Saratoga a Pin in the Map for Jet-Setting Thunder Snow

On a busy morning at Saratoga Race Course, the world's richest active racehorse ambled his way out of the quarantine barn.

Thunder Snow crossed 5th Avenue, moseyed past the Oklahoma training track, wound his way down the horse path toward Union Avenue, and strolled past traffic halted on his behalf. His ensuing gallop around the wide New York oval under exercise rider Walter Lynch was as laid-back as the walk he took to get there, his stroll back to his quarters equally uneventful. Having raced in five countries—at 13 racetracks on three continents—Godolphin's 5-year-old son of Helmet has developed into quite the unperturbed jet setter.

"Nothing bothers him," trainer Saeed bin Suroor said Aug. 2, one day before Thunder Snow's engagement in the $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1). "Most horses, when they travel, they handle it well, but some of them lose conditioning and it takes them a week or two weeks to recover. With 'Thunder,' it's easy for him. He's traveled so many countries. He takes it easy. Now he's an experienced horse. Wherever we go, even traveling in the horse box, he enjoys it."

Gone are the antics of Thunder Snow's 3-year-old season, when he was pulled up by jockey Christophe Soumillon after bucking at the start of the 2017 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) at Churchill Downs. That first foray to the United States cemented the talented bay in the minds of racing fans across the globe for all the wrong reasons, but since then he has proven he can keep his cool on center stage, with wins in the 2018 and 2019 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) contributing to earnings of $16,511,476.

The only horse to take back-to-back editions of the World Cup, Thunder Snow also won the 2017 Prix Jean Prat (G1) on turf to add to his 2016 Criterium International (G1) score, on the grass as well. And in return trips to the United States he carried the Godolphin colors to a runner-up finish in the 2018 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1), a third in that year's Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), and a third last out in the June 8 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1). 

"The horse looks improved from his last run. He needed the race last time," Suroor said. "He looks to be in good form and working well. He did his main work in England in Newmarket before he traveled, he had a nice piece of work here (seven furlongs in 1:27.31 July 28), and he's ready to go now."

Thunder Snow cleared quarantine July 24 after arriving at the track two days prior.

"He has two days to settle with the 48-hour quarantine period," Suroor said. "Usually he does a nice piece of work around a day before he leaves, then he travels to different countries in Europe after England—from England to another country in Europe, could be Norway—then after a quarantine there, flies back to the U.S. The two days of quarantine for him when he comes here, that's important to help him recover from traveling."

A co-second choice with Preservationist at 3-1 on the morning line for the 1 1/8-mile Whitney, Thunder Snow will take on 7-5 choice McKinzie in a field of eight, racing at a new track once again.

"He's a horse who has a good reputation, as he's done good in the past in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and also in this past race," Suroor said. "He's a very tough horse. He always tries hard. He never gives up, even in the end, and that's very important for a horse when you're sending him abroad.

"He's a four-time group 1 winner—turf and dirt, which is unusual for a top-class horse, to win a grade 1 and handle both surfaces. He's something special."

While the Whitney is prestigious in its own right, the race is a means to an end for Godolphin, with a Breeders' Cup return the year-end goal for Thunder Snow.

"I'm thinking of when he retires, for his next career (as a stallion)," said Suroor, whose last grade 1 wins stateside came on the same day in 2010 with Girolamo in the Vosburgh Stakes (G1) and Hibaayeb in the Yellow Ribbon Stakes (G1T). "A lot of American people like him. He's a dirt horse, he has speed, he can do a mile, a mile and a quarter. 

"He finished third last year (in the Breeders' Cup Classic) with a good run. Last year it was a bit too fast early. It depends on the pace, how fast they go, in any race. You can read the result before the race is finished. The picture is clear for you as the pace is playing out. The pace is really important. But even in the Dubai World Cup with the good pace, he went on and jumped in front, and he enjoyed it. He has a long stride, and that really helps him."

Options for Thunder Snow between now and the Breeders' Cup could include a run in the Aug. 31 Woodward Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) or a Sept. 28 Jockey Club Gold Cup return. He could also remain in the states or return to England before making a trip to Santa Anita Park.

"I want to see how he comes back after the race and make a decision," Suroor said. "Usually he ships back (after a race in the U.S). Last year we kept him here after the Jockey Club Gold Cup because it was close to the Breeders' Cup. I kept him here and I came back to see him. But I want to see the horse anyway after the race and make a decision.

"Maybe he'll run in the Woodward or the Jockey Club Gold Cup, one or two races before the Breeders' Cup Classic. The horse travels well, but sometimes it is too close to the races to ship him and bring him back and quarantine again. I will take him back anyway to England, but I want to choose between this race or after the next race. We'll see."

Suroor said he is not concerned about running his horse at Santa Anita, the Southern California track that struggled with a rash of equine fatalities during the recently concluded meet.

"My first grade 1 win was at Santa Anita in 1995 (with Red Bishop in the San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap)," he said. "A lot of people talk about the surface, but I trust the people there will make the ground good. Many people in Europe are looking forward to the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita, and we also are the same."