After finishing second behind stablemate Master of the sea in the Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes (G1T) April 12 at Keeneland, Naval power Now there will be a clearer chance with a Grade 1/Group 1 win on May 4 in the $1 million Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downs.
Both runners were Godolphin children raised by Charlie Appleby. Master of The Seas has been successful in North America with three Grade 1 wins since September as his Keeneland score to open his 4-year-old season follows wins in the 2023 Woodbine Mile (G1T) and Breeders ‘Cup Mile (G1T) . But with my 6 year old son Dubai sitting out this, Naval Power could take center stage for Godolphin.
Navy will enter Saturday’s pre-Derby race test (5:27 p.m. ET) in great form. The position at Keeneland marks his third start this season after he posted wins in Dubai in January in the Jumeirah Classic and in February in the Singspiel Stakes (G2).
Naval Power, who will start from the outside position in field 11 on Saturday, is the 7-2 morning line favorite.
The Turf Classic has been the stage for some of the best runners in the bunch for Chad Brown, who won the race three years in a row from 2019-21 with Brick and mortar , Digital age And Domestic spending . Bricks and Mortar will finish 2019 as Horse of the Year and men’s turf champion.
This year Brown has entered a pair with different approaches. Klaravich stables Trading program will make his 4-year-old debut after the 2023 season, in which the son of Lope de Vega won four of five starts—including grade 1 wins in the Hollywood Derby (G1T) and Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T).
“It was a tough spot to start but it was a spot I had outlined after resting him after the Hollywood Derby as a potential starting point for him,” Brown said. “When you pick these multi-million dollar Grade 1 races, you can expect to encounter horses that are in good shape and sound, which is always a challenge. But this is where I want to start his season. I have some other races. goals for him in the summer; I had to choose how early I wanted him to start so he could last through the season, so this is where we went.”
Brown’s other appetizers, I’m very busy got off to an impressive start this season ahead of Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile turf test for older horses when he finished second in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) in September One time Gulfstream Park before winning the Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2T) in March at Fair Grounds Racetrack & Slot Machines.
Brown noted that the son of the classic winner Cloud computing put everything together.
“He’s in great shape,” Brown said. “He’s made a big leap from 3 to 4 years old and he looks like one of the leading horses in the turf show in this country.”
They will be together at the starting gate with The Trading Show (9-2 on the morning track) in track 5 and I’m Very Busy (4-1) in track 6.
While Webslinger will look to snap a six-race losing streak on Saturday, having finished second to Program Trading in both the Hollywood Derby and Saratoga Derby last year. Now he returns to the Churchill Downs course where the son of last year was Structure won the American Turf Stakes (G2T) for 3-year-olds on Derby day and the Audubon Stakes in June.
Grade 2 winner of West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing Integration will make his third start of the season after finishing fifth in the Pegasus Turf and earning his first Grade 1 placing when third in the Maker’s Mark Mile.
LSU Stables’ Far Bridge Last year’s Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) winner, comes off a strong prep race in the March 31 optional allowance claiming race at Gulfstream.
Item: Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic S. (G1T)
Churchill DownsSaturday, May 4, 2024, Stage 11
- IT class
- 1 1/8m
- Pitch
- 1,000,000 USD
- 4 years old and up
- 5:27 pm (local)
