Rebel’s Romance cruises to dominant win in Joe Hirsch

Godolphin’s Ireland homebred Rebel’s Romance made a strong early move and still had plenty in reserve for a dominating close, drawing away to post a resounding 3 1/2-length victory Saturday in the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at the Belmont at Aqueduct fall meet.

The two-time Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner who earned his ninth top-flight score continued to dominate at age 7. The Charlie Appleby trainee won for the 20th time in 29 career starts and registered his 10th victory in 13 attempts since 2024.

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With internationally acclaimed jockey Frankie Dettori picking up the mount from regular rider William Buick, the 3-5 favorite stayed forwardly placed just off Redistricting’s quarter-mile in 24.78 seconds over the firm inner-turf course.

Dettori let Rebel’s Romance go to the front soon after, where he stayed in leading the five-horse field through the half-mile in 49.26 seconds, three-quarters in 1:13.75 and a mile in 1:38.69. With 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.50, Rebel’s Romance made no concessions to age or recent workload, extending his lead in the stretch to hit the wire at 2:25.72.

Redistricting, ridden by Flavien Prat, edged Appleby-trained El Cordobés for second with last year’s Hirsch winner Far Bridge and Rebel Red completing the finish in that order. Bank Frenzy and Le Gris, both entered for the main track only, scratched.

Rebel’s Romance, the 2024 champion turf male for the U.S. and Canada, likely set himself up for a chance to win a third Breeders’ Cup Turf with the $5 million contest set for Nov. 1 at Del Mar. Saturday’s victory in New York upped his career earnings to $14.4 million. It potentially could help him boast a troika of Breeders’ Cup victories to a ledger that includes a win in 2022 at Keeneland and last year at Del Mar.

“He’s a very sound horse. He’s very straightforward,” said Alex Merriam, assistant to Appleby. “He obviously was gelded early. It’s what to do with him. It’s what Sheikh Mohammad designed Godolphin to do, to have horses like him to travel around the world, and he’s a flag-bearer for Sheikh Mohammad and team Godolphin. That’s what it’s all about.

“He ships home tomorrow, and he’ll have a little quiet time at home, and then we ship out to Del Mar the end of October I suppose. Fingers crossed. He’s a very special horse. If he could win three Breeders’ Cups, I think it would be pretty special. I haven’t spoken to Charlie yet, but I presume that’s the plan.”

Rebel’s Romance added New York to his impressive travel log with a globe-trotting year featuring races in Qatar, Dubai, England and Germany, the last of which was his win in the Grosser Preis von Berlin (G1). This year he already finished a respectable third for the second consecutive time in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth (G1), Europe’s biggest summertime 1 1/2-mile race. His Saturday victory made him the first internationally trained winner of the Hirsch since Aidan O’Brien’s Cape Blanco in 2011.

“I spoke to Charlie and said there is not a great deal of pace,” Dettori said. “Then (jockey) William (Buick) said, ‘Look, it is better if he’s got something to aim at, but if they go too slow, you do your own thing.’ They gave me free rein. Flavien was going too slow. I said let him slide. He was doing it on his own rhythm, and I know he stays, so just halfway down the turn when I went through the gears, he went. I didn’t need anything. I knew I was well clear. What a lovely horse. Seven-year-old, still competing at the highest level. Travels really well. For a big unit he corners really well, because the inner track can be really tricky.”

Klaravich Stables’ United Nations (G2) winner Redistricting entered after earning his first two career triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures, according to Daily Racing Form, and finished second for five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown.

“I had a good trip,” Prat said. “I was on the lead for the first part. I was covered by Rebel’s Romance but in a good spot, and he ran a good race.”

Rebel’s Romance paid $3.28, $2.62 and $2.10. Redistricting returned $3.42 and $2.44. El Cordobés paid $2.18 to show.