Air Force Blue wins third straight Group 1 in Dewhurst

Air Force Blue won his third straight Group 1 race with a dominant performance in the Dewhurst Stakes on Saturday at Newmarket in England.

His path to victory became easier when Emotionless, who looked on paper like Air Force Blue’s main rival, threw a dud, flattening out after bidding for the lead a quarter-mile out to finish last of seven. Air Force Blue and Emotionless made their move together, but where the latter faltered, the former ran on strongly, pulling away late to win by 4 1/2 lengths over the 20-1 shot Massaat.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien for Coolmore, Air Force Blue won his debut, finished second in the six-furlong Coventry Stakes, and since has won three Group 1 races, capturing the six-furlong Phoenix Stakes and the seven-furlong National Stakes before his romp Saturday in the seven-furlong Dewhurst. Ryan Moore rode the winner, a son of War Front and out of Chatham, by Maria’s Mon.

With the win, Air Force Blue moved to the head of the early betting market for the English 2000 Guineas next spring, but despite his obvious talent, skepticism is warranted. The horse that finished second in the National, Herald the Dawn, was a non-factor running back in the Group 1 Jean-Lug Lagardere Stakes on the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe undercard, and with Emotionless flat today, the horse nearest Air Force Blue at the finish was a mere Leicester maiden winner. No doubt, Air Force Blue is good, but just how good we won’t really know until 2016.