Joe Hirsch

A field of eight, including a coupled entry, will settle Saturday’s $750,000
Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1) and the unbeaten SHAKESPEARE
(Theatrical [Ire]) figures to be a heavy favorite. The Bill Mott trainee
established a course mark over the Belmont turf when capturing the nine-furlong
Belmont Breeders’ Cup (G2) in 1:45 last time, but he simply overwhelmed three
rivals that afternoon and will have to travel three furlongs farther than he’s
ever been before. With such a lack of experience (only four career starts),
we’re going to try to beat the favorite with a proven overseas invader, ACE
(Ire) (Danehill).

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Ace has shown top class at long distances in
Europe, finishing an excellent second, beaten only 1 1/2 lengths to Azamour
(Night Shift), in the Prince of Wales’s S. (Eng-G1) during the Royal Ascot
meeting and missing by only three parts of a length in the Juddmonte
International (Eng-G1) two starts back. Last time out, he took on some of the
world’s best turf horses in the Irish Champion S. (Ire-G1) and finished fourth,
beaten only 1 1/2 lengths, behind Oratorio (Danehill), with Motivator (Montjeu
[Ire]) and Alexander Goldrun (Gold Away [Ire]) completing the top three. Any of
those rivals would give Shakespeare all he could handle at 12 furlongs, and Ace
should relish the 1 1/2-mile distance on Saturday. O’Brien has plenty of
experience shipping to the United States and brings the four-year-old Ace into
this event in top form. We like his chances.

Shakespeare is bred to handle the additional ground but is an unproven
commodity. However, there’s a lot to like about him and plenty of room for
improvement. An earner of BRIS Late Pace ratings of 111, 113 and 112 in his last
three starts, the bay colt will likely get the jump on his main rival on
Saturday and could prove impossible to run down.

ENGLISH CHANNEL (Smart Strike) has been freshened off an upset in the
Secretariat S. (G1) and might prove to be a strong presence on the front end
here. Jockey John Velazquez could cover up on the sophomore early, but English
Channel will be up close early and could lead the field out of the far turn on
Saturday. An impressive winner of the Virginia Derby (G3) and Colonial Turf Cup
earlier during the summer, English Channel has some upset potential here with
further improvement but will be facing a stiff class check.

METEOR STORM (GB) (Bigstone [Ire]) hasn’t displayed the same form at six that
he did last season when capturing a pair of Grade 2 events prior to a victory in
the Manhattan H. (G1), but the Wally Dollase charge remains a threat for the
bottom of the exotics. He offered a solid run to take second behind Shakespeare
last time and could finish up well again for part.

ALOST (Fr) (Highest Honor [Fr]) finished a close fourth in this year’s
Manhattan two starts back and was a decent sixth in the Arlington Million (G1) most
recently. The gray gelding will likely be far back in the early stages with much
to do late, but he did show some affinity for the course in the Manhattan and merits
some consideration for a top-three placing.

ISLERO NOIR (Fr) (Septieme Ciel) will make his U.S. bow for conditioner
Christophe Clement, but the French Group 2-placed four-year-old probably faces
too much of a class hike. EVENING ATTIRE (Black Tie Affair [Ire]) owns plenty of
back class, but the gray seven-year-old is winless from four grass starts and
doesn’t enter this event in sharp form. SALFORD CITY (Ire) (Desert Sun [GB]),
who runs coupled with Ace due to common ownership, exits a dull fourth over the
Polytrack and doesn’t appear fast enough to offer a serious challenge here.