The connections of Far Bridge are hoping to put to rest a couple of assumptions about their horse and the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T).
In the minds of most people, the $5 million stakes at Del Mar is the property of international runners.
Starting with Found in 2015, eight of the last nine Turf winners have been based overseas with European trainers.
Trying to add some provincialism to the race is Far Bridge, LSU Stables’ 4-year-old son of English Channel who has emerged as the top American hopeful off grade 1 wins at 1 1/2 miles in his last two starts for trainer Christophe Clement.
Far Bridge won the Aug. 24 Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) in gate-to-wire fashion and then returned Sept. 28 and won the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) after being checked back to last in the field of five on the final turn.
Off those two recent efforts, plus a dead heat for third in the Manhattan Stakes (G1T) earlier in the year, the owners have a colt who they believe is more than ready to tackle the best international competition in the 1 1/2-mile Turf.
“I’ve examined the race and from what I’ve read it looks like a match race of us versus Rebel’s Romance,” said Randy Sarf, son of Larry Sarf who started the stable. “I really don’t see a big threat in the race except him. Far Bridge is definitely the best horse based in the United States. We are very confident.”
So confident, in fact, that the Sarfs have no trepidations about facing Rebel’s Romance , Godolphin’s European-based star who won the 2022 Turf and has three group 1 wins to his credit this year.
The other assumption involves a belief that the owners spend a lot of time yelling, “Geaux Tigers.” Go back in time a year and with purple and yellow silks with the letters LSU on them, it was assumed the Sarfs were linked to the Tigers of Louisiana State University.
That was wrong then and even more wrong today as the stable’s silks have been revamped.
Larry Sarf did not attend LSU. As he likes to joke, he attended Coney Island University, which means the 75-year-old owner did not attend college and gained invaluable wisdom growing up on the streets of Brooklyn, N.Y.
Nor did Randy Sarf take classes at LSU. The name led people to assume there was a link to the university, even though the LS stood for Larry Sarf and his wife Leslie (who went to the racetrack on their first date) and the U came from the notion of family unity.
The Sarfs initially embraced the LSU tag but recently, at the request of the university, they changed their colors, swapping the purple for blue and dropping the U so the silks only have LS on them.
“We changed the colors out of respect to the university and now we only have LS on the silks,” Randy Sarf said. “The school was concerned with the silks and the lettering on the jockey in case something happens.”
Based on what happens in the Turf, LSU could be missing out on a grand marketing opportunity as the son of the Kitten’s Joy mare Fitpitcher rates as one of the best American hopefuls in the race in recent years.
“He is a very nice horse who rates among the best turf horses we have had,” Clement said. “He is very sound and doing very well. We have liked him from the very beginning. He has the potential to be an outstanding horse as he continues to race.”
Versatility is definitely the key to Far Bridge’s success. It’s not unusual to see a horse win back-to-back grade 1 stakes, but to do it on the front end and then close from last is rare indeed.
“He is so versatile,” Clement said, “which is why I was disappointed when people said he stole the race in the Sword Dancer. Everybody was right behind him at the quarter pole and they had the whole stretch to get by him and they didn’t.”
That ability to handle whatever comes his way in the early stages certainly speaks well for jockey Joel Rosario’s ability to work out a great trip and reflects the dynamic speed Far Bridge possesses.
“He may be quirky but he has a big heart and he has an engine on him like a Ferrari. He’s like a Ferrari Testarossa taking off,” Randy Sarf said. “With him, it doesn’t matter where he is. He can be first, second, or last, but once Joel hits the gas and he has room to go, it’s over. He’s so fast. I’ve been watching horses race for over 50 years and he takes off like no other horse I’ve seen.”
Far Bridge wins the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack
That abundance of talent prompted LSU to purchase Far Bridge from his breeder and original owner Calumet Farm.
Racing for Clement and Calumet, Far Bridge first caught the eye of the Sarfs and bloodstock agent Steve Young after he won his Jan. 21, 2023, debut on turf at Gulfstream Park, beating Carl Spackler , who, ironically enough, has become a multiple grade 1-winning miler who looms as one of Far Bridge’s main rivals for an Eclipse Award as the champion male turf horse. After Far Bridge took a March 11 allowance race to remain undefeated, the offer was made.
“Steve Young is our agent and we like looking for horses who have run so we all can analyze them,” Randy Sarf said. “We all saw the talent when he beat Carl Spackler. Knowing that, we approached Calumet and made an offer. There was some back and forth and my dad said ‘No more back and forth. We’ll send you $2.4 million’ and he wired the money immediately.”
As much as Calumet sold a horse who would go on to win three grade 1 stakes, the breeder is still reaping some benefits from the sale through kickers attached to it.
“Calumet still has a nice piece of the horse. They have breeding rights and they get $100,000 for each grade 1 win and could get $250,000 for winning the Breeders’ Cup Turf. So they have skin in the game,” Randy Sarf said. “People like to say we paid too much or they gave him away. They didn’t give anything away. It’s a partnership. Even though we own 100% they still get residuals.”
LSU turned Far Bridge over to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, but after his 3-year-old campaign in 2023, they sent him back to Clement, even though he won the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) and placed in four other graded stakes while with Pletcher.
“He was with Todd and Todd is great at what he does. But he has a big stable of horses and we felt Far Bridge needs special attention,” Randy Sarf said. “Todd is a fantastic trainer but he specializes on dirt and we needed a guy who specializes on grass because of the horse’s quirks. We knew Christophe did an amazing job with him at the start and though we felt bad about moving the horse from Todd, Christophe has an amazing team and he’s one of the best turf trainers in the world. He definitely improved him. He got him to superstar status.”
Back with Clement to start 2024, Far Bridge prevailed in only one of his first four starts but he reached new heights with his Sword Dancer and Joe Hirsch wins.
“It was so painful when he left us a 3-year-old, so we were delighted when he came back at 4,” Clement said.
Far Bridge’s trainer Christophe Clement after winning the Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
Though they may not stand out in a crowd as much as they once did with their purple and gold jackets and sneakers, there will be a typically large LSU gathering of family and friends in Del Mar for the Turf.
“Mr. Sarf is a pleasure to work with,” said Clement, who trains four of the 10 horses LSU has in training. “He is a very enthusiastic owner. He and his son enjoy racing more than most people. It’s a pleasure to work for someone who enjoys racing as much as they do.”
Far Bridge is one of just two graded stakes winners for LSU and underscores the skepticism Randy had when his dad started the stable in 2022 and spoke about running in the Breeders’ Cup.
“My dad said we’d be here in the Breeders’ Cup one day,” Randy Sarf said, “and I thought he was crazy. Now look at us.”
Looks like another assumption tied to Far Bridge has already been disproven even before they break from the gate in the Turf.
