Woodward winner Global Campaign to train up to Breeders’ Cup
Sagamore Farm and WinStar Farm’s Global Campaign earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure for his frontrunning score in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Woodward Handicap at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Stanley Hough and forwardly ridden by Luis Saez, Global Campaign was tracked throughout by Juddmonte Farms’ regally-bred multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire Tacitus through splits of 24.65, 48.89 and 1:11.90 on the fast main track.
A busy Saez kept to task on Global Campaign late in the final turn and repelled the challenge from Tacitus to secure a 1 ¾-length win. He covered 10 furlongs in a final time of 2:01.40
“It was quite a performance. I’m so proud of him,” said Hough. “He came out of the race great and will be coming back to Churchill Downs later this morning.”
A six-time winner from nine starts with purse earnings of $781,080, Global Campaign made the grade in the 2019 Grade 3 Peter Pan at Belmont Park and entered the Woodward from a frontrunning score on July 18 over Math Wizard in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup.
Hough said Global Campaign overcame some minor issues and is now living up to his early promise.
“He’s had a lot of issues with nagging kinds of things, but at Monmouth I think he turned the corner,” said Hough. “He’s been doing very well and his feet are better. We had a little problem with his feet after Monmouth with the shedding of a ‘frog’ [located on the underside of a horse’s hoof], but that happens at some racetracks. For him, it’s something that happens, but we were able to shoe him regularly for this race and he went into it fine.”
Hough said Global Campaign will now train up to the Grade 1, $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 7 at Keeneland Race Course.
“We’re hoping if everything stays good that we can take him to the Breeders’ Cup,” said Hough. “We have 60 days, so the timing is good.”
By Curlin, Global Campaign is out of the late A.P. Indy mare Globe Trot, who passed away from complications giving birth to Global Campaign. Globe Trot produced three foals including multiple stakes winner and multiple graded-stakes placed Sonic Mule and multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Bolt d’Oro, who now stands at Spendthrift Farm.
Hough said Global Campaign has the credentials to be a successful stallion.
“I think Global Campaign is a really talented horse and with that pedigree, as far as being a stud goes, I don’t think there’s anybody more qualified than him,” said Hough.
Hough said a more mature Global Campaign will hopefully be a handful for his opponents, rather than himself, in the Breeders’ Cup.
“He’s been his own worst enemy in the past,” said Hough. “As a young horse he could be a little playful and some of the things that bothered him, he caused himself. But he’s maturing, so I’m hoping he has at least one more good one in him.”