Weekend GamePlan: Picks for Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, City of Hope Mile, Vosburgh
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After I am named king of American racing there will be so many beautiful changes. Like: You cannot enter the same horse in different races. And: You cannot scratch an entered horse without a doctor’s excuse. Why should customers have to guess who’s running where? I’m looking at you, Mr. Woodward.
The Woodward, whoever runs, will help show what Locked has left. In California, I wouldn’t bet First Mission in the Goodwood with, as my paternal grandfather used to say, Confederate money. Probably Full Serrano will be favored. Why was he given such a tough workout six days out? Nevada Beach almost intrigued enough.
On to the actual races.
Joe Hirsch Turf Classic
Obviously, deep regrets switching off El Cordobes for El Rezeen in the Sword Dancer, and “last time was the time” could be in play with this horse. But I don’t think so. His Sword Dancer just punctuated what has been steady progress from a lightly raced 4-year-old who needed plenty of time (and, apparently, gelding) to find himself.
El Cordobes still races a touch keenly – or he did in the Sword Dancer – and might yet learn to settle better, but whatever pulling he did at Saratoga took nothing away from an impressive finish. Even while getting shuffled back into a worse position, El Cordobes traveled very strongly, and his winning move between rivals didn’t come cleanly. Rebel Red leaned in and briefly pushed El Cordobes’s hindquarters out from beneath him. Loved his homestretch stride, his energy at the wire and galloping out, and Saturday, El Cordobes could pull a perfect pocket trip behind Redistricting and Far Bridge.
Redistricting, despite being 5, remains progressive. Who knows where his level lies going 1 1/2 miles? We do know he beat lesser foes than these last out at Monmouth with a dream trip, a stark contrast to Far Bridge’s nightmare Sword Dancer journey. Morning-line favorite Rebel’s Romance needs no introduction. Connections scratched him from the Sept. 7 Grosser Preis von Baden citing unsuitable course conditions, though the race was run over good ground. Rebel’s Romance worked hard to put away the pedestrian Junko in his most recent start, and I’ll guess it’s his stablemate El Cordobes who winds up with top Godolphin jockey William Buick on his back in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
City of Hope Mile
Sometimes you find yourself landing on a horse you never thought you would support, and so it is with Cabo Spirit.
Cabo Spirit lost 11 in a row, won the 2024 John Henry Turf Classic when gifted an easy lead, and proceeded to finish 12th, 10th, sixth, and fifth. Quietly, he has turned in five straight races that stamp him as a City of Hope . . . hope.
Six-year-old Cabo Spirit finally has moved forward from some promising 3-year-old form, hitting a new level when connections decided to stop with the 10- and 12-furlong races to focus on eight to nine furlongs. Breaking from the rail last out, he finished a solid third in the Del Mar Mile: Now, he has a better outside draw and can sit just outside Final Boss while moving to Santa Anita, which he prefers over Del Mar.
The City of Hope Mile comes up playable if you harbor skepticism regarding even-money morning-line favorite Johannes. The form that would make Johannes a near-certain winner has grown stale. He had compromising trouble into and around the first turn in the Fourstardave, his comeback race, but it would’ve been nice to see at least a tiny homestretch spark from the horse. In a vacuum, Johannes is Cabo Spirit’s boss. Races are not run in a vacuum.
Vosburgh
Patriot Spirit, now 4, has shown legitimate talent since his 2-year-old summer, though it took some doing to keep him from essentially running off during his races. Five of his 14 starts have come in two-turn races, but this is a one-turn horse, best at the seven furlongs he gets Saturday.
His 90 Beyer Speed Figure from the last start at Colonial underrates the performance, more like a workout than a race. Speaking of workouts: Six furlongs in 1:10.60 on Sept. 13? Patriot Spirit is drawn well for a pressing trip in a relatively paceless contest. Crazy Mason won’t catch him.
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