Quereme Pass makes his return to Kentucky Downs, a track where he has already proven his strength

The argentine sprinter will return to the scene where he tasted victory last season under Frankie Dettori, seeking a monumental breakthrough in the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint (G2T), a purse-rich $1,750,000 contest offering a direct berth into the Breeders’ Cup

Quereme Pass (right) returns to a track that suited him to perfection / BENOIT PHOTO

FRANKLIN, Kentucky (Special for Turf Diario).— Quereme Pass is well acquainted with the unique challenges posed by Kentucky Downs, a factor that fuels big expectations. A winner over this distinctive course last season under Frankie Dettori, the Argentine-bred runner will now target the most significant victory of his North American campaign as he takes his place in the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T-1,200 m, turf), one of the feature events of the track's lucrative meeting.

Carrying a purse of $1,750,000—with the son of Distinctiv Passion running for half due to breed incentives—the race holds added prestige as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, granting the winner a guaranteed "Win and You're In" berth into the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1T), set for October 31 over 1,100 meters at Keeneland.

Bred in Argentina by Haras El Alfalfar and saddled by José Francisco D’Angelo for Lugamo Racing Stable and Michael Iavarone, Quereme Pass will once again have Luis Saez in the irons. The team will look to capitalize on the horse’s sharp early speed, though that very trait could see him engaged in a contested pace duel right from the gate.

The dark bay has already proven his ability to adapt to the undulating terrain, steep climbs, and sweeping bends of Kentucky Downs. It was here in 2025 that he captured an allowance optional claiming event over 1,400 meters under Dettori—a crucial course experience that sets him apart from several of his rivals.

He is no stranger to top-tier opposition either. In his sole graded stakes appearance to date, Quereme Pass came within a whisker of capturing the San Simeon Stakes (G3T) on March 14. Setting blisteringly fast fractions of 21.96, 44.28, and 1:06.65, he battled gamely through the final furlong with Sumter (War Front) before falling short by a nose.

That performance confirmed that the Argentine-bred belongs in graded company, but race shape will be key. Among his chief rivals is John the Beer Man, another confirmed front-runner entering off a strong victory in the Troy Stakes(G2T).

The son of More Than Ready, trained by Rob Atras with Kendrick Carmouche confirmed, has won three of his four starts this season, alongside a third-place finish—beaten just three-quarters of a length—in the Jaipur Stakes (G1T).However, he will be making his career debut at Kentucky Downs, a track whose topography demands a unique test of adaptation.

“There are a lot of variables at Kentucky Downs. This race almost plays like a 7-furlong race,” Atras noted, referring to the initial incline, sweeping bend, and demanding stretch run. While John the Beer Man has shown he can sustain high speed, the presence of Quereme Pass could force him to absorb pressure early.

A contested pace would benefit stalkers and closers, notably Troubleshooting (Not This Time). The Donamire Farmhomebred is winless in 2026 but boasts proven back class over this surface, having captured the Franklin-Simpson Stakes (G1T) at Kentucky Downs last season before taking the Bryan Station Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland.

In a contest brimming with early speed and rich in tactical complexity, Quereme Pass holds a vital trump card: he already knows what it takes to win at Kentucky Downs. Twelve months after his triumph alongside Frankie Dettori, the Argentine returns to this grueling venue with Luis Saez, eyeing a massive purse and a direct path to the Breeders’ Cup.