Undefeated Corniche Named Champion 2-Year-Old Male

The decision by Speedway Stables to go big at an auction of 2-year-olds in training last spring to land Corniche  didn't take long to pay dividends.

In capping a three-race undefeated season with a clear victory in the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1), the son of multiple grade 1 winner Quality Road   earned the 2021 Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male.

Corniche is the first champion owned by Speedway, the partnership of Houston businessmen K.C. Weiner and Peter Fluor. With Marette Farrell bidding on their behalf, Speedway purchased Corniche for $1.5 million at the 2021 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

"After seven years of tracking horses that Marette has recommended—ones we bought and ones we missed out on—she was right so much of the time and that became a validation of her," Weiner told BloodHorse of the decision to purchase the sale-topping Corniche. "So the price was going up, but we were experiencing a dearth of racing at the time because we had a lot of horses in the shop for repairs, and we were wanting someone to come on. Marette really believed in the horse and we decided to give her a valid chance to get it done."

Added Fluor, "When it got to $1.2 million, Marette said over the phone, 'Well?' We told her 'Keep bidding until we tell you to stop.' And she eventually said, 'You got him.'"

The owners looking for some racing thrills would be rewarded as Corniche waltzed to a debut win by more than four lengths sprinting at Del Mar in September before leading every step of the two-turn American Pharoah Stakes (G1) in October at Santa Anita Park. After breaking from post 11, he would post another front-end victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, digging in to hold off a challenge from runner-up Pappacap .

"He has mechanics that are almost like American Pharoah  ," trainer Bob Baffert said after Corniche's Juvenile score. "He's just got that long loping stride. He covers a lot of ground."

Bred in Kentucky by Bart Evans and Stonehaven Steadings, Corniche is the sixth champion 2-year-old male for Baffert, who also conditioned eventual Triple Crown winner American Pharoah to this honor in 2014. Baffert's other champion juvenile males are Game Winner   in 2018, Lookin At Lucky  , 2009; Midshipman  , 2008; and Vindication , 2002.

Jockey Mike Smith was aboard for all of Corniche's starts, including the Juvenile, where the veteran rider secured his 27th Breeders' Cup victory—adding to his record haul in the World Championships.