Though Europeans often dominate the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T), this year they had better watch out for California-based Formidable Man. The 4-year-old son of City of Light added the Aug. 30 Del Mar Mile Stakes (G2T) to bring his perfect Del Mar record to 6-for-6. With the Breeders' Cup returning to Del Mar this year, Formidable Man could very well live up to his name.
The Del Mar Mile didn't develop into the ideal scenario for Formidable Man, as he sat behind the easy fractions of Cabo Spirit. But that didn't deter him from victory.
Cabo Spirit, the 9-2 fourth choice behind Formidable Man's 7-5 favoritism, hustled right to the front. Jockey Mike Smith slowed down the pace, with the other five letting them get away with the first quarter-mile in :23.77 and a half-mile in :47.08.
Formidable Man and jockey Umberto Rispoli initially raced behind third-place Almendares and jockey Antonio Fresu.
"I was trying to sit behind Antonio's horse because he lugs out," Rispoli said. "Antonio knew I was there, so I had to take a step back. I was able to save ground around the first turn."
Formidable Man raced in fifth for the first half-mile. Rispoli, who has ridden Formidable Man in five of his six Del Mar efforts, eased Formidable Man off the rail in the second turn, and they raced three wide into the stretch. When Formidable Man found himself in the clear, he let loose his powerful kick.
"Once I took him out in the stretch, he's a different kind of horse," Rispoli said.
Formidable Man drew even with leaders Cabo Spirit and Almendares before scoring by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:34.20. Almendares outfinished Cabo Spirit by a head for second.
"The fractions weren't quite as brisk as I thought they would be," said Michael McCarthy, who trains Formidable Man for owners William and Suzanne Warren of Tulsa, Okla. "He sure likes this track."
Asked why Formidable Man enjoys Del Mar so much, McCarthy said, "I don't know, but I'm glad he does."
Formidable Man began his Del Mar onslaught by winning his racing debut there in 2023. The following year he captured the Oceanside Stakes, Del Mar Derby (G2T), and Hollywood Derby (G1T) at the track. But Formidable Man doesn't just win at Del Mar. At Santa Anita Park this winter he added a second grade 1 in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G1T) before winning the July 27 Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar.
McCarthy, who trained City of Light for the Warrens, selected Formidable Man for them, successfully bidding $375,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale to purchase the horse out of the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment. Town & Country Horse Farms bred Formidable Man in Kentucky from the graded stakes-winning Silent Name mare Fanticola. Also the dam of stakes-placed Cc Cola, Fanticola has a yearling daughter by Jack Christopher in the upcoming Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Formidable Man, champion Fierceness, Benedetta, Blue Light, and Rich City Girl are 2025 stakes winners sired by City of Light. City of Light won five stakes, including the 2018 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and 2019 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1). He stood the 2025 season for $35,000 at Lane's End near Versailles, Ky.
