Rhetorical

Rhetorical, a dark bay or brown gelding by Not This Time, won his career debut by five lengths in a one-mile maiden special weight race July 26, 2024, at Saratoga Race Course. He rallied gamely in his second start Aug. 24 at Saratoga by came up three-quarters of length short when third in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race in the final start of his 3-year-old season.

Rhetorical returned a much-improved racehorse as a 4-year-old for trainer Will Walden. He began his season with a five-length romp from just off the pace in May 2025 at Aqueduct and utilized similar tactics to score by 2 ½ lengths July 19 at Saratoga Race Course.

Walden tested him against stakes competition for the first time Aug. 24 at Saratoga in the West Point Stakes Presented by Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital and he again closed with a powerful rush to win by 2 ¼ lengths.

The $1.25 million Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes Oct. 4 at Keeneland was an ambitious spot for Rhetorical’s next start, but the gelding aced another class test. He stalked a strong pace from fourth under Irad Ortiz Jr., powered to the front in the stretch, and held off Program Trading by three-quarters of a length. Rhetorical gave his trainer his first career Grade 1 win and also nailed down an expenses-paid berth in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Presented by PDJF Nov. 1 at Del Mar. Rhetorical led in the stretch of the Breeders’ Cup Mile but was unable to hold on, fading to finish fourth while beaten by two lengths.

Rhetorical opened his 5-year-old season April 10, 2026, at Keeneland Race Course, where he finished third behind Zulu Kingdom in the $500,000 Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes. He regained his winning form in his next start when leading from start to finish for a 3 ¼-length score in the $1.5 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes on the May 2 Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs.

Rhetorical was produced by the Distorted Humor mare Sheet Humor, who also is the dam (mother) of $1.1 million earner Sterling Silver.