Thunder Snow Could Return for JC Gold Cup, BC Classic
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Photo: Mathea Kelley/Dubai Racing Club
Thunder Snow wins the Dubai World Cup at Meydan
Godolphin's mercurial homebred Thunder Snow is on track for another North American venture.
Unraced since his brilliant victory in the March 31 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1), Thunder Snow is tentatively slated to make his return in the Aug. 12 Prix Jacques le Marois (G1) at Deauville, his connections announced July 12, with ultimate designs on returning to the United States for a start in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs.
Should all go as hoped in the one-mile le Marois, trainer Saeed bin Suroor said plans would then call for Thunder Snow to prep for the Breeders' Cup with a start in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) Sept. 29 at Belmont Park.
"We are planning to take Thunder Snow to the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park … but want to give him a race in Europe first. That could be the Prix Jacques le Marois," bin Suroor said. "Thunder Snow is fine—he just needed a break. The ultimate target this year is the Breeders' Cup Classic."
Thunder Snow's Dubai World Cup success gave him the distinction of being a group 1 winner at ages 2, 3, and 4. The son of Helmet captured the 2016 Criterium International (G1) at Saint Cloud and won last year's UAE Derby Sponsored By The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2) as part of a sophomore campaign that also saw him take the Prix Jean Prat (G1).
His expected return to Churchill Downs for this year's Breeders' Cup would give the bay colt a chance to make amends for his career low point. In the 2017 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), Thunder Snow propped and bucked immediately after the break, forcing jockey Christophe Soumillon to pull him up.
Thunder Snow has finished worse than third just once in nine starts since that ignominious classic outing and boasts seven wins from 18 starts with $8,381,476 in earnings.