No Bien Ni Mal Faces Formidable Test in Fayette Stakes at Keeneland

Bred in Brazil with a racing background at Maroñas, Uruguay, he has won 3 of 4 starts in the U.S. and will clash with Hit Show, Nevada Beach, Tumbarumba, and the 3-year-old Silent Tactic, among others

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (Special for Turf Diario).— His talent was never up for debate. What No Bien Ni Mal has lacked, however, is continuity. Between injuries and lengthy layoffs, the Brazilian-bred colt has built a remarkably efficient campaign in the United States, and this Saturday he faces an assignment as intriguing as it is demanding in the Hagyard Fayette Stakes (G3), over 1800 meters on the Keeneland dirt.

Sired by Hofburg out of Una Beleza (Signal Tap), bred by Haras Santa María de Araras and owned by Stud Duplo Ouro, he will break from post 12 with Dylan Machado aboard for trainer Paulo Henrique Lobo. A field of 12 will compete for $350,000 in purse money, featuring several top-tier rivals. For No Bien Ni Mal, it will be a distinct test against distance specialists capable of maintaining a blistering tempo over a shorter trip than that of his signature triumph.

His story began in Brazil, where his victories included the Taça de Cristal (L) at Hipódromo do Cristal. He then crossed the border to Maroñas in Uruguay, finishing third in the Polla de Potrillos (G3). Returning to his homeland,he resumed his winning ways before concluding his South American campaign with a fourth-place finish in the Gran Premio José Pedro Ramírez (G1), once again in Montevideo.

His relocation to the United States fully unlocked his potential. In August 2025, he made a successful U.S. debut at Saratoga, capturing an 1800-meter allowance race, and in September he substantiated his ability in the Greenwood Cup (G3) at Parx Racing, covering the 2400 meters with authority to establish himself as a marathon prospect of immense promise. However, an injury sidelined him for over seven months.

He did not return until late April, when he finished fourth in the Isaac Murphy Marathon Stakes (L), also over 2400 meters, at Churchill Downs. Off the track for nearly five additional months, he resurfaced on September 17 with an impressive victory in a 1700-meter allowance at the same venue, edging So Sandy (Omaha Beach) by a head. Three wins from four American starts speak volumes about his class; the gaps between his races reveal the physical hurdles he has had to overcome.

Formidable opposition awaits on the other side. Hit Show, the son of Argentine champion Candy Ride who captured the 2025 Dubai World Cup (G1), has won the last two editions of the Fayette and will seek a third consecutive title for Brad Cox, with a replacement jockey to be named for the injured Irad Ortiz Jr.

Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach), a G1 winner in California, travels from the barn of Bob Baffert. Meanwhile, Stars and Stripes (Not This Time), trained by Bill Mott, arrives on the heels of a second-place finish behind Forever Young (Real Steel) in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), having previously won the Ben Ali Stakes (G3) over this very strip.

Also in the lineup is Silent Tactic (Tacitus), the sole 3-year-old in the field and recent winner of the Oklahoma Derby(G3) for trainer Mark Casse. His presence adds intergenerational intrigue just one week prior to the Breeders' Cup Classic, having established himself as one of the standout 3-year-olds of the season.

San Siro (Classic Empire), winner of this year's Greenwood Cup (G3); Willy D's (Lookin At Lucky), victor in the Charles Town Classic (G2); and Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance), third in the Saudi Cup (G1), further deepen the competitive quality of the field.

Nothing will be handed to No Bien Ni Mal. Yet if he can replicate the level of performance he has delivered whenever his physical condition allowed him to compete, he retains every right to target another major upset. His toughest opponent has often been off the track; now, one of the strongest fields of his career awaits him on it.