BC Dirt Mile Winner Full Serrano Heads Goodwood

The Goodwood Stakes (G1) has had its share of names since its beginnings in 1982, but since the Breeders' Cup was inaugurated in 1984, it has been a major prep for the series.

The 1 1/8-mile grade 1 race, to be run at Santa Anita Park Sept. 27, sports a $300,000 purse and an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Five horses have won both races in the same year: Accelerate  in 2018, Mucho Macho Man   in 2013, Pleasantly Perfect in 2003, Tiznow  in 2000, and Ferdinand in 1987.

Under a reciprocal arrangement between the Oak Tree Racing Association, which at the time conducted a nonprofit meeting at Santa Anita in the fall, and Goodwood Racecourse in England, which created an Oak Tree Stakes, the race began as the Goodwood Handicap. Santa Anita ran it as the Awesome Again Stakes from 2012-23, as the California Crown Stakes last year, and now as the reinstated, original Goodwood.

The Goodwood attracted seven entries, including 2024 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Full Serrano , three 3-year-olds from the Bob Baffert barn, and Brad Cox-trained First Mission , in from Churchill Downs.

Full Serrano missed the Goodwood (then the California Crown) last year due to a minor fever after running second in the 1 1/4-mile Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) at Del Mar in only his second United States start. John Sadler, who trained Accelerate, trains the 6-year-old son of the Mizzen Mast sire Full Mast  for Hronis Racing.

Following the Dirt Mile, Full Serrano was away from the races until a 1-mile allowance optional claiming race at Del Mar Sept. 1. He led throughout while ridden by Juan Hernandez for the first time to win by 7 1/4 lengths.

"He had an issue last fall, and he needed time off," Sadler said. "So we gave him the time off and got him ready for Del Mar. But he wasn't ready for the (Pacific) Classic down there—he wasn't that far along. We got a nice conditioned allowance race, and he won easy. We're really excited for Saturday in the Goodwood."

Hernandez is set to ride Full Serrano again.

Nevada Beach , one of the Baffert 3-year-olds, finished second in the June 8 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita behind stablemate Gaming , who was also entered in the Goodwood but will be scratched according to Baffert.

A son of Omaha Beach  , Nevada Beach will be making only his fourth lifetime start in the Goodwood and first against older horses. Since the Affirmed, the colt won the June 28 Los Alamitos Derby at 1 1/8 miles by 4 1/4 lengths. Hernandez has ridden him in all three of his races, and Mike Smith will take over this time.

"He's a horse I've always been high on," Baffert said of Nevada Beach. "I was going to take him to Parx (for the Sept. 20 Pennsylvania Derby), but I wasn't happy with his breeze. But he's come back and breezed well.

"The talent is there. When he got beat in the Affirmed, we thought he couldn't lose."

Baffert's third entry is Privman , a son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify  . Privman will be tackling stakes company and a distance beyond a mile for the first time. However, he has gone up against older runners in his last three outings, resulting in a second and two wins.

“He’s still a bit immature. He got a little erratic when he made the lead the other day,” Baffert said. “This is a tough race. I’ll see how he handles it, but we’re looking down the road with him. We’ll see how he handles it, but he’s going to be a better older horse.”

Hernandez rode Privman in both of those victories, and the colt gets Antonio Fresu in the Goodwood.

Cox is sending out Godolphin homebred First Mission. The 5-year-old son of Street Sense   has not competed on the West Coast, but he has four graded wins to his credit, including this year's Oaklawn Handicap (G2). Since that race, he ran third in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) to Mindframe  and Sierra Leone  and second in the Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3). First Mission has the most earnings of the field, with a bankroll of $2,209,270.

Ultimate Gamble  is the only Goodwood entrant to come out of the Pacific Classic. The 5-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro   finished third to Fierceness  and Journalism  in what was his stakes debut. He is lightly raced, with only 10 starts for trainer Mark Glatt.

Express Train  is the most seasoned veteran, having started 27 times with lifetime earnings of $1,639,800. His five stakes victories include the 2022 Santa Anita Handicap (G1), but he hasn't won since that race. An 8-year-old son of Union Rags  —and still an entire horse—Express Train is coming off a third in the 7-furlong Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2).