Walden, Medina Eye Breeders’ Cup Debuts with Keeneland Stakes Winners

[Wandering Eyes]

Trainers Will Walden and Robbie Medina likely booked their first Breeders' Cup starters with stakes winners at Keeneland over the weekend. Walden earned his first Grade I win when Rhetorical (Not This Time) came home first in the GI Coolmore Turf Mile Saturday.

“He ran big and we are so proud of him,” Walden said of Rhetorical, who returned to Churchill Downs Saturday night. “He was doing so good and training better than he ever has. We use a lot of metrics with our horses and he was just off the charts. We decided to take a swing at it.”

The win earned Rhetorical an automatic berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar Nov. 1. Walden expects to ship the 4-year-old New York-bred gelding to California Oct. 25 or 27.

Medina, who made the trip to Del Mar three times for former boss Shug McGaughey, will make the trip in three weeks to saddle Newtown Anner Stud's Praying (Vekoma) in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint. The 3-year-old earned her championship berth with a half-length victory over Vahva in the GII Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes Saturday.

Medina, who worked for McGaughey 25 years before going out on his own in 2020, said he learned plenty from the Hall of Fame trainer.

“I would say the number one thing I learned from him was patience,” Medina said of McGaughey. “He is the greatest trainer at being patient and letting a horse develop.”

Medina has been around horses all of his life.

“My dad was a foreman for a few trainers in Chicago, and he would take me to work with him at the track,” Medina said. “Then he brought me to Keeneland and Churchill Downs in 1983 and that sealed the deal for me.”

Two Spendthrift Farm colorbearers from the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher earned automatic berths to the Breeders' Cup with wins at Keeneland on opening weekend. Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) was walking the shedrow Sunday morning at Pletcher's barn a day after his 2 3/4-length victory in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity. His stablemate Tommy Jo (Into Mischief) was the winner via disqualification of the GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes Friday.

“They will head to Saratoga where Todd has his Breeders' Cup horses on Monday,” said Sophie Green, who is overseeing the Pletcher barn at Keeneland.

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