Verifying

Verifying began his career with a win at first asking in a 2-year-old maiden race at Saratoga on Aug. 27, 2022. He entered the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont at the Big A in his second career outing on Oct. 1, and ran a solid second-place finish, beaten 3 1/4 lengths in a field of six.

Verifying subsequently made his next start in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Nov. 4 at Keeneland and settled for sixth place in the field of 10.

Verifying, a half-brother to 2019 champion older dirt female Midnight Bisou, returned for this 3-year-old debut on Jan. 14 and captured a first-level allowance optional claiming race by 5 1/4 lengths at Oaklawn Park going two turns in the one-mile contest with a $104,000 purse. After racing farther off the pace than usual in the Breeders' Cup after a slow break, Verifying was sharp from the gate in his victory at Oaklawn. He perched just off early leader and drew clear once cut loose by jockey Martin Garcia leaving the second turn. He raced a mile on a fast track in 1:37.23, which was faster than the time older stakes winner Ginobili clocked in winning the stakes for older horses about 2 1/2 hours later on the card. Verifying paid $4.80 for a $2 win wager as the 7-5 favorite in a field of six.

Verifying made the logical step back in versus stakes competition for his next start, which came in the Grade 2 $1 million Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 25. Breaking from the rail as the 3-2 odds favorite on the tote board in a field of 11 runners in the Rebel, Verifying stalked the pace close-up throughout on a sloppy track, lost some ground in traffic on the turn, and then finished evenly in the stretch to end the race in a non-threatening fourth-place position.

Verifying turned in a much-improved effort in the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes April 8 at Keeneland, where he led in deep stretch before conceding grudgingly to Tapit Trice in the closing strides of a runner-up finish.

That effort gave Verifying enough qualifying points to earn a spot in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, and he was a viable longshot choice for handicappers in the May 6 classic, where he left the starting gate at odds of 14.30-1. The colt set a pressured early pace and reeled off fast fractions through six furlongs, but he tired entering the second turn and faded to finish 16^th of 18 runners.

Verifying then bounced back from his Derby effort with a game runner-up finish to Disarm in the June 11 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs. Verifying then won yet again in his subsequent start which came in the Grade 3 $300,000 Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis on July 8. Sent off as the 3-5 favorite on the tote board in a seven-horse field in the Indiana Derby, Verifying pressed the pace throughout, took over the lead in the stretch and then was all out to hold off runner-up Raise Cain by a nose in a time of 1:43.15 for the 1 1/16 miles on a fast main track.

Out of the graded stakes-winning Repent mare Diva Delite, Verifying was a $775,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the consignment of Hunter Valley Farm, who co-bred the colt with Mountmellick Farm. He races for the Coolmore-affiliated Jonathan Poulin, Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor. Verifying is trained by Brad Cox.