Appleby sends out Nations Pride, El Cordobes in search of first G1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer victory

International powerhouse trainer Charlie Appleby has won his fair share of top turf events at New York’s racetracks, and will have two chances to add a Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer coup to his ledger as he sends out the Godolphin-owned pair of Nations Pride and El Cordobes in the 1 1/2-mile inner turf test for older horses on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. 

The Sword Dancer is a “Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf in November at Del Mar. 

Appleby seeks to add to previous Grade 1 New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) success with Althiqa [2021 Just a Game and 2021 Diana], Nations Pride [2022 Saratoga Derby Inv.], Cinderella’s Dream [2024 Belmont Oaks Inv.] and Measured Time [2024 Resorts World Casino Manhattan], as well as 12 additional graded scores. 

“I’m looking forward to running both of these in the Sword Dancer,” Appleby said. “Two very interesting horses and two I feel are going to be very competitive around there.”  

The globetrotting Nations Pride returns to the scene of his Saratoga Derby victory, as well as a runner-up effort in last year’s Manhattan to stablemate Measured Time. The 6-year-old son of Teofilo was last seen finishing 10th in the nine-furlong Group 1 Dubai Turf in April at Meydan, which came after a strong 1 1/4-length victory in the Group 2 Singspiel over the same course and distance. 

Nations Pride boasts a resume which includes wins at nine racetracks in five different countries. He announced his presence as a sophomore with wins in the Jumeirah Derby at Meydan and the Newmarket at its namesake course ahead of his first American foray with wins in the 1 3/16-mile Saratoga Derby and 1 1/2-mile Grade 3 Jockey Club Derby Invitational that September. 

A well-traveled 2023 campaign saw him cut back in distance to land 10-furlong scores in the Group 3 Dubai Millenium at Meydan, Group 1 Grosser Preis Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in Germany and Grade 1 Canadian International at Woodbine. He again found success at that distance last year with a 1 3/4-length annexing of the Grade 1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs, and has not contested a race further than 1 3/8 miles since a troubled-trip fifth in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf won by stablemate Rebel’s Romance at Keeneland. 

Appleby said the return to 12 furlongs could pay dividends on Saturday. 

"I think the step up to a mile and a half at this stage of Nations Pride’s career is needed to hopefully get him back on track at the top level,” Appleby said. “Last year, he won over the mile and a quarter in the Arlington Million, as we know, but he’s won over the mile and a half in the Jockey Club Derby at Aqueduct and ran a very creditable race in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

“Subsequently, we brought him back to a mile and a quarter and campaigned him at that trip, but I’m looking forward to stepping him up and if he brings his ‘A’ game, he will be a big player around there, especially with his experience,” Appleby added.

Nations Pride holds a 22-11-3-2 record with more than $3.6 million in total purse earnings. His other American efforts include a close second in the 2022 Belmont Derby at Belmont Park and a third in the 1 3/8-mile Grade 2 Man o’ War last year at Belmont at the Big A in his most recent effort beyond 10 furlongs. 

William Buick will be aboard the accomplished bay from post 5. 

The 4-year-old gelding El Cordobes [post 1, Flavien Prat] looks to make a splash in this division on the heels of a two-length score in the Group 2 Princess of Wales’s going this distance on July 10 at Newmarket. 

The son of Frankel entered the Princess of Wales’s off of two third-place efforts in stakes company, landing three-lengths back of Eydon in the Group 3 Aston Park in May at Newbury and 9 1/2 lengths behind next-out Group 3 Silver Cup-winner Al Qareem in the Race to the Ebor Grand Cup on June 14 at York. 

Appleby said El Cordobes relishes Saturday’s distance, which he boasts a perfect in-the-money record over in four starts, including a 3 1/4-length handicap win over next-out winner French Master in May at Newmarket. 

“He’s more an unexposed horse, but he travels well, loves quick ground and sees the trip out really well,” Appleby said. “We are just sort of having a feel of it over there with him, but we feel he brings a good solid European level to the table and he stays well on quick ground, so he’s going to be an interesting horse. We’ll see how he runs and that will decide his second half of the season.” 

El Cordobes is out of the winning Sea The Stars mare Bold Lass, a half-sister to Group 1-winner Tante Rose, as well as Rosie’s Posy, dam of dual Grade/Group 1-winners Dubawi Heights and Make Believe. 

LSU Stables’ multiple Grade 1-winner Far Bridge [post 6, Joel Rosario] heads the American prospects as he seeks a title defense in this race for trainer Miguel Clement. 

The English Channel 5-year-old has more than demonstrated his ability over the Spa turf, evidenced by a last-out three-length coup in the Grade 2 Bowling Green over yielding footing on July 12, and last year’s running of the Sword Dancer where he went wire-to-wire to defeat Measured Time by one length. 

Clement said Far Bridge’s adaptability is his best weapon. 

"He’s doing great. He’s a versatile horse,” Clement said. “He’s in tip-top shape and I’m bullish about him and hoping for the same result as last year. If you look after these horses, they’ll look after you and have longevity and that’s why we have had so many older horses come back. Soundness is the name of the game and that’s been our mantra in the stable and I wholeheartedly support and believe in it.” 

Far Bridge is a model of consistency, boasting an 18-9-3-3 record with more than $2.3 million in total purse earnings. In addition to his Spa victories, Far Bridge won the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational as a sophomore, the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in September and Grade 2 Man o’ War in May at Belmont at the Big A, and the Grade 3 Pan American in March at Gulfstream Park. 

The talented bay is 3-for-4 at Saturday’s distance, his only loss coming with a 5 3/4-length ninth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf in November at Del Mar where he was keen early and flattened out in the latter stages. 

Bred by Calumet Farm, Far Bridge was privately purchased by LSU Stables in early 2023 and is out of the Kitten’s Joy mare Fitpitcher. 

Jeffrey Amling and Merribelle Stable’s Utah Beach [post 9, Jose Ortiz] looks to rebound from a troubled off-the-board effort in the 1 3/8-mile Listed Chorleywood on June 14 at Churchill Downs for trainer Ignacio Correas, IV. 

The English Channel 5-year-old was bothered at the top of the lane by subsequent winner and returning rival Rebel Red, and lost all momentum as he ran evenly down the lane and finished seventh 3 3/4 lengths back.

Utah Beach posted a career-best performance two starts back when annexing Churchill’s Grade 3 Louisville in deep-closing fashion, earning a career-high 100 Beyer Speed Figure for the 1 1/2-length win over Verstappen. The win gave him a graded double after taking the 12-furlong Grade 2 Elkhorn in April at Keeneland as he stretched out from a fourth in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Kentucky Cup Classic over synthetic in March at Turfway Park. 

The gray gelding boasts a 7-4-0-1 record over this distance, including his graded wins this year and an additional pair of allowance-level wins last year at Gulfstream Park and Keeneland. He also finished third in last year’s Grade 3 Sycamore at Keeneland, landing 4 1/4 lengths behind Highway Robber. 

Completing the field are the pair of dual graded stakes-winner Grand Sonata [post 8, Manny Franco] and dual graded stakes-placed El Rezeen [post 7, Dylan Davis] for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher; multiple graded stakes-placed Padiddle [post 4, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] for trainer Fernando Abreu; three-time stakes-winner Vote No [post 3, Kendrick Carmouche] for trainer Kelsey Danner; and stakes-winner Rebel Red [post 2, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] for conditioner Cherie DeVaux.

The Sword Dancer is slated as Race 10 on Saturday’s 12-race card, which co-features the Grade 2, $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational in Race 9. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern. 

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