The connections of Far Bridge are hoping to place to relaxation a few assumptions about their horse and the Nov. 2 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Within the minds of most individuals, the $5 million stakes at Del Mar is the property of worldwide runners.
Beginning with Present in 2015, eight of the final 9 Turf winners have been based mostly abroad with European trainers.
Making an attempt so as to add some provincialism to the race is Far Bridge, LSU Stables’ 4-year-old son of English Channel who has emerged as the highest American hopeful off Grade 1 wins at 1 1/2 miles in his final two begins for coach Christophe Clement.
Far Bridge received the Aug. 24 Resorts World On line casino Sword Dancer Stakes in gate-to-wire trend after which returned Sept. 28 and received the Joe Hirsch Turf Traditional Stakes after being checked again to final within the area of 5 on the ultimate flip.
Off these two latest efforts, plus a useless warmth for third within the Resorts World On line casino Manhattan Stakes earlier within the 12 months, the homeowners have a colt who they consider is greater than able to deal with the very best worldwide competitors within the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Cup Turf.
“I’ve examined the race and from what I’ve learn it appears to be like like a match race of us versus Insurgent’s Romance,” mentioned Randy Sarf, whose dad, Larry Sarf, began the secure. “I actually don’t see an enormous menace within the race besides him. Far Bridge is unquestionably the very best horse based mostly in the USA. We’re very assured.”
So assured, in reality, that the Sarfs don’t have any trepidations about dealing with Insurgent’s Romance, Godolphin’s European-based star who received the 2022 Turf and has three Group 1 wins to his credit score this 12 months.
The opposite assumption entails a perception that the homeowners spend numerous time yelling, “Geaux Tigers.” Return in time a 12 months and with purple and yellow silks with the letters LSU on them, it was assumed the Sarfs had been linked to the Tigers of Louisiana State College.
That was fallacious then and much more fallacious at the moment because the secure’s silks have been revamped.
Larry Sarf didn’t attend LSU. As he likes to joke, he attended Coney Island College, which suggests the 75-year-old proprietor didn’t attend faculty and gained invaluable knowledge rising up on the streets of Brooklyn, N.Y.
Nor did Randy Sarf take lessons at LSU. The title led folks to imagine there was a hyperlink to the college, although the LS stood for Larry Sarf and his spouse Leslie (who went to the racetrack on their first date) and the U got here from the notion of household unity.
The Sarfs initially embraced the LSU tag however just lately, on the request of the college, they modified their colours, swapping the purple for blue and dropping the U so the silks solely have LS on them.
“We modified the colours out of respect to the college and now we solely have LS on the silks,” Randy Sarf mentioned. “The varsity was involved with the silks and the lettering on the jockey in case one thing occurs.”
Based mostly on what occurs within the Turf, LSU could possibly be lacking out on a grand advertising and marketing alternative because the son of the Kitten’s Pleasure mare Fitpitcher charges as top-of-the-line American hopefuls within the race in recent times.
“He’s a really good horse who charges among the many greatest turf horses we have now had,” Clement mentioned. “He’s very sound and doing very properly. We have now appreciated him from the very starting. He has the potential to be an impressive horse as he continues to race.”
Versatility is unquestionably the important thing to Far Bridge’s success. It’s commonplace to see a horse win back-to-back Grade 1 stakes, however to do it on the entrance finish after which shut from final is uncommon certainly.
“He’s so versatile,” Clement mentioned, “which is why I used to be upset when folks mentioned he stole the race within the Sword Dancer. All people was proper behind him on the quarter pole and so they had the entire stretch to get by him and so they didn’t.”
That potential to deal with no matter comes his method within the early levels actually speaks properly for jockey Joel Rosario’s potential to work out an awesome journey and displays the dynamic velocity Far Bridge possesses.
“He could also be quirky however he has an enormous coronary heart and he has an engine on him like a Ferrari. He’s like a Ferrari Testarossa taking off,” Randy Sarf mentioned. “With him, it doesn’t matter the place he’s. He will be first, second, or final, however as soon as Joel hits the gasoline and he has room to go, it’s over. He’s so quick. I’ve been watching horses race for over 50 years and he takes off like no different horse I’ve seen.”
That abundance of expertise prompted LSU to buy Far Bridge from his breeder and unique proprietor Calumet Farm.
Racing for Clement and Calumet, Far Bridge first caught the attention of the Sarfs and bloodstock agent Steve Younger after he received his Jan. 21, 2023, debut on turf at Gulfstream Park, beating Carl Spackler, who, mockingly sufficient, has turn into a a number of Grade 1-winning miler who looms as one in all Far Bridge’s most important rivals for an Eclipse Award because the champion turf male. After Far Bridge took a March 11 allowance race to stay undefeated, the supply was made.
“Steve Younger is our agent and we like in search of horses who’ve run so all of us can analyze them,” Randy Sarf mentioned. “All of us noticed the expertise when he beat Carl Spackler. Understanding that, we approached Calumet and made a proposal. There was some backwards and forwards and my dad mentioned ‘No extra backwards and forwards. We’ll ship you $2.4 million’ and he wired the cash instantly.”
As a lot as Calumet offered a horse who would go on to win three Grade 1 stakes, the breeder continues to be reaping some advantages from the sale by kickers connected to it.
“Calumet nonetheless has a pleasant piece of the horse. They’ve breeding rights and so they get $100,000 for every Grade 1 win and will get $250,000 for profitable the Breeders’ Cup Turf. So, they’ve pores and skin within the recreation,” Randy Sarf mentioned. “Individuals prefer to say we paid an excessive amount of or they gave him away. They didn’t give something away. It’s a partnership. Although we personal 100% they nonetheless get residuals.”
LSU turned Far Bridge over to Corridor of Fame coach Todd Pletcher, however after his 3-year-old marketing campaign in 2023, they despatched him again to Clement, although he received the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes and positioned in 4 different graded stakes whereas with Pletcher.
“He was with Todd and Todd is nice at what he does. However he has an enormous secure of horses and we felt Far Bridge wants particular consideration,” Randy Sarf mentioned. “Todd is a incredible coach however he specializes on filth and we would have liked a man who specializes on grass due to the horse’s quirks. We knew Christophe did a tremendous job with him firstly and although we felt unhealthy about shifting the horse from Todd, Christophe has a tremendous group and he’s top-of-the-line turf trainers on the earth. He positively improved him. He acquired him to celebrity standing.”
Again with Clement to start out 2024, Far Bridge prevailed in solely one in all his first 4 begins however he reached new heights together with his Sword Dancer and Joe Hirsch wins.
“It was so painful when he left us a 3-year-old, so we had been delighted when he got here again at 4,” Clement mentioned.
Although they could not stand out in a crowd as a lot as they as soon as did with their purple and gold jackets and sneakers, there can be a sometimes giant LSU gathering of household and mates in Del Mar for the Turf.
“Mr. Sarf is a pleasure to work with,” mentioned Clement, who trains 4 of the ten horses LSU has in coaching. “He’s a really enthusiastic proprietor. He and his son take pleasure in racing greater than most individuals. It’s a pleasure to work for somebody who enjoys racing as a lot as they do.”
Far Bridge is one in all simply two graded stakes winners for LSU and underscores the skepticism Randy had when his dad began the secure in 2022 and spoke about working within the Breeders’ Cup.
“My dad mentioned we’d be right here within the Breeders’ Cup sooner or later,” Randy Sarf mentioned, “and I believed he was loopy. Now take a look at us.”
Seems like one other assumption tied to Far Bridge has already been disproven even earlier than they break from the gate within the Turf.
