By Steve Sherack
From Godolphin's 12 starters in 10 renewals of the GI Kentucky Derby, favored Essential Quality (Tapit)'s promoted third-place finish following Medina Spirit (Protonico)'s medication disqualification in 2021 has been the best result to date.
With four serious contenders–all homebreds–on target for upcoming Kentucky Derby preps and fresh off a fifth consecutive Eclipse Award as outstanding owner, could this be the year for Sheikh Mohammed's powerhouse global operation?
“We've been there before and we've had chances,” Godolphin USA Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan said. “Who knows what's written in the stars, hopefully one of these horses will be able to give Sheikh Mohammed that first win this year. No one in racing would deserve it more.”
Unbeaten GII Remsen Stakes winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Poster (Munnings) will kick things off for the 'Boys in Blue' in Saturday's Listed Sam F. Davis Stakes (20-10-6-4-2) at Tampa Bay Downs. After wintering at Eoin Harty's Turfway Park base, the chestnut fired a five-furlong warning shot in a bullet 1:01 3/5 (1/20) at Tampa Feb. 2.
“We had a little bit of difficulty with the weather in Kentucky during January, but navigated our way around it,” Banahan said. “He missed a little bit of training, but not any breezes. He went down to Tampa and had a nice work over the track. We're going in there with plenty of optimism that he'll run well. We'll see if he can step up again. Like all these 3-year-olds, you go back to zero on the first of January and you have to prove yourself again.”
Produced by a half-sister to Bernardini, who, of course, carried Sheikh Mohammed's famed Darley silks to a win in the 2006 GI Preakness Stakes, Poster launched his career with a pair of wins on grass at Ellis Park and Keeneland, then switched to dirt with aplomb, hanging on for a nose victory after enjoying a clear lead in the stretch in the Remsen at Aqueduct Dec. 7.
Michael Banahan, Flavien Prat & Eoin Harty celebrate Poster's win in the Remsen | Sarah Andrew
“We were impressed with the way that he ran and the way he opened up at the top of the stretch in his first run on dirt in the Remsen, he just got a little bit green at the end of it,” Banahan said. “We are very hopeful that he'll be able to stay on the Derby trail after the weekend.”
Breaking from post seven with Antonio Gallardo in the irons, Poster is quoted at odds of 4-1 on the morning line for the Sam F. Davis. The field of 10 also includes: 2-1 morning-line favorite Owen Almighty (Speightstown), disqualified from first and placed fifth for interference in the local seven-furlong Pasco Stakes Jan. 11; and 3-1 second-choice John Hancock (Constitution), a sharp debut winner for Brad Cox going six furlongs at Tampa Jan. 8.
All but eliminated after a disastrous stumble at the start as the 9-5 favorite in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar Nov. 1, 'TDN Rising Star' East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro) will get a chance to atone in the GII Risen Star Stakes (50-25-15-10-5) at Fair Grounds Feb. 15.
East Avenue training at Del Mar ahead of last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile | Horsephotos
Out of an unraced half-sister to Godolphin's Horse of the Year Cody's Wish (Curlin), the striking bay won his first two starts by a combined 13 1/4 lengths, led by a sensational, front-running performance in Keeneland's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, good for a 95 Beyer Speed Figure. He's posted five workouts for trainer Brendan Walsh so far in 2025, most recently breezing five furlongs in 1:01 (6/40) from the gate at Fair Grounds Feb. 1.
“He always looked like one of our top 2-year-olds last year,” Banahan said. “When he broke his maiden (by eight lengths at Ellis Park), it was no surprise and he jumped right into the Grade I at Keeneland and did it very well. The lead up to the Breeders' Cup, there was a lot of excitement around him–he's such an imposing physical specimen. Thankfully the horse didn't hurt himself and Tyler (Gaffalione) was able to stay on him. Just a matter of drawing a line through it after the disappointment.”
Banahan continued, “He hasn't missed a beat and he's hit all the targets that Brendan was looking for. He'll have one more breeze this weekend and we're looking forward to seeing what he can do in his 3-year-old debut. Still a lot of hope and confidence behind him that he's a really good horse. Very much looking forward to the Risen Star.”
First Resort (Uncle Mo), a fantastic press-and-pounce winner of the GII Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes beneath the lights at Churchill Downs last out Nov. 30, is targeting the John Battaglia Memorial (20-10-6-4-2) Stakes at Turfway Park Feb. 22.
Last term's GII Saratoga Special Stakes runner-up and GI Summer Stakes fourth-place finisher over the Woodbine grass has never raced over an all-weather course in four previous starts, but has been based with Harty at Turfway throughout his entire career. His dam Fair Maiden (Street Boss) won the GI La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita and also has a double-digit maiden win over the synthetic at Arlington Park on her resume.
“He missed a little bit of time and a couple of breezes, just unfortunate timing wise,” Banahan said. “Initially, we were looking at going down for the (GIII) Holy Bull (at Gulfstream Feb. 1), but it was gonna be too tight to try and make it. We didn't want to press it too much.”
Banahan continued, “He trains at Turfway and the weather looked like we were gonna get a good run leading up to it. He's never run on a synthetic track, but he's trained on it since last year, so he's very familiar. Full of confidence behind him. We were very impressed with his race in the (Kentucky) Jockey Club and the way that he accelerated at the top of the stretch and put a couple of lengths between him and the rest of the field and maintained it all the way through the wire. We're really looking forward to getting him out there as well.”
Sovereignty (Into Mischief) earned his diploma in style with a powerful, last-to-first victory while making his two-turn debut in the GIII Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs Oct. 27. He missed some time for Hall of Famer Bill Mott due to a “little fever” in January, but could potentially launch his sophomore campaign in a race like the GII Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Mar. 1, per Banahan.
Sovereignty impresses in the Street Sense | Coady Media
“He didn't have the start that we hoped to have in the wintertime as far as getting back and had that little blip, just bad timing more than anything else,” Banahan said. “He's had a couple of breezes, and we'll breeze again tomorrow, I think. I saw him at Payson when we went down to Florida for the Eclipse Awards and he looked great. Bill has been very pleased with him the last couple of weeks. As long as we can go forward with him, he's probably the one horse that can't have a straw in his path to try and make his first race back. It's a tight schedule, you know? He's gonna have to hit all the targets for us to get there.”
The grandson of GISW Mushka (Empire Maker) was highlighted in these same pages following a better-than-it-looked fourth on debut in the always-loaded Travers day maiden at Saratoga, then flew home to finish a close second going a one-turn mile at the Big A Sept. 27.
“We have a lot of confidence in him,” Banahan said. “He's shown himself to be a very nice 2-year-old last year that is probably gonna be an even better 3-year-old just from his physical make up–he's a big, imposing horse. His race at Churchill Downs when he got to stretch out, that extra little bit of distance showed what he could do. Very much looking forward to seeing him when he could get to 1 1/8 miles and beyond. That will really be where he's gonna blossom.”
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