Breeders’ Futurity (Grade 1)
Champagne Stakes (Grade 1)
TWO new names leapt to the top of the two-year-old colts’ division last weekend following Grade 1 wins for American History and U S S Valor. Both of them look like Derby horses too.
Racing for WinStar Farm and partners, American History possibly benefited from a pace collapse in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. Todd Pletcher’s colt, a son of Constitution, looked booked for a solid third place as the odds-on favourite Coach Pope battled with Q B Rocket up front.
Coach Pope was gradually winning that argument but the front pair had no answer when American Pope and the in-form Johnny Velazquez swooped by in the dying strides to win by a length.
Irishman Gerry Duffy, who had only taken over the role of WinStar CEO and president two days earlier, indicated that the winner is very likely to come back to Keeneland for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile later this month.
Looking further ahead, the WinStar team will be dreaming that American History can emulate its two Derby winners Super Saver (2010) and Justify (2018), who of course won the Triple Crown.
Team Valor
Meanwhile, in New York Barry Irwin’s Team Valor operation won the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes with U S S Valor, a colt the owners bred themselves by War Of Will.
Sent off the 4/11 favourite last Saturday, U S S Valor won by over six lengths under Manny Franco but connections are focused on the 2027 Kentucky Derby and refused to commit their horse to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Noting that U S S Valor was slow out of the gate – as he was on his debut – winning trainer Shug McGaughey said: “I was surprised at that. I’m glad he was able to overcome that stuff.”
Team Valor won the Derby in 2011 with Animal Kingdom but Irwin believes this horse could be even better.
“We have never really won a top two-year-old race like this,” he said. “I mean we won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, we won the Spinaway, I’ve won a couple of good ones in Europe, but this is the best, for me.
“I’ve never had a horse anywhere near this quality before, and I’ve had some good horses. He is just beyond words. I can’t believe I bred him, I can’t believe I own him.”
REBECCA Menzies, who trains near Sedgefield in Durham, deserves great credit for sending her two-year-old Adonius to Keeneland last Sunday to win the Grade 3 Indian Summer Stakes.
Bred by Tom Hassett of Monksland Stables in Co Waterford, the Soldier’s Call gelding was a £32,000 yearling purchase at Doncaster.
After rattling off three early season wins over five furlongs the horse attracted interest from the US and is now part-owned by Sean Clancy, occasional contributor to The Irish Field.
Second place finishes in both the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood and the Roses Stakes at York gave connections confidence to target last Sunday’s Grade 3 contest but he looked well beaten turning for home, as Wesley Ward’s Ruiva threatened to blitz the field.
Led on the line
The leader tired in the final half-furlong, however, allowing a bunch of closers to sweep by in the final strides - and none finished faster than Adonius who led on the line to win by a head under man-of-the-moment John Velazquez.
Menzies said: “My heart sank a little bit [when he broke badly], but they were going a good gallop, and Adonius has never had a pace to aim at in Britain before. Johnny got him really settled. I was pretty happy because I know he’s a very honest horse and when he was pulled out wide and came late, I knew he always tries to the line. I actually thought, ‘Oh, great, he’s probably going to finish fourth here.’
“Then when I saw him really rallying and putting his head down, it’s a testament to the horse. It’s our first winner, our first runner abroad, and it’s absolutely magical.”
Adonius will stay in the US and go for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at the same track later this month.