Soldier Rising Pursues Elusive Victory in Red Smith

Winless over his last eight starts, with six of those starts coming in grade 1 company, Soldier Rising  receives class relief in the $300,000 Red Smith Stakes (G2T) Nov. 11 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Though the overflow Red Smith, a 1 3/8-mile turf race, is still challenging owing to the participants and depth of the field—Cross Border  and Limited Liability  are two of the 11 opponents in the body of the race—it seems easier than other stakes races in which Soldier Rising has competed this year. Four also-eligibles, one a main-track-only runner, are also entered.

Runner-up in four of his five starts in 2023, he placed in the Man o’ War Stakes (G1T), Manhattan Stakes (G1T), Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T), and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1T)—losing to standouts Red Knight , Up to the Mark  , Bolshoi Ballet , and War Like Goddess .

Christophe Clement trains the 5-year-old Frankel   gelding for Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Morris Bailey, Wonder Stables, and Michael Caruso. Soldier Rising is 4-9-3 with earnings of $1,244,997 in 20 starts.

“He’s doing great. He’s finished second in four grade 1 races in New York this year, so it would be nice to finally win a race at some stage,” said Clement, a two-time Red Smith winner. “I don’t think anyone has been more consistent this year than him in the New York turf division.”

Jose Ortiz rides the late-running Soldier Rising, who appears to have caught ample pace with frontrunners So High , Main Event , and Tide of the Sea  entered.

Saturday’s card at Aqueduct includes the $200,000 Pebbles Stakes (G3T), a mile grass test for 3-year-old fillies that drew nine entrants to race on turf and another entered for the main track only.

Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables, Steve Adkisson, Christopher Dunn, and Anthony Spinazzola’s Sacred Wish  is among the most battle-tested. A stakes winner on turf in the Winter Memories Stakes this fall, she also picked up graded placings in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) on dirt. Most recently, the George Weaver trainee, a daughter of Not This Time  , was a closing fourth as the favorite in the Valley View Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland.

Javier Castellano rides.

An exciting up-and-comer is CHP Racing’s Rhiannon  (Medaglia d’Oro  ), who steps up in company for trainer Chad Brown after a seven-length maiden win in her first start on turf Sept. 16 during the Belmont at the Big A Meet. She raced 1 1/16 miles on grass in a quick 1:40.83.

She is one of three entrants for Brown, the others being Implicated  and Startup Mentality .