German racing's loss is New York's gain.
After Godolphin's two-time Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) winner Rebel's Romance captured the Aug. 10 Grosser Preis von Berlin (G1) in Germany, trainer Charlie Appleby planned on keeping the 7-year-old Dubawi gelding there for a final prep for the World Championships.
But a spate of wet weather prompted Appleby to opt for Plan B, which is Sept. 27 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Rebel's Romance will make his first appearance in New York in two years when the nearly $14.2 million earner heads a field of five turf entrants in the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1T).
"He's in good form," said assistant trainer Chris Connett, who traveled to the United States with the homebred 2022 and 2024 Breeders' Cup Turf winner who was last year's champion male turfer. "This is a bit of a backup plan to run here, but hopefully he'll run a big race."
It seems all Rebel's Romance does is run big races all around the globe. He's won stakes in Great Britain, Germany, Qatar, Dubai, and Hong Kong. Not to mention California and Kentucky, while winning 19 of 28 career starts.
"It takes a special kind of horse to travel to all these different places round the world and turn up and run really big races against some of the best horses in the world," Connett said. "He's pretty special, all right."
One of the few places where Rebel's Romance is winless is New York, where he was fourth in the 2023 Joe Hirsch at Aqueduct after falling in the Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course.
Making Godolphin's hand even stronger in the mile-and-a-half Joe Hirsch is the presence of stablemate El Cordobes, who won the Aug. 5 Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) at the Spa in his United States debut.
The 4-year-old Frankel gelding, a group 2 winner in Great Britain, rallied from sixth to take the mile-and-a-half Sword Dancer.
"He ran a huge race," Connett said. "It was his first step up into group 1 racing and he showed us he belongs at that level. He's a very nice horse who beat a good field, and we believe there's more improvement to come from him."
Leading the U.S. contingent is the 5-year-old multiple grade 1 winner Far Bridge, who won the 2024 Joe Hirsch. Owned by LSU Stables and trained by Miguel Clement, the son of English Channel was the 6-5 favorite in the Sword Dancer but made an early move and faded to sixth at the end.
Previously, he had won three of his four 2025 starts, with a third by a head and a neck in the Manhattan Stakes (G1T).
"He's doing very well and training forwardly," Clement said. "We'd love to redeem ourselves and defend our Joe Hirsch title."
Though Far Bridge and fellow Americans Rebel Red and Redistricting will be facing a formidable duo from overseas, Clement is hoping being based in New York and having a 2-for-2 record at the Big A can swing the outcome in Far Bridge's favor.
"This is our home base and we have an edge," he said.
John D. Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock Services' Rebel Red was second in the Sword Dancer, a half-length behind El Cordobes. The Frankel 5-year-old is seeking his first graded stakes win for trainer Cherie DeVaux.
Trainer Chad Brown will bid for his fourth Joe Hirsch win—and first since 2021—with Klaravich Stables' Redistricting. The Kingman gelding is coming off a 1 1/2-length victory in the July 19 United Nations Stakes (G2T), his initial graded stakes win.
Belmont at the Big A, Saturday, September 27, 2025, Race 5Entries: Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. (G1T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 El Cordobes (IRE) John R. Velazquez 124 Charles Appleby - 2 Redistricting (GB) Flavien Prat 124 Chad C. Brown - 3 Rebel's Romance (IRE) Lanfranco Dettori 124 Charles Appleby - 4 Rebel Red (GB) Jose L. Ortiz 124 Cherie DeVaux - 5 Far Bridge (KY) Joel Rosario 124 Miguel Clement - 6 Bank Frenzy (NY) Rider TBA 124 Rudy R. Rodriguez - 7 Le Gris (KY) Rider TBA 124 Rudy R. Rodriguez -
