Historical past unfolded within the muggy heat of Henderson, Kentucky on July 1 as Gary and Mary West‘s homebred West Will Energy received the $1 million Stephen Foster Stakes in geared down vogue within the first Grade 1 race ever hosted at Ellis Park within the monitor’s 101 years of operation.

Regardless of the race being moved to the Western Kentucky oval from its regular dwelling at Churchill Downs, a robust discipline of eight weren’t deterred. Up for grabs, together with substantial prize cash, was an automated qualifying berth into the Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park via the Breeders’ Cup Problem “Win and You are In” collection.

Pace Bias, underneath jockey Luis Saez, was first from the gate and headed rapidly to the entrance whereas the Flavien Prat-piloted West Will Energy was proper on prime of the tempo in second, with Stilleto Boy proper behind in third. These three held their positions till the ultimate flip when Prat made his transfer.

Urged down the center of the quick filth monitor, West Will Energy opened as much as break free from his rivals within the stretch whereas Rattle N Roll rallied within the ultimate strides however was too late to problem and settled for second.

West Will Energy, a Brad Cox-trained son of Bernardini, completed the 1 1/8-mile race 2 1/2-lengths in entrance in a ultimate time of 1:47.93. Fractions for the race have been :23.74, :46.97, 1:10.83, and 1:35.20.

“He is an excellent horse, he is achieved an amazing quantity and he is gotten higher as he is gotten older. I am simply very pleased with what he stepped up and was in a position to do at this time,” Cox stated of the 6-year-old who completed third final out in Oaklawn Park‘s Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes.

“He is a grade 1 winner,” Cox Stated. “That is fairly rattling good.”

Longshot Comfortable American completed third. Morning-line favourite Smile Comfortable needed to be backed down the monitor to the gate, appeared rattled in the beginning, and will do no higher than fifth.

“These are laborious races to be part of, not to mention win. They’re very robust, demanding, races. There’s not loads of alternative, it isn’t as in the event that they run Grade 1s each weekend, they’re huge, huge, offers within the horse enterprise,” Cox stated. This was a severe Grade 1, it was as robust as if this race was held at Churchill.

“Nobody ducked this race as a result of it was at Ellis. This was a really excellent group of horses with the likes of Proxy and only a deep group total. He got here out on the suitable finish of it. I am very pleased with him. I feel he is a Grade 1 horse and he proved it at this time.”

West Will Energy boosted his earnings to $1,745,390 and improved his document to 7-7-1 from 17 begins.

Cox says he thinks West Will Energy could have what it takes to face as much as the 1 1/4-mile Traditional distance in November.

“We’re within the Breeders’ Cup Traditional, we’ll work our manner again from there,” Cox stated. “Finally it’s going to be as much as Mr. West if we resolve to go (to the Breeders’ Cup Traditional).”