Field of Gold Dominates in St James's Palace Stakes

There tends to be a temptation to go overboard this week of all weeks. With the sun shining, the Moet flowing, and the good times rolling, we are all prone to hyperbole. No glass is half empty, always half full. But even those not viewing the June 17 St James's Palace Stakes (G1) through rose-tinted shades will surely admit we saw something extraordinary as Field of Gold (IRE) majestically followed in his father's footsteps with a performance sprinkled with stardust. Eleven years after his sire Kingman (GB) emphatically reversed Two Thousand Guineas (G1) form with Night of Thunder (IRE), Field of Gold did likewise with Ruling Court courtesy of an explosive turn of foot at the two-furlong pole, which left a pair of classic winners completely flat-footed. Nothing got near him in a 3 1/2-length romp. Henri Matisse (IRE), this year's Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas, G1) and the 2024 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) winner, ran second while British Two Thousand Guineas victor Ruling Court was third. This was the day Field of Gold elevated the current flat season to a level it hadn't reached yet this summer. It was the shot in the arm it needed. The gallop was generous throughout. The two pacemakers took each other on for the first few furlongs and there was a fleeting moment at around halfway when you wondered whether Colin Keane was further back than he wanted to be. Then, he ended up getting there too soon. That's what good horses do. They answer questions before the question has been fully asked. "It was a great performance," trainer John Gosden said. "Oisin (Murphy, on Windlord) did a nice job doing an even pace. Colin had a lot of horse and, for a second, I thought, 'Whoops, this is Ascot—it climbs all the way to the finish line, and we've gone a bit soon.' I didn't watch him, I looked back—you always have to look back for the dangers, and fortunately, none was coming." The dangers had been swatted away with the scintillating change of gear two furlongs out. It was instant. A dashing gray, Field of Gold is laid-back and, so too, is the man on his back. Keane is the sort of fella who turns over onto his other side in a hotel bed when a fire alarm goes off and riding an odds-on favorite in the St James's Palace Stakes was never going to faze him. "Good horses make it look easy," Juddmonte's top jockey said. "It was a very good renewal of the race. I don't know when the last time three Guineas winners clashed, but Field of Gold was very good at the Curragh and very good again today. "I was happy enough (with track position). I was beside the three main rivals. I thought Ryan was always going to be behind us somewhere. If anything, the leaders probably didn't bring us far enough and we got there plenty soon enough, but he's tough and genuine. "I am fortunate enough to be riding him and, at this moment, he is the best horse I've ever sat on. I'm in a very privileged position. I've been lucky enough to join this team. It is a very new relationship and to get a horse like him so early on is amazing. I've had nothing compared to this in recent years, so it's a very special day." Special indeed. It was the most special performance of the flat season. And that's no exaggeration.