Deterministic laid down the law once again and reaffirmed that he remains the premier miler in the United States

The Miguel Clement trainee defended the Fourstardave Stakes (G1) with authority at Saratoga, capturing his sixth consecutive victory and earning a direct berth to the Breeders' Cup Mile; neither the rain nor a high-caliber field could stop the champion

SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York—there are horses that win big races, and then there are those that come to dominate a division. Deterministic clearly belongs to the second group. the son of Liam's Map ratified his status this Saturday by retaining his crown in the Fourstardave Stakes (G1—1,600 m, US$ 750,000), extending his winning streak to six and consolidating his position as the premier turf miler in the United States.

the contest also secured him a spot in October's Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Keeneland through the "Win and You're In" program, a target that now stands as the defining goal of his season.

not even the heavy downpour that struck minutes before the break could disrupt the plans for the representative of St. Elias Stable, Vicarage Stable, Ken Langone, and Steven Duncker. trained by Miguel Clement, the barn celebrated another unforgettable afternoon just one day after he officially entered the Hall of Fame in honor of his late father, the remembered Christophe Clement.

"he's a special horse," summarized the trainer. "when you have a horse like this, you only need to worry about keeping him sound and planning his campaign properly. we've been fortunate enough to execute that plan, though the reality is that he makes our lives so much easier because he possesses extraordinary class."

with Kendrick Carmouche once again in the irons, Deterministic stuck to the script that has brought so much success. he settled comfortably behind pacesetter Mi Bago (Vekoma), who took advantage of a somewhat sluggish break from Rhetorical (Not This Time) to inherit sole command, all while the rain continued to pelt down on the Spa's turf course.

"when we broke, I glanced over and saw Rhetorical didn't come out great," Carmouche explained. "so I just let my horse range up on the leader. I figured Mi Bago was just going to set the pace and the real danger would come from behind us. I just bided my time."

for much of the journey, Mi Bago attempted to control the tempo, always with Deterministic breathing down his neck. further back, Lagynos (Kantharos) and Zulu Kingdom (Ten Sovereigns) tried to make up ground, though the latter encountered traffic entering the far turn and lost valuable momentum before finding clear running.

as they straightened for home, Carmouche barely needed to flash the whip on the right side for his partner to respond with the trademark acceleration of a true champion. within a matter of strides, he broke the leader's resistance and began pulling away with authority.

Zulu Kingdom eventually found a seam and rallied strongly, but the bird had flown. Deterministic crossed the wire a length and a half clear in 1m35s07/100, while Mi Bago gamely held on for second by three-quarters of a length over Zulu Kingdom. Rhetorical completed the frame ahead of Lagynos and Capitol Hill (Into Mischief). objections raised after the race by José Ortiz, rider of Lagynos, and Flavien Prat, aboard Zulu Kingdom, were quickly dismissed by the stewards.

for Clement, the rain was the only variable going into the race: "I was a bit concerned about the going because it ended up much softer than we expected. but he's just a top-class horse. he can win over a mile or 2,000 meters, on firm or heavy turf, whether the race favors speed or closers. he always finds a way to overcome any circumstances. that's why, without a doubt, he's been the leader of this division for two seasons now."

the next step could take him across the border: "we still need to discuss it with the owners, but I have the Woodbine Mile (G1) very much in mind," Clement noted, looking ahead to September.

for Carmouche, meanwhile, his partnership with Deterministic holds an irreplaceable place in his career: "he's an incredible horse. he changed my career. he's the best horse I've ever ridden in my life. I hope many more come along, but if I had to ride just him for the rest of my career, I'd be completely happy. all the credit goes to Miguel, the owners, and every single member of the team."

Mi Bago also emerged with credit in defeat. the Mark Casse trainee continued to show development and came close to springing a major upset: "he broke very well, we were able to dictate the race, and the fractions were exactly what we wanted," Luis Sáez commented. "for a moment I thought we could win it, but we were up against a truly exceptional horse."

boasting 10 victories from just 16 starts, track records in the Fort Marcy and the Manhattan, six consecutive wins, and another G1 under his belt, Deterministic continues to build an exceptional career. the Breeders' Cup now looms on the horizon, though a Canadian pitstop might come first. if he maintains this level of form, the rest of the milers will have to go back to the drawing board to figure out how to defeat a horse that has, quite simply, turned consistency into an art form.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3zQ_xjyAnU