“I had him in :48 and one on my watch, but more important is the way he went,” said trainer John Sadler. “He looked very comfortable and it was just a start on the road back. He'll return in the San Carlos, but the big goal is the [June 11 GI] Met Mile.”

Flightline, unchallenged in three lifetime starts, was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following his debut win at Santa Anita last April and he added an optional claimer at Del Mar in September before a devastating 11 1/2-length victory in the Dec. 26 GI Runhappy Malibu S. in his most recent start.

Asked about a possible meeting with Saturday's impressive GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational winner Life Is Good (Into Mischief), Sadler said, “It would be a terrific race, very exciting.”

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In the past four years, they’ve welcomed a trio of GI Metropolitan H. victors to their stud barn.

First was Mor Spirit (Eskendereya), the first Grade I-winning two-year-old to later win the Met Mile since Holy Bull in 1994. Then came Mitole, another son of Eskendereya who would go on to be named the 2019 Eclipse Champion Male Sprinter. This year, they welcome a third winner in five-time stakes-winning millionaire Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}).

“The Met Mile, every year, seems to be one of the most competitive races that is run,” said Spendthrift’s Stallion Sales Manager Mark Toothaker. “Everybody seems to point to that race. It just is a race that everybody has circled on their calendars. To have three Met Mile winners here at Spendthrift, they’ve all be supported very well and all have gotten really big books of mares, so now they just have to go do the deal on the racetrack.”

This most recent Met Mile hero was a 2017 $135,000 Keeneland September purchase for R.A. Hill Stable. The late-May foal made his winning debut in September of his 2-year-old year before taking the GIII Nashua S. at Aqueduct for an undefeated juvenile season.

Campaigned by R.A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables, Vekoma ran third in his sophomore debut in the GII Fountain of Youth S. behind eventual dual Grade I winner Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}). He became a top consideration on the Derby Trail after taking the GII Blue Grass S. in his next start.

After failing to fire in the GI Kentucky Derby and staying on the sidelines for the remainder of his sophomore year, Vekoma returned for his best season yet in 2020.

The George Weaver trainee first took the Sir Shackleton S. in March, then followed that effort with an overwhelming 7 1/4-length victory in the GI Runhappy Cater H. to register a 110 Beyer in the Belmont slop.  One month later, he faced off with fellow Grade I winners Code of Honor, McKinzie (Street Sense) and Hog Creek Hustle (Overanalyze) in the GI Runhappy Metropolitan H.

“He broke well and just sat right there and waited until it was his time,” Toothaker said, recalling the race. “He got his cue in the stretch and opened up and drew off in what was a very, very dominating performance. [The Metropolitan H.] is always a very difficult race to win and this year was no different. It was a very talented field that he was able to beat that day, and he beat them pretty soundly.”

Although Vekoma was set to be a top choice in the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint, a fever days before the raced forced him to scratch.

“It was very unfortunate that Vekoma didn’t get to run in the Sprint,” Toothaker said. “He was going to be the heavy favorite against that field. No knock against anyone, but I feel like Vekoma would have had that bunch over a barrel.”

Over his three-year career, the speedy chestnut was well known for his unique way of going. Toothaker admitted that this delayed Spendthrift’s consideration of the stallion prospect.

“I’ve known George Weaver for a long time and he called me one day and he said ‘Tooth, you’ve got to come see this horse.’ I said, ‘George, he’s got to be really crooked’ but he replied, ‘How many crooked horses do you know that I buy? Listen, he walks really well. We had no idea he did that until we breezed him.'”

Toothaker made the trip to New York to see the prospect and sure enough, he was sold at first sight.

“George picked me up at the airport and we went and looked at him and I loved him,” he recalled. “I thought he looked like a rocket ship. I’m thrilled to death to be able to have him here at Spendthrift.”

Vekoma will be the first son of Candy Ride (Arg) to join the Spendthrift stallion roster.

“Spendthrift has been looking for a son of Candy Ride for a while and we had not been able to land one that we really liked,” Toothaker said. “This horse, when we had a chance to see him, we felt like he was the one we had been looking for. Candy Ride’s sons are doing extremely well and we were very happy to land Vekoma.”

The dual Grade I winner is out of the Speightstown mare Mona de Momma, winner of the 2010 GI Humana Distaff S. and GIII Las Flores H. and a $1.55 million Keeneland November purchase for Vekoma’s breeder, Alpha Delta Stables. While Mona de Momma died soon after foaling Vekoma, his half-sister Bloody Point (War Front) earned over $100,000 and is now a producer. Big names under his third dam include influential sire Mr. Greeley (Gone West), champion juvenile and sire Street Sense (Street Cry {Ire}) and dual Grade I winner Paradise Woods (Union Rags).

Toothaker said that Vekoma’s physical trends strongly towards his female side.

“Vekoma really looks a lot like Speightstown,” he said. “I mean, I’ve had people come out and say they see Candy Ride in him as well, but to me, he looks very much like a lot of the Speightstowns you see out there. He’s got good bone, he’s got a really strong body and a good hip.”

Already, Toothaker is imagining the first foals from Vekoma.

“I can foresee him having just absolutely beautiful, rocket ship-like weanlings down the road. I think he’ll be a very precocious sire- his body looks very precocious. He was so fast and hated to loose. So we’re looking forward to getting mares to him this year and then seeing what the foals look like in 2022.”

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The chestnut punched his ticket(s) to Lexington with eye-catching victories at Belmont Park in the ‘Win and You’re In’ GI Runhappy Carter H. June 6 (GI Sprint) and GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. last time July 4 (GI Dirt Mile). He kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a sharp win in Gulfstream’s Sir Shackleton S. Mar. 28.

A perfect five-for-five in starts around one turn, Vekoma earned a career-best 110 Beyer Speed Figure in the seven-furlong Carter, the co-second fastest rating earned up to one mile on dirt in 2020.

So what will it be, the Sprint or Dirt Mile?

“I think we’re leaning toward the Sprint, but that’s not written in stone,” Weaver replied. “It’s not the easiest decision in the world. I think he could win both races. There’s a lot of factors going into it–the competition, what it means for him as far as Eclipse Awards, etc. I kind of lean toward the Sprint right now, but the [owners] Gatsas Stables and Randy Hill and I will get together as we get closer and nail that decision down.”

Vekoma has posted four breezes at Weaver’s Saratoga base since early September, most recently working five furlongs over the Oklahoma training track in 1:02.65 (5/9) Oct. 2.

“The horse is training well,” Weaver said. “He had a nice work [Oct. 2]. He’s really coming along well. Probably got three more breezes and we’ll be ready to roll.”

The $135,000 KEESEP yearling purchase, also the winner of the GIII Nashua S. at two and GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at three, suffered his lone off-the-board finish crossing the wire 13th in the slop in the GI Kentucky Derby. He’s been perfect in three attempts since.

“He’s always been a star,” Weaver said. “He trained like a really good horse before he ever ran. We gave him some time off [following the Derby] to bring him back as a 4-year-old and we were just hoping he’d come back and show how good he really was. He’s a May baby, and he’s really filled out and matured quite a bit. He’s a beast of a horse now.”

It was announced in July that B. Wayne Hughes’s Spendthrift Farm had acquired the breeding rights to Vekoma. Bred in Kentucky by Alpha Delta Stables, he is out of the GISW Mona de Momma (Speightstown).

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The second betting choice by roughly $15,000, Vekoma was kicked straight into a clear advantage and galloped along comfortably enough a bit off the inside through an opening quarter in :22.73 over a drying-out Belmont main track that was yielding fast times all afternoon. The outposted Warrior’s Charge (Warrior’s Reward) prompted from second, while McKinzie–who endured a luckless trip when runner-up to Mitole (Eskendereya) in this 12 months back–was kept in the clear and out of harm’s way by Mike Smith from close up in fourth.

Vekoma, who romped to a 7 1/4-length defeat of Network Effect in the GI Runhappy Carter H. June 6, was nursed along into the turn after a half that was posted in a very manageable :45.87, but they were beginning to close ranks. Endorsed (Medaglia d’Oro), second to Code of Honor in the GIII Westchester S. June 6, attacked three wide, McKinzie four deep and Code of Honor was waited with on the back of the latter nearing the stretch. Shaken up off the home corner, Vekoma fended off Warrior’s Charge at the furlong grounds, dug in doggedly and held sway, as Network Effect parlayed his golden trip into a runner-up effort. Code of Honor ran with credit to be third, while traveling 29 feet (about three lengths) more than the winner, per Trakus data.

“I was happy with our trip around the backside,” said trainer George Weaver, winning his fourth career Grade I and second in succession. “I knew we had natural speed, and no one really went with us, so I was happy with the fact that he was there. At the quarter pole, it seemed like all comers were coming and I thought, ‘Man, does he have anything left in the tank or not?’ When they got to the eighth pole and I saw him re-break and keep going, I got excited. It was fun.”

Winner of the GIII Nashua S. at two going a one-tun mile, Vekoma was the stalk-and-pounce winner of last year’s GII Toyota Blue Grass S. and was shelved after a 13th–placed 12th–in the GI Kentucky Derby. The chestnut won the seven-furlong Sir Shackleton S. at Gulfstream Mar. 28 ahead of his tour-de-force in the Carter over that specialist trip last time. Vekoma is the first to complete the Carter/Met double since Wild Rush in 1998.

Pedigree Notes:

Vekoma is one of 16 top-level winners for his hugely successful stallion and is one of two foals to race from his dam, who defeated champion Informed Decision (Monarchos) in the GI Humana Distaff H. in 2010. Vekoma’s now 6-year-old half-sister Bloody Point (War Front) won half of her six career starts and is the dam of a colt foal by Quality Road. His unraced 5-year-old half-sister L’Age d’Or (Medaglia d’Oro) foaled a War Front filly this year. Vekoma is Mona de Momma’s last listed produce.

Vekoma’s unplaced second dam was a half-sister to GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint runner-up Mr. Greeley (Gone West) and to the stakes-winning Majestic Legend (His Majesty), whose daughter Bedazzle (Dixieland Band) was responsible for champion, GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and GI Kentucky Derby- winning ‘TDN Rising Star’ Street Sense (Street Cry {Ire}). The female family also includes MGISW ‘Rising Star’ Paradise Woods (Union Rags).

Saturday, Belmont Park
RUNHAPPY METROPOLITAN H.-GI, $500,000, Belmont, 7-4, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:32.88, ft.
1–VEKOMA, 123, c, 4, by Candy Ride (Arg)
1st Dam: Mona de Momma (GISW, $384,399), by Speightstown
2nd Dam: Society Gal, by Linkage
3rd Dam: Long Legend, by Reviewer
($135,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP). O-R. A. Hill Stable & Gatsas Stables;
B-Alpha Delta Stables, LLC (KY); T-George Weaver; J-Javier
Castellano. $275,000. Lifetime Record: 8-6-0-1, $1,245,525.
Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Network Effect, 120, c, 4, Mark Valeski–Sandy Key Gal, by
Put It Back. ($95,000 2yo ’18 OBSAPR). O-Klaravich Stables,
Inc.; B-Louis Jolin (FL); T-Chad C. Brown. $100,000.
3–Code of Honor, 124, c, 4, Noble Mission (GB)–Reunited, by
Dixie Union. ($70,000 RNA Ylg ’17 KEESEP). O/B-W. S. Farish
(KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III. $60,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, HF. Odds: 1.95, 13.50, 3.60.
Also Ran: Warrior’s Charge, McKinzie, Mr Freeze, Endorsed, Hog Creek Hustle.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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An unlucky second behind the mighty Mitole (Eskendereya) in last year’s contest, ‘TDN Rising Star’ McKinzie (Street Sense) figures to vie for favoritism. He was first or second in all seven of his starts in 2019, led by a win in Saratoga’s GI Whitney S. and a runner-up finish in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic.

The four-time Grade I winner made up for a dismal performance in the inaugural $20-million Saudi Cup Feb. 29 with a good-looking victory in the seven-furlong GII Triple Bend S. at Santa Anita June 7. Hall of Famer Mike Smith makes the trip from Southern California to guide the 2-1 morning-line favorite.

“I think any time you win a Grade I on the East Coast it’s pretty important, especially at Belmont and Saratoga. It’s like hitting a home run in Yankee Stadium, it means something,” Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said.

“His comeback race was just perfect. If he brings his ‘A game,’ that’s what we’re looking for. He’s doing really well.”

Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}), winner of last year’s GI Runhappy Travers S. and GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S. over subsequent Classic hero Vino Rosso (Curlin) via disqualification, kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a well-timed decision over Endorsed (Medaglia d’Oro) in the GIII Westchester S. in the Belmont mud June 6.

“He just grew up physically in his body and his mind,” Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey said. “He’s gotten more aggressive and he’s caught onto what it’s all about now. He was still figuring things out last year, especially earlier in the year. Everything he’s done this year has been good. He acts like he’s ready to run.”

Moved up to second via disqualification in the GI Kentucky Derby, Code of Honor is three for four at Belmont Park, including a track-and-trip score in last July’s GIII Dwyer S.

Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}), well-beaten in last year’s Kentucky Derby, has found his niche racing around one turn this term. A sharp winner of Gulfstream’s Sir Shackleton S. Mar. 28, the chestnut realized a career high while earning a gaudy 110 Beyer Speed Figure with a jaw-dropping victory over Network Effect (Mark Valeski) in a sloppy renewal of the GI Runhappy Carter H. in Elmont June 6. Both wins were at seven furlongs.

The Runhappy Met Mile offers a free berth to the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in November at Keeneland.

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But let’s not kid ourselves that we were ever especially diligent in authenticating what we read in the Good Old Days of hot-metal print. How apt, for instance, that a highly pertinent observation long credited to Mark Twain–that “a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes”–should instead turn out to have a convoluted ancestry extending three centuries. Sure enough, perhaps the most famous quotation of the Turf is still almost universally misattributed.

The G1 Investec Derby may be a month later than usual, and with hardly anyone present, but you can guarantee one thing won’t have changed. Round the world, people will again be recycling the “famous” dictum of Federico Tesio: “The Thoroughbred racehorse exists because its selection has depended not on experts, technicians or zoologists, but one piece of wood: the winning post of the Epsom Derby.”

While that was evidently Tesio’s belief, the words actually belong to his business partner and biographer, Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta. It’s a typical instance of how Don Mario, with his charm and elegant prose, managed to render accessible the inscrutable genius of his late friend. Few who today profess reverence for Tesio have much sense of the idiosyncrasies that governed his unarguable legacy to the breed. Certainly some of his less scientific instincts could never have warranted general application.

But his faith in the Derby, as the definitive test of the assets we should replicate in the breed, is unimpeachable. And if we owe the axiom itself to Don Mario–whether paraphrasing some remembered exchange, or just giving felicitous expression to observed behaviour–then it is one that has united breeders across the centuries.

In fact, the Derby and the breed evolved almost in tandem. The first Derby over a mile and a half was run in 1784; the first attempt at some formal registration of what evolved into the Thoroughbred was the Introduction to a General Stud Book, just seven years later. And we have long grasped why this should be: how the track configuration and the race distance together demand an optimal equilibrium–both between speed and stamina, and also in the more literal sense of athletic balance.

The 2001 winner is certainly doing his bit for the Derby as the ultimate genetic signpost. True, Galileo (Ire) must this time settle for just the five runners in his quest for that fifth winner, to secure outright a record he shares with five others.     Nonetheless his own sire Sadler’s Wells still casts a long shadow. Montjeu (Ire)’s son Camelot (GB) is the sire of English King (Fr), whose discovery for €210,000 at Arqana is only the latest proof of Jeremy Brummitt’s flair for tasks that baffle so many other prospectors. High Chaparral (Ire)’s son Free Eagle (Ire) has outsider Khalifa Sat (Ire) while Kameko, as a Classic winner already, shows how scandalous has been the general European neglect (David Redvers an honorable exception) of Kitten’s Joy.

That’s a point I have labored sufficiently for now, though it’s also good to see George Strawbridge’s home-bred Point of Entry colt Worthily fast-tracked from a debut success only three weeks ago. Albeit both are by pretty unequivocal turf stallions, success for either of these U.S.-breds would have me banging with renewed insistence on the same drum as in this space last week.

I had lots of interesting feedback on the observations I made then, including some inspired guesses regarding the anonymous European agent with such infuriating misapprehensions about the American Thoroughbred. If he (or his patrons!) have also managed his identification, then let me add a fresh provocation–which is that a future Derby winner might more feasibly be sired by the winner of the GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. than by the winner of the GI Manhattan S., over turf and a longer route on the same card.

That’s because pretty much the same attributes have helped to make the reputation of both the Met Mile and the Derby as “stallion-making” races. Both put a premium on carrying speed–which, as I said last week, is the defining hallmark that should again interest European breeders in dirt stallions generally. This Sadler’s Wells hegemony at Epsom, after all, started with the son of a Kentucky Derby winner.

And few horses carry speed like a Met Mile winner. Because there’s no doubt that a mile round a single turn showcases very different merits. Two turns relieve a horse from flat-out commitment (besides also introducing an extra crapshoot quality in the draw). The Met Mile is an extended sprint, with zero opportunity for a breather. It brings together dashers and Classic types in a challenge that discloses precisely the versatility, toughness, lungs and class we should be breeding to.

It will be fascinating, in this whole context, to see how Noble Mission (GB)’s son Code of Honor gets on today. He is, on paper, turf-bred-but Noble Mission, just like his brother Frankel, always ran in a fashion ideally tailored to dirt. Having shown Classic caliber round two turns, Code Of Honor now bids to make a renewed nuisance of himself to Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}): they were foaled in the same Lane’s End barn, within 24 hours, and Code of Honor has finished ahead in both of Vekoma’s career defeats.

Eventually a race’s reputation for making stallions will become self-sustaining. Everyone sees the resonant names strewn across the Met Mile roll of honor–from Native Dancer to Buckpasser to Fappiano to Ghostzapper to Quality Road–and wants to earn a share of that legacy at stud. That’s why, for instance, recent Belmont winners Palace Malice and Tonalist each returned to New York the following summer for the Met Mile (finishing first and second, respectively).

Of course, there will be the occasional dud. But you have to ask what else might have been lost to the American breed in the export of Eskendereya, responsible for two of the last three winners (graduating from his first three crops). Because a race that permits no hiding place will tend to disclose something authentic.

It’s rare even for an elite race to be quite so unrelenting, so unsparing. Yet Saturday we have one staged either side of the ocean. They could not look more different, but neither will compromise in making their conflicting demands. There can be no half-measures; just a perfect blend. And that, you might say, is the long and the short of it.

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