Speedway Stables’ decision to auction 2-year-olds in training last spring to land Corniche It doesn’t take long to pay dividends.
Ending an undefeated three-race season with a clear win in the TVG Breeders’ Juvenile Cup presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1), son of multiple 1st grade winners Quality Sugar won the 2021 Eclipse Award as a 2-year-old men’s champion.
Corniche is the first champion owned by Speedway, a partnership of Houston entrepreneurs KC Weiner and Peter Fluor. With Marette Farrell bidding on their behalf, Speedway purchased Corniche for $1.5 million at the Ocala Breeders’ Spring 2021 Sales ‘Sell 2-year-olds in training.
“After seven years of following the horses Marette recommended—the ones we bought and the ones we missed out on—she was right a lot of the time and it became her reality. there,” Weiner told BloodHorse of the Corniche-headed buy-and-sell decision. “So the prices went up, but we were having a hard time racing at the time because we had a lot of horses in the shop to fix and we wanted a replacement. Marette really believed. into the horse and we’ve decided to give her a valid chance to get the job done.”
Fluor added, “When it got to $1.2 million, Marette said over the phone, ‘Well? ” We told her ‘Keep bidding until we tell you to stop.’ And finally she said, “You’ve got him.”
Owners looking for some racing thrills will be rewarded as Corniche advances to a debut victory in more than four sprints at Del Mar in September before leading every step of American Pharoah Stakes (G1) two times in October at Santa Anita . Park. After rising from 11th place, he will post another first Breeders’ Cup Juvenile win, digging deep to hold off a challenge from the runner-up. Pappacap .
“He has a mechanism almost like American pharoah “,” said coach Bob Baffert after Corniche’s Juvenile score. He just had such a long stride. He covers a lot of ground. “
Bred in Kentucky by Bart Evans and Stonehaven Steadings, Corniche is the sixth champion 2-year-old male for Baffert, who also brought American Pharoah to the last Triple Crown to win the honor in 2014. Baffert’s other champion juvenile males are Game winner in 2018, Look at luck 2009; Shipman , 2008; and The proof 2002 year.
Jockey Mike Smith has competed in all of Corniche’s games, including the Juniors, where the veteran driver won his 27th Breeders’ Cup – adding to his record-breaking finish. at the World Championship.
