Yoshida Takes the Prize in Turf Classic

China Horse Club, WinStar Farm, and Head of Plains Partners' Yoshida kicked started his 2018 campaign with a driving win in the $500,000 Old Forester Turf Classic (G1T) May 5. The 1 1/8-mile race over a soggy Churchill Downs turf course rated good would become the colt's first grade 1 win.

The 4-year-old Japanese-bred son of Heart's Cry—Hilda's Passion, by Canadian Frontier, prevailed in the Turf Classic over multiple grade 1 winner and heavy favorite Beach Patrol.  

Yoshida got a patient ride from Jose Ortiz who let expected pacesetter Shining Copper take the nine-horse field through opening fractions of :24.86, :50.61, and 1:16.44. Stalking Shining Copper through the first six furlongs was Beach Patrol, who closed the gap behind the leader to half a length with a quarter mile to run. Yoshida was moving at the same time, however, and unleashed his powerful turn of foot that took him to the lead at the top of the stretch and carried him to the wire in a final time of 1:54.64.

"We thought Shining Copper might be on the lead, and had the thought that they would send Beach Patrol after him and that put us in the garden spot," said trainer Bill Mott.

Mott said a trip to Royal Ascot is likely to be in the colt's future, saying Yoshida has been nominated to the one-mile Queen Anne Stakes, which will be run June 19 on opening day of the prestigious meet.

"The ownership group is very interested in going," Mott said. "If he could run well over there, of course, it would increase his value as a stallion because he could do dual hemisphere."

WinStar Farm acquired Yoshida, who was bred by Northern Farm, as yearling through the 2015 Japan Racing Association Yearling and Weanling sale for ¥94 million (US$765,160). His dam, Hilda's Passion, is a multiple graded stakes winner, who counts the grade 1 Ballerina Stakes among her victories. 

"We just thought he was special," said Elliott Walden, president and CEO of WinStar. "Tom Ryan (with SF Bloodstock) went with me and we liked him. He is an unbelievable stallion prospect being out of grade 1 winner and by Heart's Cry, who is by Sunday Silence. We thought if he could win a grade 1 we thought we would be a great alternative to breeders. He is a really good horse."