SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Despite suffering a rare defeat here last month when beaten a neck by stablemate Deterministic in the Grade 1 Manhattan, Far Bridge figures to be heavily favored stretching out to a more suitable distance and dropping into Grade 2 company Saturday in the $200,000, 1 3/8-mile Bowling Green Stakes on Saratoga’s inner turf course.
Far Bridge, who won the Grade 1 Sword Dancer here last August, lost for just the second time in six starts when finishing third turning back to 1 1/8 miles in the Manhattan. His only other setback during that span was a ninth-place finish following a bit of an eventful trip in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Turf.
The Sword Dancer was the first of two Grade 1 victories for Far Bridge in 2024, with the other being a half-length victory over War Like Goddess in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Aqueduct five weeks later. He launched his 2025 campaign with a pair of graded stakes wins, the Grade 3 Pan American and Grade 2 Man o’ War, before coming up just short in the Manhattan.
“He ran very well. The distance was probably a touch short for him, but he ran such a good race, he was nearly able to overcome it all,” trainer Miguel Clement said when asked about Far Bridge’s effort in the Manhattan. “He’s a very consistent horse, Joel [Rosario] knows him incredibly well and the horse is in very good form. Without a doubt, there will be a lot of pressure bringing over such a heavy favorite. But having that kind of pressure is a privilege.”
Clement added that the pace scenario in the Bowling Green is not a concern when it comes to a horse as versatile and talented as Far Bridge.
“Joel does the homework. He gets to call the audible,” Clement said. “He’s won the Sword Dancer wire to wire and the Joe Hirsch from last, so with him, it really doesn’t matter.”
Far Bridge is one of two horses Clement will send out in the Bowling Green. The other is Tawny Port, who should relish the return to grass after being eased to the wire over a sloppy track here last month in the Grade 3 Belmont Gold Cup. Tawny Port had a successful albeit frustrating 2024 campaign, hitting the board in five graded stakes without a victory to show for those efforts. He finished nearly nine lengths behind Far Bridge in his 2025 debut in the Pan American earlier this spring at Gulfstream Park.
“He was unlucky last year and his form is a bit muddied up this year, [but] he’s a better horse than he’s shown,” said Clement. “He is training very well and will give a good account of himself.”
Like Clement, Hall of Fame trainers Mark Casse and Todd Pletcher also entered a pair for the Bowling Green. Casse put in both Webslinger and Corruption, Pletcher countering with El Rezeen and Tucson.
Webslinger returns to the grass after opening his 2025 season with a late-running second-place finish in the Grade 2 Eclipse over Woodbine’s synthetic track six weeks ago. He will start locally for the first time since finishing second, beaten a head after striking the front in early stretch, in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational during the summer of 2023.
“He had some minor issues we dealt with, gave him some time, brought him back, and I thought his race was super,” Casse said of Webslinger’s Eclipse performance. “It was a little short [distance-wise] and his first time on Tapeta. My biggest concern is how speed-favoring the turf’s been. But he’s doing well, as good as ever.”
Casse also indicated that Corruption is likely to scratch from this spot to await the Grade 2 United Nations next week at Monmouth Park.
El Rezeen tries stakes company for just the second time, having been beaten by less than a length while finishing third in the Grade 3 Jockey Club Derby Invitational at Aqueduct in his 3-year-old finale.
Tucson has his three-race win streak snapped when finishing a distant eighth and last after forcing the pace in the Manhattan. Perviously, he proved his mettle around three turns during the spring, easily winning a second-level allowance race in his turf debut going 1 1/2 miles at Keeneland.
– additional reporting by David Grening
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