Hymn made the most of his opportunity and sang victory in the Forego
- Turf Diario
- 13 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Without Book’em Danno on the track, the son of McKinzie proved tough on the lead and secured the first G1 victory of his career at Saratoga, winning by 3/4 of a length as trainer Ron Moquett sets his sights on the Breeders’ Cup Sprint
SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special for Turf Diario).— The scratch of Book’em Danno (Bucchero) completely altered the landscape of the Forego Stakes (G1-1,400 m, $500,000), but someone had to capitalize on the opportunity. That someone was Hymn, who pressed the pace throughout, took command in mid-stretch, and held on with authority to secure the biggest victory of his career.
The son of McKinzie, trained by Ron Moquett and ridden by an inspired Ricardo Santana Jr., held off a dead-heat second between T Kraft (Connect) and Senior Officer (Into Mischief) by 3/4 of a length. The victory also earned him a automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) through the Win and You’re In program.
However, his trainer has already signaled that he might opt for a different path, considering that the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) may better suit Hymn’s strengths.
The race dynamic shifted dramatically in the morning following the veterinary scratch of defending champion Book’em Danno, the reigning sprint leader and early favorite, who reportedly suffered an issue in his stall overnight. Banishing (Ghostzapper), winner of the Godolphin Mile (G2), was also withdrawn after finishing second to Willy D’s (Lookin At Lucky) in the Charles Town Classic (G2) on Friday.
Moquett, who knows what it takes to train an elite sprinter having conditioned the memorable Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect), expressed concern for Book’em Danno before reassessing his tactical approach.
“Those are the horses we all want to see. Having had one like that myself, I know what it means,” he explained. “Then I started thinking about how the race changed, because we were the second speed in the field, and now everybody was going to be keeping a much closer eye on us.”
Hymn entered the Forego off a second-place finish behind Built (Hard Spun) in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G2), which snapped a three-race winning streak launched after his gelding operation. That run included scores at Oaklawn Park and Churchill Downs before taking the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash.
This time, he broke cleanly, and Santana Jr. worked with his natural speed. Tip Top Thomas (Volatile) assumed the lead through a quarter-mile in 22s61/100, with Hymn pressing intently. Senior Officer tracked in third while Bring the Smoke (Preservationist) followed close behind.
The tempo remained brisk as the field passed the half-mile in 45s03/100. Turning into the stretch, Tip Top Thomasbegan to tire, and Hymn pounced, taking command inside the final 300 meters and digging in gamely to thwart the late closers.
T Kraft found room late to rally while Senior Officer pressed to the line, but neither could reach the winner, who completed the 1,400 meters in 1m22s48/100. Crazy Mason (Coal Front) finished a head behind the chasing pair.
“He broke really sharp. After his last work, I told Ron he felt like a different horse, that he had much more power,” Santana Jr. noted. “Last time was my first time riding him, but today I had a lot more confidence. I didn't have to push him to be near the lead; he took me there himself, and he had plenty left in the stretch.”
For Moquett, the focus now shifts to charting his path to the Breeders’ Cup.
Though Hymn has guaranteed his spot in the Dirt Mile, the trainer leans toward the Sprint and is eyeing the Phoenix Stakes (G2) on October 2 at Keeneland as a potential stepping stone.
That prep race inevitably evokes memories of Whitmore, whom Moquett ran in the Phoenix ahead of multiple Breeders’ Cup Sprint appearances—a race Whitmore ultimately captured in 2020 at Keeneland.
“I’m not ruling out the Dirt Mile, but we’re going to evaluate how everything unfolds. My line of thinking right now is the Phoenix,” Moquett explained. “I always say I can’t handle him the way I handled Whitmore because he’s not Whitmore. He’s his own horse, and we have to find the right path for him.”
Bred by Fleur De Lis Stables, Hymn earned his fifth win from 15 lifetime starts, boosting his bankroll with the $275,000 winner's purse.
His official Breeders’ Cup target remains to be confirmed, but one milestone is locked in forever: his first G1 victory.
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