Rebel’s Romance returns to U.S. for Joe Hirsch Turf Classic
Rebel’s Romance tries to add to his eight top-level international wins and $14,171,477 in earnings when he races Saturday against only four other grass entrants in the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet.
The 1 1/2-mile race is an automatic qualifier for the Nov. 1 running at Del Mar of the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Rebel’s Romance is trying to win again after scoring in 2022 and 2024. His most recent win in the 1 1/2-mile championship clinched his Eclipse Award as the top turf male in the U.S. and Canada.
Click here for Belmont at Aqueduct entries and results.
A 7-year-old Dubawi gelding based in England, Rebel’s Romance is coming off a narrow win Aug. 10 in the Grosser Preis von Berlin (G1). The Godolphin homebred trained by Charlie Appleby finished fourth to repeat winner War Like Goddess in the 2023 Turf Classic at the Big A.
Frankie Dettori will ride Rebel’s Romance for the first time. They will break from post 3.
Sword Dancer (G1) winner El Cordobés, a 4-year-old Frankel gelding also trained by Appleby, is paired with John Velázquez in post 1.
Far Bridge, who won last year’s Turf Classic, finished fifth in last month’s Sword Dancer at Saratoga. The 5-year-old English Channel entire trained by Miguel Clément breaks from post 5 with Joel Rosario.
United Nations (G2) victor Redistricting looks for his third straight win. The 5-year-old Kingman gelding is trained by Chad Brown and will be ridden by Flavien Prat from post 2.
Stakes winner Rebel Red, a 5-year-old Frankel horse trained by Cherie DeVaux, will carry José Ortiz from post 4.
Five-time stakes-winning 5-year-old Bank Frenzy and 4-year-old allowance winner Le Gris, both trained by Rudy Rodríguez, were entered for the main track only.
The Turf Classic at 2:37 p.m. EDT is the fifth of 12 races on Saturday’s card that includes four other win-and-you’re-in qualifiers for the Breeders’ Cup. The first post is at 12:35 p.m.
2025 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic G1
| No. | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last start | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Cordobés Frankel |
7.73 | Charlie Appleby John Velázquez |
1st, 2025 Sword Dancer G1 | Entered | |
| Last race | 1st, 2025 Sword Dancer G1 | |||||
| 2 | Redistricting Kingman |
7.61 | Chad Brown Flavien Prat |
1st (129), 2025 United Nations G2 | Entered | |
| Last race | 1st (129), 2025 United Nations G2 | |||||
| 3 | Rebel’s Romance Dubawi |
7.79 | Charlie Appleby Frankie Dettori |
1st, 2025 Grosser Preis von Berlin G1 | Entered | |
| Last race | 1st, 2025 Grosser Preis von Berlin G1 | |||||
| 4 | Rebel Red Frankel |
6.72 | Cherie DeVaux José Ortiz |
2nd, 2025 Sword Dancer G1 | Entered | |
| Last race | 2nd, 2025 Sword Dancer G1 | |||||
| 5 | Far Bridge English Channel |
7.85 | Miguel Clément Joel Rosario |
6th (119), 2025 Sword Dancer G1 | Entered | |
| Last race | 6th (119), 2025 Sword Dancer G1 | |||||
|
6 mto |
Bank Frenzy Central Banker |
6.09 | 5th (123), 2025 John Morrissey | Entered | ||
| Last race | 5th (123), 2025 John Morrissey | |||||
|
7 mto |
Le Gris City of Light |
4th (119), SAR alw OC (8/31/25-R3) | Entered | |||
| Last race | 4th (119), SAR alw OC (8/31/25-R3) | |||||
Horse Racing Nation speed figures are in parentheses.