Rebel’s Romance with Frankie Dettori picking up the mount from regular rider William Buick. (Chelsea Durand)
Sets Up Return Breeders’ Cup Trip With Impressive G1 Classic Score
By Brian Bohl
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Godolphin’s Irish homebred two-time Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Rebel’s Romance made a strong early move and still had plenty in reserve for a dominating close, drawing away out of the final turn to post a resounding 3 1/2-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont at the Big A.
The 7-year-old, who earned his ninth top-flight score, continued to dominate at an older age, as the Charlie Appleby trainee won for the 20th time in 29 career starts and registered his 10th victory in 13 attempts since 2024.
With internationally acclaimed jockey Frankie Dettori picking up the mount from regular rider William Buick, the 3-5 favorite stayed forwardly placed just off Redistricting’s quarter-mile in 24.78 seconds over the firm inner turf course.
Dettori let Rebel’s Romance go to the front soon after, where he stayed in leading the compact five-horse field through the half-mile in 49.26, three-quarters in 1:13.75 and a mile in 1:38.69. With 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.50, Rebel’s Romance made no concessions to age or recent workload, extending his lead in the stretch to hit the wire in 2:25.72 for the impressive score.
Redistricting, ridden by Flavien Prat, edged the Appleby-trained El Cordobes for second, with last year’s Hirsch-winner Far Bridge and Rebel Red completing the order of finish. Bank Frenzy and Le Gris, both entered for the main track only, scratched.
Rebel’s Romance, the 2024 Champion Turf Male, likely set himself up for a chance to win a third Breeders’ Cup Turf, with the $5 million contest set for November 1 at Del Mar. His most recent victory in the Big Apple, in which he returned $3.28 on a $2 win bet and upped his career earnings to $14.4 million, could potentially help him boast a troika of Breeders’ Cup victories to a ledger that includes a win in 2022 at Keeneland and last year at Del Mar.
@MaggieWolfndale interviews Charlie Appleby's Assistant trainer Alex Merriman after the dominant win by Rebel's Romance in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1). pic.twitter.com/ICnEeSX9Xs
— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) September 27, 2025
“He’s a very sound horse. He’s very straightforward,” said Alex Merriam, assistant to Appleby. “He obviously was gelded early. It’s what to do with him – it’s what Sheikh Mohammad designed Godolphin to do, to have horses like him to travel around the world and he’s a flag-bearer for Sheikh Mohammad and team Godolphin. That’s what it’s all about.
“He ships home tomorrow, and he’ll have a little quiet time at home and then we ship out to Del Mar the end of October I suppose. Fingers crossed,” Merriam continued. “He’s a very special horse. If he could win three Breeders’ Cups, I think it would be pretty special. I haven’t spoken to Charlie yet, but I presume that’s the plan.”
Rebel’s Romance added New York to his impressive travel log, with a globe-trotting year featuring races in Qatar, Dubai, England, and Germany, the latter of which he won the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin. This year, he already finished a respectable third for the second consecutive year in the Group 1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth. His Saturday victory made him the first foreign-trained winner of the Hirsch since Aidan O’Brien’s Cape Blanco in 2011.
“I spoke to Charlie and said, ‘there is not a great deal of pace.’ Then William [Buick] said, ‘look, it is better if he’s got something to aim at, but if they go too slow, you do your own thing.’ They gave me free rein,” Dettori said. Flavien was going too slow, I said let him slide. He was doing it on his own rhythm, and I know he stays, so just half way down the turn when I went through the gears, he went. I didn’t need anything; I knew I was well clear. What a lovely horse. Seven-year-old, still competing at the highest level. Travels really well. For a big unit, he corners really well because the inner track can be really tricky. Well done to the team.”
REBEL’S ROMANCE returns to the US and earns his 20th career win in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic! @FrankieDettori was up for trainer Charlie Appleby and @godolphin. pic.twitter.com/lSdswFolke
— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) September 27, 2025
Klaravich Stables’ Grade 2 United Nations winner Redistricting entered after earning his first two career triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures and finished second for five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown.
“I had a good trip,” Prat said. “I was on the lead for the first part. I was covered by Rebel’s Romance, but in a good spot and he ran a good race.”
The 49th running of the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic is named in honor of the longtime Daily Racing Form executive columnist.
Live racing resumes Sunday at Belmont at the Big A with a nine-race card featuring the $150,000 Gio Ponti in Race 8. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
