Expectations were high for Team Valor International’s U. S. S. Valor off a 13 ¼-length maiden victory Sept. 5 at Saratoga Race Course, and they paid off immensely Oct. 3 as he became a Grade 1 winner with an impressive performance in the $500,000 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park.

In the process, the 2-year-old War of Will colt earned a “Win and You’re In” berth to the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Oct. 30 at Keeneland and also banked 10 qualifying points for the 2027 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey earned his first win in the Champagne since 1989 with Adjudicating, which was his third in a four-year span. In the winner’s circle Saturday, the 75-year-old was grateful to be back with a star juvenile.

“It’s pretty exciting. It’s been awhile,” McGaughey told FOX Sports’ Megan Burgess. “You get a 2-year-old that looks like he’s as talented as this, it sure gives you a lot of hope going down the line. The Champagne has always been a special race for me, and I’m excited for myself and my people, too, they’ve been really good. We’ll see where he takes us.”

In his victory, U. S. S. Valor showed an ability to overcome adversity as he broke slowly from the gate with Manny Franco aboard. Longshot Johnny Hockey and Gaudreau, who defeated U. S. S. Valor in their debuts Aug. 8 at Saratoga, set the pace early with Club Reign in pursuit. Franco got U. S. S. Valor into contention and racing behind the leaders in the tight six-horse pack.

Franco and U. S. S. Valor in the Belmont winner’s circle. (Eclipse Sportswire)

As the field entered the stretch, U. S. S. Valor came out and bumped with Earth Song, creating an opening to the outside of Gaudreau and Club Reign. From there, the deal was done as U. S. S. Valor cruised alongside those two and shot away to victory, drawing off to win by 6 ½ lengths while completing the one-turn mile in 1:34.84 on a fast track. Gaudreau held second and Club Reign was third.

“He was kind of on the bridle since the start, so I was trying to get him to relax and teach him something today,” Franco told Burgess. “He’s got a long way, good future ahead of him, and every race is different. I’m glad that he listened to me. I just put him behind horses, and he was there for me every step of the way. I was just happy the way he was going.”

That future is of top concern for U. S. S. Valor as connections appear to have one of the leading 2-year-olds. However, the Kentucky Derby is the main goal for Team Valor’s Barry Irwin, who expressed apprehension in the Belmont Park winner’s circle of going on to the Oct. 30 Breeders’ Cup. Since the Breeders’ Cup began in 1984, only Street Sense (2006-07) and Nyquist (2015-16) have gone on to win the Derby after taking the Juvenile. Team Valor previously won the Derby in 2011 with Animal Kingdom.

“I’ve never had a horse anywhere near this one, and I’ve had some good ones,” Irwin said. “I do (have apprehension), because of the history of it. I want to win the Derby again, and the Breeders’ Cup is not going to help me win the Derby.”

McGaughey said he will leave the decision up to Team Valor, but if he were to skip the Breeders’ Cup, U. S. S. Valor would likely target the 1 1/8-mile Remsen Stakes Dec. 5 at Belmont Park.–additional reporting from Bob Ehalt

Domestic Agenda Adds Breeders’ Cup to Calendar with Miss Grillo Score

Domestic Agenda wins easily. (Chelsea Durand/NYRA)

After working hard to post a debut win last month, Klaravich Stables’ Domestic Agenda rather easily secured a spot in the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in the Miss Grillo Stakes at Belmont Oct. 3.

Off a half-length victory in her Sept. 4 debut at Saratoga Race Course, the daughter of American Pharoah lived up to her 4-5 post time odds with a convincing, last-to-first 4 ½-length win over Bounce Back.

As part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In program, the victory netted Domestic Agenda a free spot in the Oct. 30 Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland.

“If she comes out of it sound, that’s what we’re planning to do with her,” trainer Chad Brown said about the Breeders’ Cup after his 10^th victory in the Miss Grillo. “It is nice to start off a filly like this 2-for-2. She’s a horse who has her best days ahead of her. She’s really bred to be better as an older horse. For her to do what she’s doing as a juvenile is quite remarkable, actually.”

“(She was a) bit sluggish the first furlong, and I didn’t really like my position on the backside, but I had a chance to tip her out and get her going early. Once she changed gears, she really made a good run,” winning jockey Flavien Prat said.

The final time was 1:41.34 on the firm outer turf.–Bob Ehalt

Let Em Know Posts Pilgrim Upset

Let Em Know about a Belmont win. (Joe Labozzetta/NYRA)

Let Em Know navigated a winning trip from a tough post position in the $250,000 Pilgrim Stakes on Belmont’s Oct. 3 card, securing a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Brown Advisory Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Oct. 30 at Keeneland.

In contrast to his previous start, when he began from an inside post in the bet365 Summer Stakes at Woodbine and finished fifth, Let Em Know broke from the outside among a field of 11 juveniles in the Pilgrim Stakes. But that worked to his advantage, jockey Edgard Zayas said.

Zayas settled his mount into fourth down the backstretch and sent him into a three-wide bid on the second turn. Let Em Know took over the lead just after the eighth pole, and outlasted runner-up Roscoe Goose by a half-length. The Whit Beckman-trained winner ran 1 1/16 miles on the firm outer turf in 1:42.15 at odds of 13-1.

Zayas said of Let Em Know, “He doesn’t have that turn of foot, but he’ll keep fighting with another horse.”

Pass On By took third place in a tight show photo with three other runners. Favored High Official ran seventh.

Let Em Know has two wins from four starts after earning his maiden in New York on turf in his second career outing.

“We thought he was going to be a dirt horse, but we’ll take graded stakes on the turf,” Beckman said.–Byron King

Good to Be King Reigns in Futurity

Good to Be King gets up. (Adam Coglianese/NYRA)

A race earlier on the Super Saturday card, Good to Be King surged through the stretch to outfinish Regent’s Park by a length in the $200,000 Futurity Stakes for 2-year-old grass sprinters.

Patiently handled by Manny Franco, who won four races on the Saturday program, late-running Good to Be King was still 13 lengths off the early pace when fifth of seven runners a half-mile into the six-furlong race. But he always had the race’s key contenders in his sight, with only longshot leader My Kid’s Said No well in front.

As the field hit the stretch, the early leader began to fade after setting fast fractions, and Good to Be King was in high gear. He took over from late-stretch leader and eventual runner-up Regent’s Park in the final 70 yards and inched clear late. Luminous Beauty ran third.

The winner finished six furlongs in 1:09.06 on a firm inner turf course.

Good to Be King, owned by Cherry Valley Farm and trained by Rusty Arnold, earned a “Win and You’re In” berth into the Oct. 30 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland. He had won one of four starts prior to the Futurity, and came into Saturday off of close third- and second-place finishes in turf sprint stakes in Kentucky. –Byron King