Barn Tour: Walsh, in a record year, updates on 11 horses

By any measure, Brendan Walsh is having the best year of his training career.

He has $15.2 million in earnings so far, well above his previous high of $11.4 million in 2023. His 171 wins and 128 starts are the most he’s had. Perhaps most telling, he has 17 graded-stakes wins, after never topping 10 in a single year of his career.

“We’ve had a good year, for sure,” Walsh said this week from Palm Meadows. “We just have to go into next year and try and do better.”

He couldn’t point to a single reason for his success this year. “I think just better horses, very good staff and just things got into place and it went right. … Everyone's been working very hard, and it's a tribute to them as much as it is to anybody.”

Walsh has about 100 horses in training, a number that has “gone slightly up year by year.”

He’ll be based at Palm Meadows for the winter, keeping about 25 horses at Turfway and others at Fair Grounds.

One of his graded-stakes winners, Special Wan, was sold last month to Japan breeder Katsumi Yoshida for $1.3 million. The 5-year-old mare accounted for three of Walsh’s graded victories this year, in the Honey Fox (G3), Ladies Turf (G3) and, in her most recent start, the Goldlikova (G3).

Walsh provided updates on other talent in his stable for Horse Racing Nation’s Barn Tour series.

Bella Ballerina. The 2-year-old Street Sense filly, a Godolphin homebred, is 2-for-2 after winning her Keeneland debut in October and the Golden Rod (G2) last out. “She came out of the Golden Rod in good shape. She got down to the Fair Grounds this week and we'll obviously point to the Oaks trials, probably looking at January before we see her back. I don't think we'll be doing anything in December, but probably the one in January (the Silverbulletday) will be the one there. … I think she'll just keep getting better. I mean, she's obviously only run twice, so there's plenty of room for improvement. So hopefully we'll find it.”

Imaginationthelady. A 2-year-old filly by Not This Time, she won her September debut at Kentucky Downs and then the Jessamine (G2) at Keeneland before finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. “We gave her a break as well. She's on a farm in Ocala, but she should be due back in to us pretty soon as well. Obviously, she'll go to all the big 3-year-old fillies races in the spring.”

Lush Lips. The 3-year-old filly by Ten Sovereigns has been first or second in her eight starts for Walsh. She won the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) in October and the Mrs. Revere (G2) last out at Churchill Downs. “Lush Lips is here at Palm Meadows. Again, we'll get a look at her. She came out of the Mrs. Revere in good shape. Obviously she'll point to all the major races next year for older mares. Where we'll start, I'm not quite sure. But we'll have a better idea here in the next two, three weeks. … She had a great year last year. I mean, she went from strength to strength. Hopefully she improves again a little bit next year. And if she does, it'll put her right up there with the best of them.”

Clicquot. This 3-year-old Quality Road filly is 4-for-6 this year, with wins in the Indiana Oaks (G3) and Cotillion (G1) before a fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. “Clicquot we sent out for a little break. She should be back to us at Palm Meadows pretty soon. And where we go with her, we're not sure yet, but I'm sure we'll be pointing her to all the better races again in the spring.

East Avenue. The 3-year-old colt by Medaglia d’Oro became Walsh’s second Kentucky Derby starter following his runner-up effort in the Bluegrass (G1), where he lost to Burnham Square by a nose. He finished eighth in the run for the roses but then scored in the Matt Winn (G3) and was fifth in the West Virginia Derby (G3) before being sidelined with a bone bruise. “East Avenue is due back to us very shortly. We turned him out after the West Virginia Derby and gave him some time off. So he should be back to us the first of the year. Obviously where we go with him, I'm not sure yet, but we look forward to getting him back. … He's had a nice break now, so he should make a very, very good 4-year-old, we would hope.”

Gosger. The 3-year-old Nyquist colt won the Lexington (G3) in his first stakes start and then was second in the Preakness and Haskell (G1). Most recently, he was sixth in the Clark (G2) at Churchill Downs. “Gosger is down here at Palm Meadows. We'll probably back off him for a little while after the Clark. He was a little disappointing in the Clark, but he's come out of it good. And where we go next with him, I have no idea.” Overall, Walsh said, Gosger “had a great year. I mean, he was an unlucky second in two of the big 3-year-old colts races through the year. And he's had a very good year. He was just a little disappointing in the Clark, but I'm not sure that he was in love with the track. He ran a little disappointing in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1, finishing sixth) as well. I just think a certain track suits him and a certain track doesn't.”

Pondering. This 3-year-old Hard Spun filly won the Bessarabian (G3) last out for her third win of the year from 10 starts. She’s entered in the Holiday Inaugural Stakes on Saturday at Turfway along with stablemate Civetta. Pondering has “done well since her win in the Grade 3 at Woodbine. And again, we look forward to a good run from her on Saturday.” 

Hereforagoodtime. The 3-year-old Justify filly finished in the money in the Regret (G3), Pucker Up (G3) and Dueling Grounds Oaks (G3) before a seventh-place finish in the Jockey Club Oaks (G3). “Another one that’s gone out. Everything’s gone out. She's in Ocala as well. We look forward to her back here after Christmas. … She should make a lovely 4-year-old.”

Gin Gin. This 4-year-old filly, a Calumet Farm homebred by Hightail, won the Doubledogdare (G3) in April and the Spinster (G1) in October before being eased in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff after breaking through the gate. “Gin Gin's good. We turned her out for a little while, but we'll be getting her back in, probably sometime in the new year and point her to some races in the spring. She loves Keeneland, so I'm sure we'll be going to Keeneland in the spring with her.” As for the Breeders’ Cup mishap, Walsh said, “she hit the gate very hard when she broke through it, and that was her undoing, really. So it was disappointing. But, you know, at least she came back in one piece and we look forward to next year with her.”

Proctor Street. The 4-year-old Street Sense filly has a 5: 3-1-1 record this year and won her first stakes last out in the Cardinal at Churchill Downs. “Proctor Street is in Palm Meadows too. Got down here in good shape. Came out of her win in the Cardinal good. She's probably one we would point to the Pegasus (Filly and Mare Turf, G2), if all being well, in January at Gulfstream.

Cameo Performance. This 4-year-old gelding by Oscar Performance is 0-for-6 this year and will look for a win Saturday in the Prairie Bayou Stakes at Turfway. Most recently, he was third in the Autumn (G3) missing second by a head. “He seems to be doing well. I thought he ran very well his last race at Woodbine. So he looks to be one of the horses to beat on Saturday. He got a good draw.” He’ll break from post 3 with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard.