Proxy Being Pointed to Breeders' Cup Classic

Trainer Michael Stidham expressed a strong sense of pride in Godolphin homebred Proxy  who, despite lacking racing room in the backstretch, was able to launch a strong stretch drive to come up a nose shy of victory in the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at 1 1/4 miles Sept. 2 at Saratoga Race Course. 

Proxy, a son of multiple champion sire Tapit  , has added to a consistent record during his 5-year-old season which includes victories in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in April and the grade 3 Monmouth Cup in July. His lone off-the-board efforts this season took place in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) in January at Gulfstream Park (fifth) and the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) July 1 at Ellis Park (eighth), where he drew the rail both times. Proxy also drew post 1 in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. 

"The one-hole has been a huge detriment to us all year long," Stidham noted. "If you look at his only bad races, they were both from the one-hole in the Pegasus and the Stephen Foster. When I saw we drew the one hole again here, it was very depressing, but he did overcome a lot of it (Saturday) and almost won in spite of it."

Nevertheless, Stidham couldn't be happier with his talented horse's effort and said the performance was worthy enough to try the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park. 

"He certainly stamped himself in that top group to go to the Breeders' Cup," Stidham said. "I would say right now, we're looking at just going straight to the Breeders' Cup."

Prior to the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Proxy's lone 1 1/4-mile start took place in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) in March, where he made up eight lengths to finish second beaten a neck by Stilleto Boy . 

"The mile and a quarter definitely helps him," Stidham said. "He just came up short both times. It's right in his wheelhouse. We'll see how it sets up, but we just hope we don't draw the one hole again." 

Stidham and Godolphin have teamed up to campaign a number of graded stakes winners, most notably Mystic Guide  , who captured the Dubai World Cup (G1) in March 2021, as well as Proxy's older half sister Micheline —a graded stakes winner on grass. 

"It makes my job easier because Godolphin allows us as the trainer to do the right things for the horse," Stidham said. "That's what's so important in this business: putting the horse first. When you do that, it pays dividends like it is right now with Proxy. We had the same program with Mystic Guide. The patience paid off and it took us to the Dubai World Cup and we won a $12 million race because of it."

Proxy, out of the grade 1-winning Include  mare Panty Raid , now boasts an overall record of 6-7-2 from 19 starts with $2,224,970 in earnings.