The drumbeat of Breeders’ Cup speculation about Next will grow louder in the wake of yet another lopsided victory, this time in Saturday’s $200,000 Greenwood Cup (G3) on Pennsylvania Derby Day at Parx.
Sent off as the 1-20 favorite, the defending champion cruised home by 10 lengths. Perhaps that was showing a modicum of mercy compared to his 25-length margin from a year ago.
After tracking Ridin with Biden through fractions of :24.96, :49.94, 1:16.55, and 1:42.97, regular rider Luan Machado let Next roll entering the far turn for the final time. The marathon celebrity drew off all alone, still on a tight rein, to finish 1 1/2 miles in 2:33.61.
Magic Michael prevailed as best of the rest, five lengths clear of Treble Clef in the strung-out field. Dai Vernon, Modern Era, Truculent, Beach Daze, Ridin with Biden, and Suigu Star completed the order of finish. My Imagination was scratched.
Trained by Doug Cowans for Michael Foster, Next has run away with seven straight races in the dirt marathon division. His overall mark stands at 23-13-0-1, $1,336,361.
The son of Not This Time was a revelation in the off-the-turf Cape Henlopen S. at Delaware Park in 2022, demolishing the competition by more than 18 lengths in his first opportunity to try 1 1/2 miles. Next backed it up with a 6 1/4-length wire job in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2) over Breeders’ Cup weekend at Keeneland. His comeback third in the 2023 Isaac Murphy Marathon at Churchill Downs represents his only loss in these conditions.
Next rebounded in that summer’s Brooklyn (G2), crushed the Birdstone S. at Saratoga by 11 3/4 lengths, and more than doubled that margin in his first Greenwood Cup. The gray took care of unfinished business in the May 1 renewal of the Isaac Murphy, romping in track-record time for 1 1/2 miles at Churchill. Adhering to a familiar itinerary, Next trounced the opposition when repeating in the Brooklyn and Birdstone en route to another title defense at Parx.
Connections have hitherto resisted venturing outside of his long-distance dirt specialty, but the Breeders’ Cup is looming as a larger possibility.
His options are taking a dramatic drop in trip for the 1 1/4-mile Classic (G1), where he would get to stay on dirt, or switching surfaces for the 1 1/2-mile Turf (G1). As a stakes winner on turf earlier in his career for Wesley Ward, Next can act on turf, if he can handle the steep class hike.
“We will see how he does in the next two weeks,” Foster said.
“Do we want to go out West? Damn right we do. No doubt about it,” his enthusiastic owner continued. “We love the mile and a half and out.
“At his distances, we feel like he can run with anyone in the country right now on the dirt, (and) we think on the grass, a mile and three eighths and out. We don’t want to change the horse. Ever since he’s been going a mile and a half, nobody’s touched him.”
Cowans sounded more guarded.
“There are a lot of things that can go wrong in that kind of race,” Cowans said of a potential Breeders’ Cup bid. “I am not saying we are against it, but we will sit down and have a big conversation.
“The thing about the horse is we always want to have fun with him. The money doesn’t matter. We found something the horse likes to do, and we want to keep doing it with him.
“It’s not solely my decision,” his trainer added, “but my gut tells me to stay with the (1 1/2-mile) distance and give up the (dirt) surface if I would do something like that.
“I know you got to face the Europeans, and they have a good turn of foot. You worry about that. Going to the dirt mile and a quarter, I worry about the pace. We don’t know where we will go, but we will see.”
Bred and originally raced by Silverton Hill, Next is out of the multiple stakes-placed Awesome Again mare Bahia Beach.
In the $400,000 Gallant Bob (G2), even-money favorite Bentornato fought gamely on the inside and outdueled 17-1 shot Sunny Breeze by a neck.
Forcing the pace set by Sunny Breeze through splits of :22.01 and :45.08, Bentornato found more in deep stretch for Irad Ortiz Jr., who was winning his third race on the card. The Jose D’Angelo colt negotiated six furlongs in 1:09.92.
Slow-starting Buccherino got up for third, while late-running Maximus Meridius was fourth.
The $300,000 Parx Dirt Mile also turned out well for favorite backers, as the 7-5 Coastal Mission overhauled Repo Rocks. Ridden by Arnaldo Bocachica, the Jeff Runco charge clocked 1:40.49.
Injunction, Next’s stablemate, finished third. Film Star was a non-threatening fifth of six.
The $250,000 Turf Monster (G3) was transferred to the main track “out of an abundance of caution,” according to a statement issued by Parx officials.
The turf course has been the subject of controversy since Causes Trouble was fatally injured in the Aug. 24 Parx Dash. As reported by Thoroughbred Daily News, Parx ceased racing on turf a few days later after horsemen sounded the alarm, and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority weighed in.
Following a review of the surface, turf racing resumed Sept. 16, only for another injury to occur in Saturday’s Alphabet Soup H. Freedom Eagle had to be pulled up on the backstretch and vanned off, prompting the decision to move the Turf Monster.
A flurry of scratches ensued, including such main players as Souper Quest, Senbei, and Alogon. Nine-year-old Smooth B capitalized on the “Monster” switch, uncorking a bold rail rally to win by 3 1/2 lengths. The Butch Reid veteran sped five furlongs in :58.31 with Mychel Sanchez.
Talented Man took second. Jean Valjean, who inherited 3-5 favoritism, lost the race with a stumbling start and barely salvaged third.
