Belmont at the Big A Picks | Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes 2024

Aaron previews the 2024 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1) at the Belmont at the Big A meet & gives his win pick from the big race.

Champion mare War Like Goddess aims at becoming the 1st 3-time winner of this historic race, but is she still capable of such a feat at age 7?

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The press release:

George Krikorian’s multiple Grade 1-winning multimillionaire War Like Goddess will look to become the first three-time winner of Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, a 12-furlong inner turf test for 3-year-olds and up, at Belmont at the Big A.

The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic is slated as Race 6 on Saturday’s 12-race program which also offers a pair of Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” events in the Grade 2, $200,000 Pilgrim [Juvenile Turf] in Race 11 and the Grade 3, $250,000 Vosburgh [Sprint] in Race 9; along with the Grade 2, $400,000 Woodward in Race 4.

First post for Belmont at the Big A on Saturday is 12:05 p.m. Eastern.

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Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 7-year-old bay has bested the boys in the last two runnings of the Joe Hirsch and will look to surpass an esteemed list of two-time winners that includes her sire English Channel [2006-07], her former stablemate Channel Maker [2018, 2020] as well as April Run [1981-82], and Val’s Prince [1997, 1999].

Mott will look for a record-extending seventh Joe Hirsch win, adding to past success with Theatrical [1987] and Shakespeare [2005]. His War Like Goddess has banked in excess of $2.8 million through a 21-12-3-3 record that boasts 10 graded wins and also includes additional Grade 1 success in the 2021 Flower Bowl Invitational at Saratoga Race Course.

The late-running bay has made three starts this year, landing third on debut in the Spa’s Grade 1 New York presented by Rivers Casino traveling 1 3/16-miles in June ahead of a driving one-length score in the 11-furlong Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial on July 7 at Delaware Park.

War Like Goddess [post 4, Junior Alvarado, 123 pounds] enters from a closing runner-up effort in the 11-furlong Grade 2 Flower Bowl contested over yielding Saratoga turf on August 31 where her closing kick was hampered by the moderate splits of gate-to-wire winner Idea Generation.

A good result Saturday could propel War Like Goddess back to the Breeders’ Cup where her best results include a third-place finish in both the 11-furlong Grade 1 Filly and Mare Turf in 2021 at Del Mar and the 12-furlong Grade 1 Turf in 2022 at Keeneland.

LSU Stables’ Far Bridge [post 7, Joel Rosario, 126 pounds], who showed a new dimension last out when wiring the 12-furlong Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer under returning Hall of Fame rider Joel Rosario, will look to continue his winning ways for trainer Christophe Clement.

The 4-year-old English Channel bay eschewed his usual late-running style in the Sword Dancer by taking the field through splits of 24.86 seconds, 50.92, 1:17.21 and 1:42.50 before staving off the charge of Measured Time by one length to win in a final time of 2:29.51.

Clement said he and Rosario took a tactical approach in Sword Dancer given the compact five-horse field. However, the presence of multiple graded stakes-winning frontrunner Get Smokin in the Joe Hirsch will likely see Far Bridge in need of switching gears on Saturday.

“We didn’t think there was going to be much pace in the Sword Dancer, and Joel made the right decision at the right time. He doesn’t have to be in front, Joel will have to make the decision,” said Clement, who won this event in 2010 with Winchester. “He’s a good horse and he’s won off-the-pace and on-the-pace – as long as he gets a clear trip, he should be fine. He’s an easier horse to ride in a short field than a bigger field.”

Far Bridge, bred and initially campaigned by Calumet Farm, won his first two career starts for Clement in early 2023. He was purchased privately by LSU Stables and transferred to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, winning the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational last July. Following a 5-1-3-1 record for Pletcher, Far Bridge rejoined the Clement stable for his current campaign that began with an optional-claiming win in March at Gulfstream Park ahead of a series of unsuccessful closing efforts in graded company.

Clement, who indicated after the Sword Dancer that Far Bridge is at his best when against the rail, said he is hopeful of another strong effort.

“He has a good turn-of-foot. He’s not one-dimensional – just give him a good trip and he will deliver. It’s a short field but a very competitive field and the horse is doing well,” Clement said.

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will saddle the aforementioned Get Smokin [post 1, Fernando De La Cruz, 126 pounds] in search of a fifth career graded win – all of which were accomplished in prominent fashion.

The 7-year-old Get Stormy chestnut took the 2020 Grade 2 Hill Prince at Belmont Park and 2021 Grade 3 Tampa Bay at its namesake track for his original trainer Tom Bush. He joined Casse in 2022 and captured the Grade 2 Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs last September to close out his campaign after having to scratch from the Breeders’ Cup.

Get Smokin had ankle surgery and recuperated at Casse’s farm in Ocala under the watchful eye of Cindy Black, his longtime Head of Rehabilitation. He returned to action with a pacesetting fourth in the Grade 2 Eclipse in June over the Woodbine Tapeta before a powerful frontrunning win in the 11-furlong Grade 2 United Nations on July 20 at Monmouth Park. There, he opened up a four-length advantage on the 11-horse field and stayed on strong to the wire to nose out Grand Sonata.

Campaigned by Ironhorse Racing Stable, BlackRidge Stables, Saratoga Seven Racing Partners and T-N-T Equine Holdings, Get Smokin arrives from a pacesetting seventh in the 12-furlong Turf Cup won by Grand Sonata on September 7 at Kentucky Downs. There, he stumbled slightly after the break and didn’t get out to his usual clear lead, dueling with eventual last-place finisher Balladeer through one-mile in a swift 1:34.97 before faltering.

“We have one strategy and one strategy only,” said Casse, with a laugh. “We won’t be taking back.”

Casse said he was asked about race strategy prior to the Turf Cup and noted that he said, “Any horse that goes with him, we may not be around but they’re definitely not going to be around. Well, the horse that went with us last time finished last by many. Obviously, it took a toll on us, too.”

Casse said Get Smokin, who has banked in excess of $2 million through a 30-7-7-2 record, exited that effort in good order.

“He looks magnificent,” Casse said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him better. He’s happy, so we’re going to throw the last one out and give it a try.”

Trainer Charlie Appleby will send out a strong contender in Godolphin’s multiple group/graded stakes-winner Silver Knott [post 6, Dylan Davis, 126 pounds].

Silver Knott, a 4-year-old Lope de Vega gelding, has made 10 of his 16 career starts in the U.S. topped by a trio of prominent Grade 2 wins to kick off his current campaign in the 12-furlong Elkhorn in April at Keeneland, the 11-furlong Man o’ War in May at Belmont at the Big A, and the 11-furlong Bowling Green in July at Saratoga.

He arrives from a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer where he tracked the pace of Far Bridge from second position but failed to fire late.

Silver Knott, bred by St Albans Bloodstock, has banked in excess of $1.1 million through a 16-6-2-5 record.

Rounding out a talented field at Belmont at the Big A are:

• Multiple graded stakes-winner Emmanuel [post 3, Manny Franco, 126 pounds, blinkers ON], who makes his second start for trainer Mike Maker out of a fifth-place finish in the one-mile Grade 3 Mint Millions on September 7 at Kentucky Downs
• Recent Colonial Cup winner Truly Quality [post 5, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 126 pounds] for trainer Jonathan Thomas
• Stakes-placed Daunt [post 2, Jose Lezcano, 126 pounds] for conditioner Robert Ribaudo