INDIANTOWN, Fla. - Last year, after Far Bridge returned from a layoff to win the Grade 3 Pan American at Gulfstream Park, he shipped to New York to win the Grade 2 Man o’ War six weeks later.
With the New York Racing Association having moved the Man o’ War from the spring at Aqueduct to the fall at Belmont Park, Far Bridge will need a new plan for his next race.
Trainer Miguel Clement said Sunday he will consider the Grade 1, $1.5 million Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on May 2, or possibly train him up to the Grade 1 Manhattan at Saratoga on June 6.
The Turf Classic is at 1 1/8 miles, while the Manhattan is scheduled for 1 3/16 miles. Last year, due to rain and a late change of turf course, the Manhattan was run at 1 1/8 miles and Far Bridge was beaten only a neck by his stablemate Deterministic.
“There was no shame in that race that day,” Clement said.
Far Bridge not only won the Pan American for the second straight year, he improved his record at Gulfstream Park to 5 for 5. He won two races there in 2023 and came off a layoff to win an allowance in 2024 before winning consecutive runnings of the Pan American.
Clement said that his success at Gulfstream is a product of his fondness for training at Payson Park.
“He loves Payson Park. He gets plenty of turnout in the paddock. He keeps himself fit naturally, he’s top class, he’s a true athlete,” Clement said. “Even bringing a horse back off a long layoff to win at a mile-and-a-half usually would be a bit tough and strenuous, but in his case he makes our life a lot easier.”
Far Bridge improved his overall record to 10 for 21 with six graded stakes wins, three of which are Grade 1s. He improved his lifetime earnings to $2,530,760 for the LSU Stables of Larry Sarf.
In a previous version of this article, the distance of of this year's Manhattan Stakes was misstated. It will be run at 1 3/16 miles, not 1 3/8 miles.
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