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Nevada Beach aims for a repeat victory in the Grade I, $300,000 Goodwood Stakes

By Past The Wire Staff September 21, 2026 3 min read Save Article

Nevada Beach Outlasts Odds-On Favorite Full Serrano. (Benoit Photo)

Santa Anita Park Press

ARCADIA, CA — Nevada Beach will try and become the first back-to-back winner of the Grade I Goodwood Stakes since Game on Dude in 2011-12 when he takes on eight rivals going 1 1/8 miles Saturday at Santa Anita Park. As part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series, the winner of the $300,000 Goodwood earns a fees-paid berth to the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic this fall at Keeneland Race Course.

Nevada Beach’s repeat bid will come 7 ½ months since his most recent start. When last seen on Feb. 14, Nevada Beach was never a factor and finished 12th after a poor start in the GI Saudi Cup in Riyadh. In last year’s Goodwood, Nevada Beach sprung an 8-1 upset when prevailing by 1 ½ lengths under Mike Smith. This time around, Juan Hernandez will ride Nevada Beach.

A 4-year-old colt by Omaha Beach, Nevada Beach is trained by Bob Baffert, who also was the trainer of Game On Dude for his back-to-back Goodwood wins. Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Nevada Beach has a record of 8: 4-2-0 with $466,500 in earnings.

Eastern-based Forged Steel returns to Santa Anita where in May he earned his biggest career victory when winning the GII Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles. In two subsequent starts, Forged Steel finished off the board in both the GII Suburban at Saratoga in July and GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 22.

A 4-year-old colt by Vekoma, Forged Steel is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. for owners C2 Racing Stable, Mathis Stable and TCC Stables. He has a record of 20: 5-3-3 with $436,630 in earnings. Edwin Gonazlez has the call to ride Forged Steel.

Returning to California for a second Grade I opportunity in six weeks is Original Sin for trainer Brendan Walsh. Previously, Original Sin shipped to Del Mar for the Pacific Classic and finished second behind Knightsbridge. The 4-year-old Curlin colt’s only stakes win came in May at Churchill Downs when scoring in the GIII Blame going 1 1/8 miles.

Owned and bred by Calumet Farm, Original Sin is 10: 4-1-2 with $590,235 in earnings. He’ll be ridden by Kazushi Kimura for the first time.

The Goodwood is one of five stakes set to go Saturday at Santa Anita. The others on the program are the GII City of Hope Mile, an automatic qualifier for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile; GII John Henry Turf Championship, GII Eddie D Stakes and GIII John C. Harris Stakes.

THE GRADE I GOODWOOD WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 10 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT