Joe Hirsch Turf Classic 2024 Analysis

By Jarrod Horak

The Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic will be run at Belmont at Aqueduct on Saturday, September 28, 2024, and this is a prep race for the Breeders’ Cup Turf. The seven entrants will travel 1 1/2 miles on the turf course and War Like Goddess attempts to win this race for the third time. The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic goes as the sixth race with a scheduled post time of 2:40 p.m. EDT.

Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Analysis

#6 Silver Knott (2-1) won the Elkhorn (G2), Man o’ War (G2), and Bowling Green (G2) in April, May, and July, and he chased loose front runner Far Bridge and held the show in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer on Aug. 24. Charles Appleby’s early-pressing gelding will probably stalk the pace under his new rider Dylan Davis.

#4 War Like Goddess (8-5) is a 12-for-21 mare taking on the boys. She is 2-for-2 at Aqueduct and 7-for-11 at this distance, and she won this race in 2022 and 2023. She is 1-for-3 with two minor awards this year. She won the Grade 3 Robert Dick Memorial as the chalk at Delaware on July 7, and rallied for the place as the beaten favorite in a slow early/fast late renewal of the Grade 2 Flower Bowl on Aug. 31.

#5 Truly Quality (6-1) looked good winning the Colonial Cup at this distance on Sept. 7. He romped by 6 lengths in a local allowance race at 1 3/8 miles on turf earlier this year. A stalking trip is expected.

#7 Far Bridge (7-2) showed surprising early speed and kept on going in a slow early/fast late edition of the Sword Dancer (G1) last time. Christophe Clement’s consistent colt fired trifecta shots in 10 of 12 starts and will probably revert to stalking tactics due to the presence of #1 Get Smokin (12-1). The latter wired the field in the Grade 2 Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs last year, and set the pace and just lasted in the Grade 2 United Nations in July. 

Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Wagers

#6 to win

Exacta 5-6-7/4

Trifecta key 6/1-4-5-7

Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Video