Far Bridge Returns in Belmont's Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

Trainer Miguel Clement takes special satisfaction from seeing an older racehorse thrive. He has seen it with Tawny Port, a 7-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile who earlier this month won the Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational Stakes at Kentucky Downs. He also captured the Belmont Gold Cup Stakes (G2T) in June. "We may be in the minority, but we get a lot of good older horses to run big races for us. If you look after them when they have the slightest bit of an issue, horses can be more durable and last longer," he said. "I am a big fan of that." You can also include Far Bridge in that fan club. LSU Stables' 6-year-old son of English Channel will make his first start since winning the March 28 Pan American Stakes (G3T) in his lone 2026 race when he runs Sept. 26 in the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park. "Far Bridge is doing great. I am not sure if he's ready to run his 'A' race off a long layoff but I think without a doubt he'll improve off this race. There weren't a lot of good alternatives in the coming weeks and sometimes you have to lose a battle to win the war," Clement said. "In that regard, I think it's good to get a race under him and we can reassess afterwards because there's a good, strong fall campaign in New York with races like the Man o' War or the Breeders' Cup." Far Bridge was sidelined after the Pan American with a soft tissue problem which Clement carefully monitored. "He had a setback after winning the Pan American. We could have gone on, but we opted to be conservative because he's been very good to us. Even though he's 6, I think he has plenty of good races left in him. I don't think time is of the essence with him." Far Bridge has won 10 of his 21 starts, which includes a trio of grade 1 wins highlighted by a victory in the 2024 Joe Hirsch. A son of the Kitten's Joy mare Fitpitcher, he has earned $2.5 million and has raced enough in top-level stakes to own a grade 1 win at the "old" Belmont Park (2023 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes). In his return to the races, he'll face a quality array of six international rivals featuring two grade or group 1 winners and three grade or group 2 rivals. "I would have loved a softer spot," Clement said. "When he's spot on, he's a very tough customer, but I don't know if he's 100% off the layoff. You never know until you bring them to the starting gate. I am sure he has the class. His works have been encouraging and it's exciting to get him back to the races." The field also includes OXO Equine's Minaret Station (Instilled Regard) and Klaravich Stables' Program Trading (GB), who were second and third, respectively, in the Aug. 15 Christophe Clement Turf Stakes (G1T). The international flavor comes from a trio of Europeans: group 2 winner Pride of Arras (IRE), El Cordobes (IRE), and Fort George (GB), who lost by a nose in the Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) in his U.S. debut and was subsequently third in the Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational Stakes (G2T) at Kentucky Downs.