A relative lack of stakes experience had no effect on Federal Judge in the $314,275 Phoenix (G2) at Keeneland on Friday, as the four-year-old dominated the six-furlong Challenge prep for next month’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Del Mar.
Under Flavien Prat, Federal Judge broke on top from post 1, sped a quarter-mile in :21.62 and a half-mile in :43.97, and built up a commanding lead to the finish. The winning margin was 5 1/2 lengths, the final time was 1:08.20 over a fast track under glorious sunshine.
Racing for Siena Farm and WinStar Farm, the Brad Cox-trained Federal Judge returned $5.48 as the second choice in a field of seven.
Nakatomi, last-out winner of the Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (G1) and the slight Phoenix favorite, rallied for second, a half-length in front of Comedy Town. Here Mi Song, My Buddy B, 2022 Phoenix winner Manny Wah, and Swirvin completed the order of finish.
Well regarded early in his career, Federal Judge won his first two starts in the first half of 2023 and then contested the Woody Stephens (G1) at Belmont Park, in which he finished a distant fourth. Trained at the time by Rudy Brisset, Federal Judge was out of action for the following 13 months.
“We’ve loved him all along,” said WinStar’s Elliott Walden. “He needed a little break and we actually had to geld him. He’s such a beautiful horse and he got real heavy on us, so we gelded him to lighten him up and it really did the trick.”
Second in his July 20 allowance comeback at Saratoga in his debut for Cox, Federal Judge followed up with a six-length allowance win at the Spa.
Bred in Florida by Caperlane Farm, Federal Judge was a $200,000 Fasig-Tipton July yearling purchase. He is by Army Mule, who is out of Congarette, a daughter of Congaree.
