Rhetorical can surmount his issues in Coolmore Turf Mile

Rhetorical landed the Coolmore Turf Mile a year ago at odds of 9-1, but he’s not sneaking up on anyone bidding for a repeat victory in one of North America’s most important middle-distance grass races.

The Keeneland morning line sets Rhetorical a 2-1 favorite over 3-1 Zulu Kingdom in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Turf Mile, the richest race on a five-stakes Saturday card at Keeneland. Zulu Kingdom has beaten Rhetorical the two times they met, but best race to best race, Rhetorical, based on his win a year ago at Keeneland and a brilliant front-running score May 2 in the Grade 1 Turf Classic, might be the right horse.

The Turf Mile, a key prep for the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Oct. 31 at Keeneland, drew a field of nine and looks top-heavy. Lake Forest ships from England with legitimate credentials, and if he reaches the very pinnacle of his form, Brilliant Berti has a puncher’s chance, but victory from any of the other five – Title Role, Mercante, Pass the Hat, Plensa, and Kupuna – means the top contenders all failed to fire.

Rhetorical, a lightly raced 5-year-old, made his graded stakes debut in last year’s Turf Mile. He stalked the leaders under Irad Ortiz Jr. and kicked smartly to win by a measured three-quarters of a length. He made an early move into a strong pace in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, finishing a creditable fourth, but endured a claustrophobic inside trip and never really got to stretch his legs checking in third behind front-running Zulu Kingdom in the Grade 1 Marker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland’s spring meet in April.

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No horse in a 2026 North American grass race shorter than 1 1/2 miles has earned a higher Beyer Speed Figure than the 107 Rhetorical got in his 1 1/8-mile Turf Classic, but that was the last time we saw Rhetorical at his best.

The gelding contracted a fungal infection in a hoof that nearly cost him a start June 6 in the Manhattan Stakes, a 1 3/16-mile contest perhaps a tick farther than Rhetorical really wants to run. And while the foot was somewhat better when trainer Will Walden sent Rhetorical back to Saratoga from Churchill for the Fourstardave on Aug. 8, Rhetorical still wasn’t at his physical best and compounded matters with a mental meltdown in the paddock.

Rhetorical still trains and races in a metal plate to protect the hoof, but Walden said Rhetorical looks better coming into Saturday’s race than he has since last year’s Turf Mile. Workout video of Rhetorical’s dirt drills on Sept. 20 and Sept. 27 at Churchill supports that belief, and Ortiz, who was injured earlier on the Aug. 8 Saratoga card, is back aboard.

Rhetorical’s main rival, Zulu Kingdom, also stands as his main pace rival, with Zulu Kingdom, Jose Ortiz riding for the first time, breaking outside Rhetorical in post 9.

“The post is not ideal, but he’s got a lot of natural speed. He should find himself forward and hopefully slide in before the first turn,” trainer Chad Brown said.

Zulu Kingdom set a soft pace but won the Maker’s Mark Mile fresh off an eight-month layoff. The Beyers say he’s since moved forward finishing third in the Grade 3 Kelso and the Grade 1 Fourstardave, and dead-heating for first in the Grade 3 Poker with Mi Bago, a turf miler more solid than spectacular. That might or might not actually be the case.

“He’s flirting with being a top miler,” Brown said. “He’s very consistent and he’s had a little bad luck, but he’s a horse that can be challenging to manage as far as keeping him 100 percent healthy.”

Lake Forest, trained by William Haggas, makes his North American debut Saturday but has traveled far from his home in England before. A 5-year-old sprinter-miler type, Lake Forest finished second of 14 in the six-furlong, Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at the 2024 Royal Ascot meet, but his career-making race came in November 2024, when Lake Forest went to Australia and defeated 19 rivals landing the $6.91 million Golden Eagle over 7 1/2 furlongs.

A second Australian venture last fall saw Lake Forest finish 12th and seventh, though the first of those two performances came with a ride that his connections strongly believed didn’t suit the horse. Lake Forest has no speed at all and has been described as a lazy horse who requires a vigorous, encouraging ride. His rider Saturday, Cieren Fallon, knows him well.

Lake Forest barely held a distant second behind Notable Speech in his most recent start, the Group 2 City of York on Aug. 22, and if the best version of Rhetorical shows up Saturday, Lake Forest probably can’t catch him.

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