score in the GIII Pilgrim S. and annexed the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf to close his 2-year-old campaign. Disappointing when off the board in two outings to begin his sophomore season, the bay bounced back with a wire-to-wire tally in the GIII Pennine Ridge S. here June 3 and repeated with convincing victories in the GI Belmont Derby and GI Secretariat S. The Hirsch will be Oscar Performance's first try against older rivals and first start beyond 10 furlongs.

Once a super 3-year-old turfer in his own right, The Grey Gatsby (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) will try to regain his top form while making his North American debut. The Dermot Weld trainee captured the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, G1 Irish Champion S. and G2 Dante S. in Europe as a sophomore in 2014, but has gone winless in 15 starts in the three years since, and has failed to crack the top three in his last seven outings.

Stone Farm and Madaket Stables LLC's Ascend (Candy Ride {Arg}) returns to the scene of his greatest triumph, having upset the GI Woodford Reserve Manhattan S. at 27-1 here in June. The gray was then fourth as the favorite in the GII Bowling Green S. July 29 at Saratoga and fifth after starting slowly two weeks later in the GI Arlington Million.

First in the Million was 'TDN Rising Star' Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid). Prior to that, the dark bay had gone winless in six starts since taking the GI Secretariat S. last summer. Beach Patrol was fourth in the Manhattan and third in the Belmont Derby in his two previous forays over the local lawn. His trainer, Chad Brown, will also be represented by Million runner-up Fanciful Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Money Multiplier (Lookin At Lucky), who completed the exacta in the GI Sword Dancer S.

Woodslane Farm's progressive homebred Sadler's Joy (Kitten's Joy) also carries the flag for his Ramsey Farm sire and will look to follow up on his breakout score in the Sword Dancer last out Aug. 26 at Saratoga. Al Shaqab Racing's Mekhtaal (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), victor of the G1 Prix d'Ispahan this May, tries to bounce back after finishing 10th in the Million in his North American bow. He will be making his first start for the Graham Motion barn and adds Lasix.