Bowies Hero Powers to Shadwell Turf Mile Score

With a big purse, a Breeders' Cup bid, and an ideal distance on offer in the $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) Oct. 5 at Keeneland, a first-ever trip to Kentucky made sense to the connections of Bowies Hero.

With a powerful rally through the stretch, Bowies Hero surged past a half dozen rivals to win by three-quarters of a length, backing up the confidence of his Southern California-based connections. The Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" victory earned him a spot in the Nov. 2 TVG Mile (G1T), which will be contested in his backyard at Santa Anita Park.

"It's a million-dollar race, and we have the horse—we've always had confidence in him," said Joshua Flores, assistant to winning trainer Phil D'Amato, on the decision to ship to Kentucky. "It's a 'Win and You're In,' so we figured why not take a shot at it. Going in, it looked like a wide-open race. We knew that if we could just stay out of trouble, he'd have a chance."

Sent off at 8-1, Bowies Hero settled in eighth through a contested :47.23 half-mile set by grade 3 winner Real Story, who was shadowed by Diamond Oops. Agave Racing Stable, ERJ Racing, and Madaket Stables' Bowies Hero and jockey Flavien Prat had only slightly improved their position when they fanned seven wide entering the lane, where the 5-year-old son of Artie Schiller delivered a strong final run, completing the mile test in 1:34.20 on firm turf.

"I was able to put myself in the race, was able to tip him out around the turn, and get him ready to make his run. And then he got the job done," Prat said.

Diamond Oops, ridden by Julien Leparoux, was the only horse near the lead early and near the lead late, finishing second. Longshot Suedois rallied from 11th to finish third, a nose behind Diamond Oops and a nose ahead of fourth-place First Premio. It was another nose back to fifth-place March to the Arch, who finished a nose in front of sixth-place Next Shares, who won last year's Shadwell Turf Mile.

Leparoux said Diamond Oops turned in a strong effort.

"We were close to the pace, broke very sharp; settled nice on the backside," Leparoux said. "He ran big today. It was a close finish for second, and he ran a big race, for sure."

Bowies Hero returned $18.40, $8.80, and $6.60. Diamond Oops paid $13 to place and $8.80 to show, and Suedois paid $11.80 to show.

Video: Shadwell Turf Mile S. (G1T)

Bowies Hero secured his second graded stakes win of the season—the first was the Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) July 21 at Del Mar. It's his seventh stakes win and second grade 1. His first top-level score came in the 2018 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G1T) at Santa Anita.

Flores is looking forward to a return to Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup.

"It will be nice to walk over, probably as one of the favorites—right out of your own barn," he said.

Bred in Kentucky by Pope McLean, Pope McLean Jr., and Marc McLean, Bowies Hero is out of the unraced Sky Mesa mare Remembered, who has two winners from as many starters.

Bowies Hero most recently sold at auction for $32,000 at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, where he was purchased by ELA Racing Stable from the consignment of Sweetbriar Sales.