Not This Time's Rhetorical Makes All In Turf Classic

Gary Barber, Cheyenne Stable and Wachtel Stable's Rhetorical (Not This Time) was trying nine furlongs for the first time in his career in Saturday's GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, but the distance proved no hindrance whatsoever, as the New York-bred wrested command not long after the break over a course that had been playing kind to front-running types over the weekend and proved not for catching.

The 5-year-old gelding is the second consecutive winner of the Turf Classic bred in New York, joining Spirit of St Louis (Medaglia d'Oro) last May.

Stretching out in distance off a sound third-place effort in Keeneland's GI Maker's Mark Mile on Apr. 10, the $320,000 Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred yearling purchase jumped out alertly for Irad Ortiz, Jr. and had some token pace pressure, first from 2025 runner-up Mercante (Gun Runner) and then mid-race from Program Trading (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) through a half-mile in :47.40.

Still traveling supremely well on the run around the second turn, Rhetorical–carrying the Wachtel colors–opened up on his rivals entering the final furlong and was never in danger from there, scoring in stakes-record time. Make Me King (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a latest fourth to the all-world Ombudsman (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) in the G1 Dubai Turf on Mar. 28, was given an outstanding inside-out ride by Derby-winning jockey Jose Ortiz, but just couldn't bridge the gap and settled for second. Corruption (Medaglia d'Oro) closed with interest for third.

“The key for this horse was getting him in front,” said winning trainer Will Walden. “He's a real Alpha male; he wants to dominate every group of horses. When he got out front today, I saw everything change. His demeanor, his body language, he liked it out there. We had him down at Palm Meadows this winter and did a lot of basic things with him. It was real good for him.”

A maiden winner in a pair of starts at three, Rhetorical annexed his first three outings of 2025, including the Aug. 24 West Point Stakes, earning him a crack at the big boys. A rallying winner at 9-1 of the GI Keeneland Turf Mile Oct. 4, Rhetorical led into the final furlong of the Nov. 1 GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar, but was overhauled late to finish just outside the top three. The dark bay was a latest third behind all-the-way winner Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) in the Maker's Mark three weeks back.

Pedigree Notes:

Rhetorical is easily the best of three winners from his dam, a daughter of Grade III winner Sheets, who was acquired by Mallory Mort for $14,000 in foal to Midnight Lute at Keeneland November in 2015. The mare was purchased by Korean interests for $3,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Fall Sale in Saratoga. Sheet Humor produced a colt by New York stalwart Central Banker in 2023 and was most recently covered by the expatriated Preservationist.

Rhetorical wins the G1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic! pic.twitter.com/NQ57HzuvEs

— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) May 2, 2026

Saturday, Churchill Downs
OLD FORESTER BOURBON TURF CLASSIC S.-GI, $1,414,000, Churchill Downs, 5-2, 4yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:45.96, fm.
1–RHETORICAL, 123, g, 5, by Not This Time
            1st Dam: Sheet Humor, by Distorted Humor
            2nd Dam: Sheets, by Scatmandu
            3rd Dam: One Hot Minute, by Relaunch
($320,000 Ylg '22 SARAUG). O-Gary Barber, Cheyenne Stable,
LLC and Wachtel Stable; B-Mallory & Karen Mort (NY);
T-William Walden; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $833,280. Lifetime Record:
9-6-0-2, $1,806,730. *1/2 to Sterling Silver (Cupid), MSW &
MGSP, $1,409,364. Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Make Me King (Fr), 123, g, 6, Dark Angel (Ire)–Miss Infinity
(Ire), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE.
(130,000gns RNA Ylg '21 TATOCT; €380,000 3yo '23 ARQAU).
O-Wathnan Racing; B-Haras Voltaire (FR); T-H.A. Al Jehani.
$268,800.
3–Corruption, 123, g, 5, Medaglia d'Oro–Thundering Sky,
by Sky Mesa. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($220,000 RNA Ylg '22
KEESEP; $220,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred
Partners and Harry Colburn; B-Spendthrift Farm, LLC (KY);
T-Mark E. Casse. $144,400.
Margins: 3 1/4, 3HF, 3/4. Odds: 1.96, 8.01, 10.15.
Also Ran: Program Trading (GB), Mercante, Dashman, Gold Phoenix (Ire), Test Score, Asbury Park (GB). Scratched: Astronomer. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.