Balnikhov (IRE)

Balnikhov’s maiden win came on a synthetic racing surface in France in his first career start on Dec. 22, 2021, in the waning days before his third birthday. He was transferred so the southern California barn of trainer Phil D’Amato for his 3-year-old season, which began on April 2, 2022, in heartbreaking fashion at Santa Anita, finishing second by a nose in a head bob in the $100,000 Singletary Stakes at one mile on the grass.

Balnikhov continued to run well but had to wait a little longer for his first North American victory. He shipped to Churchill Downs to run in the Grade 2 $500,000 American Turf on May 7 but settled for second again that day. He then returned to SoCal and finished fourth in his next start on June 4 in the $100,000 Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita.

Balnikhov finally got the first stakes win under his belt on opening day of the Del Mar summer meet on July 21 when he made a big last-to-first move in a field of 12 to win the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes on one mile on the turf. He followed that up with a fourth-place finish back in graded stakes company when beaten only a total of 1 ¼ lengths in the Grade 2 $300,000 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 2.

Balnikhov scored his first graded stakes victory on Oct. 29 when he shipped back to Kentucky and took the Grade 3 $300,000 Bryan Station Stakes. He once again came with his trademark deep closing running style, passing horses from 11th in the field of 12 to get up in time to win by a neck margin over 2-1 favorite Wit. He ran the one mile on turf in a time of 1:35.48.

Balnikhov made his 4-year-old debut on March 4, 2023 at Santa Anita with a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile, but then wasted no time getting back into the winner's circle next time out when he won the Grade 3 $250,000 San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate on April 29. Balnikhov closed from last-to-first in a field of nine to just barely get up in time by a nose on the wire as the 7-5 favorite under jockey Umberto Rispoli.

Balnikhov returned for his 5-year-old season on Feb. 3, 2024, and finished fifth in the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes and then improved in his second race of the season with a closing third-place finish by a half a length in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile. His 5-year-old breakthrough came on May 18 when Balnikhov won the Grade 3 $500,000 Dinner Party Stakes on a soft turf course at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard. Balnikhov sat behind in a nine-horse field and then made a last-to-first move to get the lead in the stretch before drawing off to a 1 1/2-length victory. 

Balnikhov was bred in Ireland by the sire Adaay out of the mare Leeward by First Defence.