Wathnan Racing’s favored Hit Show wore down front-running Bolzy down the stretch to win the $350,000 Hagyard Fayette (G2), the second of three stakes on Saturday’s closing day of the Keeneland Fall Meet, by three-quarters of a length.

With Florent Geroux aboard for trainer Brad Cox in the race for 3-year-olds and up, Hit Show covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.33. Assigned 124 pounds, he is the highest weight carrier to win the Hagyard Fayette, first run in 1959. 

The millionaire Hit Show earned his third consecutive stakes victory following the West Virginia Governor’s Stakes (G3) in August at Mountaineer and the Lukas Classic (G2) in September at Churchill Downs.

Geroux and Cox teamed to win the Hagyard Fayette in 2018 with Leofric. Cox also won the race in 2022 with West Will Power, who raced for Hit Show’s breeders, Gary and Mary West.

Cox was the Fall Meet’s leading trainer with 14 wins. With Hit Show’s victory, he earned his sixth stakes win during the Fall Meet – the most for any trainer during a Keeneland meet. Cox set the record of five when Chop Chop captured the Rood & Riddle Dowager on Oct. 20.

Following the trophy presentation on the turf course for Hit Show’s Hagyard Fayette win, Coz turned his attention to his phone to watch his trainee Tarifa win the Mother Goose (G2) at the Belmont at the Big A Meet.

Bred in Kentucky by Gary and Mary West Stables, Hit Show is a 4-year-old colt by Candy Ride (ARG) out of Grade 2 winner Actress, by Tapit.

Hit Show earned $208,863 for the victory to increase his bankroll to $1,288,378 with a record of 14-7-1-0. 

The winner paid $3.58, $2.64 and $2.34. Bolzy, ridden by Frankie Dettori, returned $14.40 and $7.14 and finished 4 lengths in front of Uno Mas Bourbon. With Francisco Arrieta aboard, Uno Mas Bourbon paid $4.78.

War Campaign, Heroic Move, Trademark, Howling Time and Grand Aspen completed the order of finish.

*************************

Quotes from the $350,000 Hagyard Fayette (G2)

Click here for a replay of the race and the post-race interview with winning connections.

Florent Geroux (winning rider of Hit Show)

“(The journey) was great, actually. He broke pretty good for me and traveled great all the way through the race. He was exactly where I wanted him to be. When those horses started to get tired in front of me, past the three-eighths pole, I took him on the outside and he made the lead fairly easy. He’s a horse with a little tendency of waiting on horses, but as soon as he felt the other horse inside of him, he gave me another gear, and that was great. The horse is doing great, and I hope we can win a Grade 1 with him at some point.”

Brad Cox (winning trainer)

“I think (maturing has helped him make the transition from 3 to 4 years old). Based off pedigrees (Candy Ride-ARG out of Actress, by Tapit), the horse is bred to get better as he gets older. I love the string of races he’s put together. It’s given him confidence, and (jockey) Florent (Geroux) has figured him out. I’m just very proud of his effort today. I want to thank (owner) Wathnan Racing for keeping him with us; he’s a recent purchase of theirs, and it’s been a good purchase, obviously. I’m excited about what he’s been able to accomplish this summer and fall.”

Frankie Dettori (rider of runner-up Bolzy)

“I chased him out of the gate. Got to the front. He was running a bit lazy. I wind him up at the three-eighths. I didn’t think he had that much left but, in fairness, in the straight he dug deep, only the favorite got past me and he fought back too. I couldn’t ask for more. He was trying for me but I ran out of runway.”

Francisco Arrieta (rider of third-place finisher Uno Mas Bourbon)

“He jumped good, I just sat on him. He is a classic horse. He was relaxed. I was behind the 4 (horse) and he didn’t decide if he wanted to get to the rail or step out, so I had to wait a little longer. Then I put him, after the three-eighths pole, in a winning spot, but my horse felt like he didn’t want to be too close to the other horse so I had to wait a little bit and move around to make him see the clear. He did his race, he did run good.”