Raven’s Pass secured the victory he so richly deserved in the G2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood on Saturday for owner/breeders Robert and Janice McNair of Stonerside Stable.
The Elusive Quality colt has posted a thoroughly genuine three-year-old campaign, thrice finishing runner-up in G1 events after running fourth in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. At two, he broke Sandown’s track record when winning the G3 Solario Stakes and has now run ten times for four wins, four seconds and a third.
Raven's Pass, pictured here with his trainer, the former Californian-based conditioner John Gosden, is out of Ascutney (Lord At War). She is a full-sister to Words Of War, the dam of E Dubai, whose three-year-old son Desert Key finished runner-up in the G1 King's Bishop Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday.
Another Elusive Quality colt, the speedy four-year-old Native Ruler, landed his second Stakes win of the season when winning the Listed Arlington Sprint Handicap, following on from his victory in June in the Iowna Sprint Handicap. Saturday's win was his fifth in total this year.
There was further Stakes success for Delaware River, by Quiet American, who took the $125,000 Smarty Jones Classic S., the race named after Elusive Quality's Kentucky Derby-winning son who is now a freshman sire. Earlier in the season Delaware River won the Listed Willy Wank Handicap at Presque Isle Downs.
