Race Day gives South Korea a rooting interest in Kentucky Derby
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It will be Sunday morning in South Korea when the Kentucky Derby is run Saturday morning at Churchill Downs, and the Thoroughbred industry in that nation will be waking up to find out if one of its residents is a winning classic sire.
Multiple graded stakes winner Race Day, a son of perennial leading sire and successful classic sire Tapit, entered stud at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky in 2016. He was exported to stand in South Korea, which has a history of importing American-bred dirt stallions and mares to build its program, beginning with the 2021 season. Meanwhile, emerging from his third crop of foals were White Abarrio and Barber Road, both entrants in the Kentucky Derby.
Both colts were relatively inexpensive purchases by their current connections, owing to a lack of commercial popularity for their sire, which was one factor in his export. Barber Road was a $15,000 Keeneland November weanling purchase on behalf of former Walmart CEO Bill Simon. White Abarrio, a $7,500 short yearling at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s winter mixed sale, went on to sell for $40,000 at the company's March 2-year-old sale the following year.
White Abarrio took the Florida route to the Kentucky Derby, winning the Grade 3 Holy Bull and Grade 1 Florida Derby. Barber Road was consistent on the Arkansas prep path, placing in four straight stakes races, most recently a runner-up effort in the Arkansas Derby.
Barber Road is trained by John Ortiz, who was an assistant to trainer Kellyn Gorder while he trained Race Day early in his career, before the horse later transferred to Todd Pletcher.
"When [Barber Road] came in to me, I told Bill that he was going to eventually be a two-turn horse because I knew Race Day when I was an assistant trainer for Kellyn Gorder," Ortiz said. "We had him in his early career. Both horses are very similar. When I saw Barber Road doing the same thing his father was doing, I figured I knew how easy it would be to train him as well. That was the fun part, kind of taking our time and letting him mature. I think letting them mature is the key to these Race Days."
Race Day was a fine route runner, winning the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap, Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap, and Grade 2 Fayette Stakes. The latter victory came over a solid field that included Grade 1 winners Hoppertunity and V. E. Day, classic-placed Commissioner, and multiple graded winner Protonico.
In addition to his two Kentucky Derby hopefuls, Race Day also is the sire of stakes winners Charlie's Penny, Gee She Sparkles, Josie, Lucky Thirteen, Mom's Red Lipstick, Race Home, and Racetothefinish; Mexican Derby winner Headmaster; Puerto Rican Group 1 winner Consultora; and five other stakes-placed runners.