TRACKSIDE WORLDWIDE

International racing columnist Joe Bell looks back at the best of racing from around the world.

LUNAR NEW YEAR THRISLL AND KENTUCKY DERBY HOPES

Hong Kong racing celebrated the Lunar New Year with an exciting day of Group racing on Friday, January 31, at Sha Tin. My Wish achieved victory in the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m), the first leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series.

Winning jockey Luke Ferraris shared a special connection to the race - his father, David Ferraris, trained Sweet Orange to victory in this very event 13 years ago. The elated 23-year-old clearly had that moment in mind as he crossed the finish line aboard the Mark Newman-trained gelding, who has now secured four wins from eight starts.

Ferraris spent much of his childhood in Hong Kong before returning to his home country of South Africa as a teenager. Hong Kong has since been a great proving ground for the young Ferraris. With over 100 wins already, Friday’s triumph was particularly notable given the caliber of jockeys he defeated.

Veteran riders Blake Shinn and Zac Purton, both representing Francis Lui’s stable, finished second and third, respectively. Purton, aboard Packing Hermod, was widely considered a favorite heading into the race, having won four of his six previous starts. However, it was his stablemate Diavano who stole the spotlight, impressing with a strong runner-up finish in his first attempt over the mile distance.

The Four-Year-Old Classic Series continues next month with the Hong Kong Classic Cup on March 2, followed by the Hong Kong Derby three weeks later.

Elsewhere on the card, Chancheng Glory claimed the Group Three Centenary Vase under jockey Hugh Bowman, while Green N White triumphed in the Chinese New Year Cup, also ridden by the Australian jockey.

With 2026 marking the Year of the Horse on the lunar calendar, next year’s meeting is set to carry even greater significance.

In the United States, Bob Baffert’s much-anticipated return to the Kentucky Derby is well on track after Citizen Bull secured victory in the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday, February 1.

Baffert dominated the feature race, training all three placegetters, with Citizen Bull earning valuable Kentucky Derby qualifying points. This win marked Baffert’s seventh consecutive victory in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes and his 13th overall.

The legendary trainer has been absent from the Derby since 2021, following Medina Spirit’s disqualification due to a positive test for betamethasone. However, he now has his sights set on Churchill Downs in May, eager to reclaim his place at the top.

Adding to Baffert’s strong hand for the Derby is another exciting three-year-old prospect, Barnes. The $3.2 million colt emerged as an early Derby favorite after an emphatic victory in the Grade Two San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita last month, winning by nearly six lengths. While his raw talent is undeniable, the key question remains—can he stretch beyond seven furlongs and handle the 1 ¼-mile distance of the Kentucky Derby?

With Baffert’s stable firing on all cylinders, the road to Churchill Downs 2025 is shaping up to be a thrilling one.