Rebel's Romance, El Cordobes clash in Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

The Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 1 is shaping up as a potentially intramural battle between several Godolphin heavyweights. Two of them, Rebel's Romance and El Cordobes, will turn in their final prep for that event Saturday at Aqueduct in the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) over 1 1/2 miles.

Two-time Breeders' Cup Turf winner Rebel's Romance continues to defy age. Now seven, the globetrotter has turned in another stellar campaign this term with notable wins in Qatar, England, and Germany. Although a dull fourth in the 2023 edition of the Joe Hirsch in his only prior appearance at Aqueduct, that effort was part of a larger trend in what was a lost season for the gelding.

El Cordobes, also a gelding but three years younger, is just hitting his best stride. He enters off back-to-back wins in the Princess of Wales's (G2) and Sword Dancer (G1), the latter in a close call over returning rival Rebel Red.

"The plan has been to send the pair of them over, and they're both in good order," trainer Charlie Appleby said. "Obviously, El Cordobes is slightly younger, but both he and Rebel's Romance come in off the back of nice successes in their last runs."

Far Bridge is the defending titlist in the Joe Hirsch and is 2-for-2 over the Aqueduct turf, having also captured the Man o' War (G2) back in May. He was an underwhelming sixth when favored in the Sword Dancer after getting bumped at the start.

The small but highly select field also includes Redistricting, who enjoyed a successful summer at Monmouth Park, winning the Monmouth S. and the United Nations (G2).

Locked had an ideal three-race streak last winter, taking the Cigar Mile (G2), finishing second to an in-form White Abarrio in the Pegasus World Cup (G1), and then romping in the Santa Anita H. (G1). However, two relatively dull efforts in the interim have lessened his appeal heading into the $300,000 Woodward (G2) over 1 1/8 miles.

A tame fourth as stablemate Fierceness set a track record, winning the Alysheba (G2), Locked was subsequently on a non-threatening third in the Suburban (G2) behind the loose-on-the-lead Phileas Fogg.

"He just wasn't the Locked that we know can be so brilliant," said Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, which co-owns Locked. "We really decided to hit the reboot button, and the last month he's been training like the ‘A' version of Locked, which is highly encouraging."

Phileas Fogg figures to be dangerous on the front end, while the hard-knocking Post Time will again try to claim his first graded victory around two turns. Awesome Aaron will also look to turn things around after a pair of modest showings since a narrow victory over Phileas Fogg in the Pimlico Special (G3) back in May.

The $200,000 Vosburgh (G3), over seven furlongs, is the lone Breeders' Cup Challenge event on the card, with a free berth to the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) on offer. Among the likely favorites is Carter (G2) winner Crazy Mason, who luckily avoids Book'em Danno here after finishing third to that rival in the True North (G3) and Forego (G1) this summer. Going one better than Crazy Mason in the Forego was Scotland, who was also second in the 2024 Vosburgh to Mufasa.

The continued absence of division leader Ways and Means has ensured a field of nine fillies and mares for the $250,000 Gallant Bloom (G2) over 6 1/2 furlongs. R Disaster has fallen short by less than a length in three earlier graded stakes this season, while Impel rides in from Kentucky on a two-race win streak, including the Groupie Doll S. at Ellis Park. Grade 3 veteran Scalable is another to watch, though she hasn't started since taking the Interborough S. on Jan. 25 for Todd Pletcher.

The $200,000 Belmont Turf Sprint (G3) over six furlongs has attracted two past winners, Senbei (2024) and Dancing Buck (2022), though bettors are likely to find recent Disco Partner S. winner Twenty Six Black an attractive proposition. Alogon is another course-and-distance stakes winner who has been in the mix without winning in four prior starts this term.