Global Prizes Beckon for Stewart Purchase Goliath

In the day following John Stewart's Aug. 22 announcement that he had acquired last month's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) victor Goliath , the Resolute Racing founder outlined his ambitions for the German-bred gelding.

"One of the things that I want to do is compete internationally and with Goliath being a gelding all the stallion farms won't be out after him," Stewart said. "I felt like there was an opportunity, he's been invited to compete in the Breeders' Cup, the Japan Cup, and be a contender in Dubai, Hong Kong, the list goes on. I thought purchasing him would be something exciting to execute and be good for horse racing.

"He's not going to have a legacy as a stallion so his racing career is going to be important for him. He's proven to be a very solid horse up to this point and I just want to help him to maximize his potential. I'm excited about him."

Stewart indicated that Goliath's explosive victory in the July 27 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth over elite European turf stars Auguste Rodin  and Rebel's Romance  put the gelding on his radar. Since the Ascot group 1 was a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series event, the 4-year-old son of Adlerflug  became an automatic qualifier for the $5 million Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

"(The Breeders' Cup is) tempting and I would love to have him there for that race but in talking with his trainer (Francis-Henri Graffard) we don't know if Del Mar is the best track for him. The track is a little tight and he's a big horse. We think the Japan Cup would be a great alternative and suit him better. Plus those races are three weeks apart. I would say we're more than likely going to Japan."

Stewart anticipates competing in other international gems such as the Hong Kong Cup (G1) in addition to prestigious top-level contests in Dubai, Europe, and Australia with Goliath.

"I want to win the big global races, I have a list of races I want to win and I have my team focused on those," Stewart said. "Eighty percent of my program is geared toward the turf and I'm focusing on that on purpose because I believe that's where international racing is.

"I think it's better for the horses, it's proven they have longer careers on the turf, and there's more opportunities internationally."

In the immediate term, Goliath will remain in training in France with Graffard, with whom he has made all nine of his career starts. Stewart owns the horse jointly with Goliath's breeder, Gestut Schlenderhan's Baron Philip von Ullmann. Goliath's next start is yet to be determined but will be "a fall stakes in Europe within the September/October timeframe."