Wimbledon Hawkeye is set to become James Owen's first runner in the US this month after being invited to chase a lucrative pot of $3.5 million in the Nashville Derby (G3T) Aug. 30, and the trainer has moved fast to book last year's winning jockey Frankie Dettori for the ride.
The classy 3-year-old, a nose second to Merchant in the Gordon Stakes (G3) at Goodwood last month, is to miss his engagement in the Great Voltigeur Stakes (G2) at York next week, for which he was 8-1 third favorite.
The Nashville Derby, which is staged at Kentucky Downs, received a massive prize-money injection last year from the gaming revenue generated at the track and was run for $2.5 million when the Andrew Balding-trained Bellum Justum justified favoritism under the now U.S.-based Dettori.
Wimbledon Hawkeye, winner of the Royal Lodge Stakes (G2) last year, has posted some smart form as a 3-year-old. He was runner-up to multiple group 1 winner Field of Gold in the Craven Stakes (G3) at Newmarket first time out and runner-up to recent Sword Dancer Invitational (G1T) victor El Cordobes in the Princess of Wales's Stakes (G2) before his Goodwood run, which was his best on Racing Post Ratings.
Owned by the Gredley family, Wimbledon Hawkeye has come out of Goodwood in good shape, which has prompted connections to chase the dollars.
Owen said: "Wimbledon Hawkeye has been invited for the Nashville Derby, and with $3.5 million up for grabs, it looks too good an opportunity to turn down. The trip is just over ten furlongs, which should be ideal for him, and we've already booked Frankie for the ride."
The trip to Kentucky will be a new frontier for both horse and trainer. Owen said, "I've never even been to the US, let alone had a runner over there, but hopefully I'll get over there and see the horse run a nice race."
Bellum Justum bagged a first prize of £830,165 (US$2,337,160) last year in the turf contest, in which the only other European runner was the Joseph O'Brien-trained Stromberg. He finished sixth but still picked up £22,400 (US$28,500) as prize money went down to 12th.
Dettori has enjoyed five grade 1 wins in the U.S. since leaving Britain at the end of the 2023 season, having signed off in style aboard King of Steel in the Qipco Champion Stakes (G1) at Ascot.
He rode top-level winners for Bob Baffert, Chad Brown, and Doug O'Neill last year and teamed up with the last-named trainer to land the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) on Raging Torrent at Saratoga Race Course last month.
Dettori has also teamed up with British trainers who have saddled runners in the U.S. with success, including John and Thady Gosden, Andrew Balding, and Owen Burrows in the last two years, and will bid to make his first ride for James Owen a winning one.
