Bacio was pure speed and delivered another Breeders' Cup victory to Wesley Ward
The son of Maclean's Music dominated the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) at Keeneland from wire to wire, defeating Cy Fair by two lengths. Juan Hernández celebrated his first victory in the series, while the trainer highlighted the unique story of a horse owned by thousands of shareholders
By Diego H. Mitagstein (Special correspondent for Turf Diario in Lexington, Kentucky)
LEXINGTON, Kentucky (From a special correspondent).— Bacio (Maclean's Music) brought his blistering European speed back home to Keeneland and dominated the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1), delivering a command performance over 1,100 meters on firm turf. The Wesley Ward trainee grabbed the lead right out of the gate and never allowed his rivals to threaten, charging to a 2-length victory over Cy Fair (Not This Time).
With Juan Hernández in the irons, the flagbearer for MyRacehorse and partners stopped the clock in 1:02.11, leaving Starlust (Zoustar) a neck further back in third. Time to Dazzle (Not This Time) and Comanche Brave (Wootton Bassett) dead-heated for fourth.
The tactical blueprint was straightforward. Bacio broke sharply from the gate and initially faced early pressure from Miss Yechance (Cotai Glory), winner of the Prix de l'Abbaye (G1). The pair blazed through an opening quarter-mile in 21.23, but the eventual winner began to break clear before entering the lane.
He reached the half-mile mark in 43.86, and when Hernández asked him for his final surge, he responded with an explosive turn of foot that put the race out of reach for his chasers.
“I was comfortable with the tempo. I knew he was saving enough energy for the finish. I feel I managed his pace well,because even after the wire, nobody could catch us,” explained the jockey, who celebrated his first Breeders' Cuptriumph.
For Ward, the victory marked his seventh Breeders' Cup title and his second in the Turf Sprint, following Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) in 2021.
“He is a very special horse with a wonderful story behind him. When you have pure speed, the best strategy is to take the lead, and Juan did a fantastic job,” he stated.
Bacio had won the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap at Royal Ascot in June before capturing the prestigious Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) at York. With this victory, he completed a remarkable treble across three of the world's most prestigious international meetings.
The Kentucky-bred son of Maclean's Music now boasts six victories from seven career starts, bringing his earnings to $1,229,959.
Ward highlighted the unique nature of his ownership group. When outside investors attempted to buy the colt, his daughter-in-law organized a syndicate alongside MyRacehorse to keep him in the barn.
“It is marvelous that thousands of everyday racing fans are owners of this horse and can experience a Breeders' Cupvictory. That does so much good for our sport,” he explained.
Cy Fair, winner of the 2025 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), unleashed a strong closing effort under John Velazquez. “She proved she has a massive heart. We were a bit further back than intended, but she responded as soon as I asked her to move,” commented the rider.
Her trainer, George Weaver, was equally pleased: “She ran great. We simply ran into a superior rival today.”
Starlust, winner of this race in 2024, put in another commendable effort despite breaking from post 13, while Comanche Brave also performed admirably.
Ultimately, the afternoon belonged to Bacio. Pure speed, class, and a flawless ride came together to grant another marquee victory to Ward, who once again demonstrated his extraordinary mastery in conditioning top-flight turf sprinters.
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