Full Serrano, between calm and the dream of making history once again

The Argentine contender looks fantastic at Keeneland, where he heads out to train early in the morning and awaits the Dirt Mile (G1) without setbacks. Forged Steel, a recent G1 winner, shapes up as one of his toughest rivals

DIEGO H. MITAGSTEIN (Special envoy for Turf Diario to Lexington, Kentucky)

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (From a special envoy).— Tranquility governs the hours for Full Serrano at Keeneland.Three days away from his third consecutive appearance in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), the Argentine racehorse maintains his routine without setbacks, looking handsome, fully composed, and with that commanding presence that fuels the dreams of those surrounding him. In his barn area, anticipation reigns supreme, yet without altering the daily grind: he steps out to exercise very early, just as dawn breaks in Kentucky, and then returns to rest.

The son of Full Mast, bred by Haras Gran Muñeca and trained by John Sadler for Hronis Racing, seeks to reclaim the crown he conquered in 2024 at Del Mar—a historic victory for Argentine racing. Last year he finished fifth in the very same event, and now, as a 7-year-old, he returns to face the ultimate challenge against elite company. He will have Joel Rosario in the irons and break from post position 3, an advantageous draw over the dirt mile.

He is hardly lacking in illustrious company. In the same stable area (Barn 60), heavyweights like Sovereignty (Into Mischief) and Knightsbridge (Nyquist)—the two Godolphin contenders for the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1)—are housed. The surrounding atmosphere is buzzing with activity, but for Full Serrano, everything unfolds well within routine boundaries. That sense of normalcy, at this stage of preparation, carries immense value.

His latest performance yielded a solid third-place effort in the Pacific Classic (G1), where he boldly pressed the pace set by Knightsbridge before feeling the grueling strain of the 2,000 meters. Cutting back to the mile—the distance of his crowning achievement—offers legitimate reason for optimism.

Naturally, formidable foes await. One of the toughest will be Forged Steel, the gray colt trained by Saffie Joseph Jr.,who has just settled into Keeneland after finishing his preparations at Saratoga. The son of Vekoma enters off a victory in the Goodwood Stakes (G1) on September 26 at Santa Anita, prompting his connections to bypass the Breeders’ Cup Classic in favor of the Dirt Mile.

“With Knightsbridge running in the Classic, the decision made total sense. Had he not gone there, we might have considered it, but from a race-handicapping standpoint, the Dirt Mile is more suitable. We feel we have a better chance to win,” explained Joseph.

The conditioner has ample reason for confidence. The 4-year-old Forged Steel spent much of his early campaign on the grass, but shifting to the dirt and extending his distances unlocked a far more competitive version of him. This season he notched two graded stakes wins at Santa Anita—the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) and the Goodwood—earning a spot among the most respected names in the lineup.

“Securing a G1 was huge. He is by Vekoma, a stallion who started off exceptionally well, and he became his first winner at the highest level. He can carry his speed up to 2,000 meters, and we hope to add a few more victories to his record,” noted Joseph.

The gray drilled 800 meters in :48.33 on Sunday over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga before making the trip to Kentucky. “He put in a very strong final breeze. He shipped out yesterday and arrived this morning. Tomorrow will be his first day stepping onto the track here,” his trainer shared on Tuesday. In the post position draw, he received stall 9, significantly further outside than the Argentine runner.

Come Saturday, all preparations will be in the books. Full Serrano will get the chance to channel the morning calm into another unforgettable performance. Forged Steel will pose one of the main obstacles in an unforgiving Dirt Mile,but the Argentine dream remains fully intact.