Minaret Station survives inquiry to capture G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic
OXO Equine’s Kentucky homebred Minaret Station rallied stoutly down the lane and crossed the wire first by a half-length over Far Bridge, but had to sweat out an inquiry to become a Grade 1-winner in Thursday’s $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, a 12-furlong Widener turf route for 3-year-olds and up, at Belmont Park.
The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic winner is eligible for a bonus from the Japan Racing Association if selected and runs in the 2026 Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse.
Trained by Will Walden and piloted by Jose Ortiz, the 4-year-old Instilled Regard colt narrowly missed a top-flight score last out when bested by the mare Survie in the Christophe Clement Turf on August 15 at Saratoga Race Course.
On Thursday, Minaret Station was traveling best of all in the final 70 yards with an outside rush, but came in several paths to impede the Flavien Prat-piloted El Cordobes, who was squeezed back as the Hall of Famer John Velazquez-ridden Far Bridge drifted slightly off the rail. The inquiry into the stretch run of Minaret Station, Far Bridge and third-place El Cordobes resulted in no change to the order of finish.
“I think I did come over a little bit, I won’t say I didn’t,” Ortiz said. “I told the stewards that I thought I bothered the Godolphin horse [El Cordobes] a little bit, Flavien had to take a little hold. But at the point when I bothered him, he was going to already be third. He [Minaret Station] didn’t cost him any position. I don’t think I bothered Far Bridge at all.”
Program Trading led the field through an orderly opening mile in 1:40.97 with 7-5 favorite Pride of Arras stalking in second position, El Cordobes saving ground from the inside post in third and Minaret Station to his outside in fourth in front of Far Bridge and the trailing Asbury Park.
Program Trading took the field through the final turn with Pride of Arras inching closer and Minaret Station looming large on the outside as El Cordobes held his position against the fence. El Cordobes surged to the front as the field straightened away with Far Bridge finding room and making an inside charge as Minaret Station launched his bid. Minaret Station showed a good turn-of-foot inside the final furlong but came in under right-handed urging, yet still finding enough to score in a final time of 2:28.18. It was 2 1/4-lengths back to El Cordobes in third.
“It was a very slow pace last time and today he was able to fall behind the speed and relax and I was very happy behind horses,” Ortiz said.
Velazquez praised the training job by Miguel Clement with multiple Grade 1-winner Far Bridge, who was making his first start since a neck victory in the Grade 3 Pan American on March 28 at Gulfstream Park.
“I had a perfect trip until the stretch, the last sixteenth of a mile,” Velazquez said. “I was squeezed through there, and Jose came in, pushed the other horse towards me and then he ended up on top of me. Barely got beat, and he definitely got into the position that got uncomfortable.
“What a job he [Clement] has done,” Velazquez continued. “He relaxed perfect. I thought he’d be a little bit rank, and he was perfect. He was really good until that point that it was just enough that it stopped his momentum.”
Program Trading, Asbury Park and Pride of Arras rounded out the order of finish. Fort George was a regulatory vet scratch.
Minaret Station made the grade with a deep-closing score in Grade 2 Bourbon in October 2024 at Keeneland. He followed with a stalking victory last June in the Listed American Derby on June 28 at Churchill Downs in his lone sophomore start. He has endured a series of near misses since, including losses by less than one length in the Grade 3 Arlington in May at Churchill, the Grade 2 Bowling Green presented by Emerald Ecovations in July at Saratoga Race Course and the Christophe Clement Turf last out.
“This horse has been incredible from the start, just ultra-consistent whenever we put him out there. Obviously, dealt with some issues along the way,” Walden said. “He’s just been the epitome of consistency in the afternoon and in the morning and just couldn’t be prouder of him.”
Walden said Minaret Station will now point to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf on October 31 at Keeneland.
“Yeah. I mean as long as he comes out of this OK. I’ll give you the typical: ‘see how he is on the road tomorrow and go from there,’ but yeah, that’s the target,” Walden said.
Minaret Station banked $275,000 in victory while improving his record to 9-4-2-2. He returned $13.72 for a $2 win ticket.
The Joe Hirsch was one of six re-scheduled graded events on Thursday’s eight-race program following the cancelation of live racing on Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27 at Belmont Park due to a powerful nor’easter that brought extremely high winds and heavy rain to Long Island.
Live racing resumes on Friday at Belmont with a nine-race card headlined by the Listed $175,000 Artie Schiller in Race 8, co-featuring the $175,000 Bertram F. Bongard in Race 2, and the rescheduled $175,000 Joseph A. Gimma in Race 3. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
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