Rebel’s romance with Frankie Dettori who picks up the mountain of ordinary rider William Buick. (Chelsea Durand)
Put on the return binder cup with impressive G1 Classic score
By Brian Bohl
Ozone Park, NY-Godolphin’s Irish HomeBred Double Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Rebel’s romance Made a strong early relocation and still had enough in reserve for a dominant closure, which took the last turn to post a thunderous 3 1/2 length victory in the degree 1 of Saturday, $ 500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont on the Big A.
The 7-year-old, who earned his ninth top score, continued to dominate in old age, while the trainee of Charlie Appleby won for the 20th time in 29 career-star and his 10th victory registered in 13 attempts since 2024.
With internationally acclaimed Jockey Frankie Dettori who picked up the Mount of the regular rider William Buick, the 3-5 favorite ahead remained just from the quarter Mijl van Redistricting in 24.78 seconds about the Turf Course company-in-house.
Dettori quickly let the romance of Rebel go forward, where he stayed in leading the compact five-horse field through the half mile in 49.26, three-quarters in 1: 13.75 and a mile in 1: 38.69. With 1 1/4 miles in 2: 02.50, Rebel’s romance did not make any concessions at age or recent workload, which extended his lead in the piece to hit the thread in 2: 25.72 for the impressive score.
Redistricting, driven by Flavien Prat, hit the Appleby-Train El Cordobes for second place, with the Hirsch winner Far Bridge last year and Rebel Red the order of finishing. Bank Frenzy and Le Gris, both only scratched for the main track, scratches.
Rebel’s Romance, The 2024 Champion Turf Male, Likely Set himself Up for a Chance to Win A Third Breeders’ Cup Turf, With the $ 5 Million Contest Set for November 1 at del Mar. His Most recently Victory in the Big Apple, in which he returned $ 3.28 on a $ 2 win bet and upped his career earnings to $ 14.4 million, could potentialy help him boast a troika of Breeders’ Cup Victories to a ledger conce
@MaggieWolfndale Interviews Charlie Appleby’s Assistant Trainer Alex Merriman after the dominant victory by Rebel’s Romance in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1). pic.twitter.com/icneesx9xs
– NYRA () (@Thenyra) September 27, 2025
“He is a very healthy horse. He is very simple,” said Alex Merriam, assistant of Appleby. “He was clearly prevented from early. It is what he had to do with him is what Sheikh Mohammad Godolphin designed to do, to let horses travel through the world and he is a flag carrier for Sheikh Mohammad and Team Godolphin. That’s what it’s all about.
“He will send home tomorrow, and he will have a quiet time at home and then we will send to del Mar at the end of October, I think fingers crossed,” Merriam went on. “He is a very special horse. If he could win three Breeders’ cups, I think it would be quite special. I haven’t talked to Charlie yet, but I assume that is the plan.”
Rebel’s romance added New York to his impressive travel log, with a globe trotting year with races in Qatar, Dubai, England and Germany, of which he won the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin. This year he already finished a respectable third in the 1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth group for the second consecutive year. His Saturday victory made him the first foreign -trained winner of the Hirsch since Cape Blanco by Aidan O’Brien in 2011.
“I spoke with Charlie and said:” There is not much pace. “Dan William [Buick] Said, “Look, it’s better if he has something to set up, but if they go too slow, you do your own thing.” They gave me freely clean, “said Dettori. Flavien went too slowly, I told him to slide. He did it at his own rhythm, and I know he stays, so halfway through the gear I went through the gears, he didn’t go well. Tricky.
Rebel’s romance returns to the US and earns his 20th career gain in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic! @Frankiedettori was ready for trainer Charlie Appleby and @godolphin. pic.twitter.com/lsdsdfolke
– NYRA () (@Thenyra) September 27, 2025
Klaravich Stables’ Grade 2 United Nations winner Redistricting came in after earning his first two career triple figures from Beyer-Vals and finished second for five times Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown.
“I had a good trip,” said Prat. “I was in the lead for the first part. I was covered with Rebel’s romance, but in a good place and he ran a good race.”
The 49th running of the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic is mentioned in honor of the long time Daily racing form Executive columnist.
Live racing resumes on Sunday in Belmont on the Big A with a nine-race card with the Gio Ponti of $ 150,000 in race 8. The first post is 13:10 hours Eastern.
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