Higher Power earned his first Stakes win in impressive fashion when he charged to a five-and-one-quarter-length victory in the G1 TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar Aug. 17. The victory earned the colt an automatic berth into the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic.
The four-year-old colt provided his sire, Medaglia d’Oro, with his second G1 winner on the program after his three-year-old daughter, Cambier Parc, took the G1 Del Mar Oaks one race earlier on the card.
Ridden for the first time by jockey Flavien Prat, Higher Power stalked the pacesetter Quip from second through the early stages of the race. Higher Power swept past Quip and took command on the far turn, quickly opening up several lengths on the rest of the field. Higher Power continued to draw off through the stretch, eventually crossing the wire an easy winner.
Higher Power was bred in Kentucky by Pin Oak Stud and is out of Alternate, a Stakes-winning daughter of Seattle Slew. Alternate, a half-sister to Canadian Horse of the Year Peaks And Valleys, is also the dam of Alternation, winner of the G2 Oaklawn Handicap and G2 Peter Pan, and Interrupted, winner of the Listed Lady Baltimore Stakes.
In addition to Higher Power and Cambier Parc, Medaglia d’Oro is the sire of 2019 Graded Stakes winners Elate (G2 Delaware Handicap, G2 Fleur de Lis), Café Americano (G3 Pucker Up), Majestic Eagle (G3 American Stakes), Golden Award (G3 Shuvee) and Crown Prosecutor (G1 Rosehill Guineas).
