Homebred Wimbledon Hawkeye Pays the Bills for Gredley

As a successful show jumper, Tim Gredley is no stranger to shipping horses across the world. But the victory of Wimbledon Hawkeye  in the Nashville Derby (G3T) Aug. 30 at Kentucky Downs will certainly stand as a career highlight for his connections.

Although the colt did not qualify for the bonus money offered by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund for Kentucky-breds, the Gredley family - which campaigns the bay runner - still walked away with $1,109,800 in the bank. For comparison, the 2025 Epsom Derby (G1) awarded the winner £909,528. When the Epsom Derby was run June 7, one pound equaled about $1.35, converting to about $1,227,863.

"It's massive," Gredley said of how much the purse money swayed the decision to ship Wimbledon Hawkeye from England. "In England, in Europe, we're almost running for as much money (in the Nashville Derby without the Kentucky-bred bonus) as the English Derby. It's a massive incentive, it's quite addictive, and I think, hopefully, more European horses will come to take them on."

That prize money makes a huge difference to the Gredley family operation, who bred Wimbledon Hawkeye at their Stetchworth and Middle Park Studs in Newmarket. Gredley and his father, Bill, have about 35 mares. Gredley said his father was watching the Nashville Derby back home.

"We're very lucky, we're not a massive operation," Gredley said. "This has paid the bill for the year."

From the first crop of 2020 Two Thousand Guineas (G1) winner Kameko , a son of Kitten's Joy, Wimbledon Hawkeye is out of the winning Sea The Stars  mare Eva Maria. Eva Maria is a half sister of two-time group stakes winner James Garfield  (Exceed and Excel) through her dam, Whazzat, a stakes-winning daughter of Daylami bred by the Gredleys.

"(Whazzat) is the well that keeps on giving," Gredley said. "We're very lucky."

Although their operation might not be massive, the Gredleys have enjoyed success on both the flat and over the jumps. Stamina runs through several of their bloodlines as their biggest victory came in the 2 1/2-mile Gold Cup (G1) at Ascot Racecourse with Big Orange  in 2017. The family also won the 2018 Prix Morny (G1) with Pretty Pollyanna .

In the 1980s and 1990s, Bill Gredley bred and raced such group 1 winners as Environment Friend and User Friendly.

Over the jumps, the family has bred and raced such top runners as Allmankind and Too Friendly , who now races for Irvin Naylor.

Saturday's win was extra special as Wimbledon Hawkeye was ridden by Gredley's longtime friend, Frankie Dettori. The two had been neighbors in England for about two decades. Dettori made his friend proud when he implored the colt for more gas at the challenge of Burnham Square  in deep stretch. Wimbledon Hawkeye responded and kept his head in front through the wire.

"It's very special when one of your best friends rides a winner like that," Gredley said. "He's such a tough horse, and I knew with Frankie on him he'd go again (when challenged). That's why the cheek pieces were on. The ground was quicker than we wanted, but I think at the end of the day, the best horse won."

That fighting spirit is why Gredley believed a trip to America would be successful for the James Owen trainee. Although winless since the Royal Lodge Stakes (G2) at Newmarket last September, he has held his own against Europe's top turf sophomores and competed in the Two Thousand Guineas (G1).

"You have to know the horse," Gredley said. "He's a hardy (horse), that's why we sent him. I send my show jumpers all over the world most months, so I don't think it's a big problem. As long as it's done properly, it's fine."

Wimbledon Hawkeye left Kentucky Downs just after 7 a.m. CT Aug. 31 en route to Chicago, where he would catch a flight back to England. However, he could possibly return to the United States before the end of the year to run in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) or in a longer-distance race at Aqueduct Racetrack. Other possibilities include racing in Bahrain in November, according to Owens' assistant, Ryan King.

That future will be determined based upon how he bounces out of his trip, but a target on a return to Kentucky Downs in 2026 will certainly be on the schedule.

"It's a question mark coming over, whether they're going to take the traveling, but he took it really well," King said. "Now we know he takes it, he can come back here, he can go anywhere in the world and pick up lots of money, hopefully."

Owens has only been training for about three years, steadily growing his operation. The prize money of the Nashville Derby has been the top of his career, and King said the amount of messages the team received from back home was large.

"I'm a bit speechless still," King said Sunday morning. "It's great to come over and win a big pot, take it home. Everyone at home is delighted. It's a big team effort."

King had traveled to the U.S. before to attend racing at Keeneland, but this journey with Wimbledon Hawkeye was a first to the States for his regular morning rider, Laura Pearson.

"He's done everything right to deserve this trip," Pearson said. "It's been amazing to come over and see how everything is different here."

A jockey in England, Pearson is currently serving an eight-day suspension from race-riding after going two hits over the limit on a winner last month. However, the rider said she felt lucky that the suspension overlapped with Wimbledon Hawkeye's trip to allow her the time to travel, too.

"I was really lucky to come here," Pearson said. "I was a bit skeptical the first day I was out on the track at Churchill (Downs), but once I figured out how it all worked, I really enjoyed the trip."

The pair have formed a tight bond as Wimbledon Hawkeye has continued to grow into a fine racehorse.

"I've got a bit of a soft spot for him," Pearson said. "He's grown mentally and physically. He just keeps growing. He's such a clever horse. He's almost like a human trapped in a horse's body."