Six months after relocating to Santa Anita from out of state and clinching victory in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) at the same venue, Forged Steel made a victorious comeback on Saturday at the Arcadia, California track by winning the $300,000 Goodwood (G1) race over 1 1/8 miles.
Ridden by Edwin Gonzalez, Forged Steel, who entered the race at 12-1 odds, took the lead as they approached the second turn and finished 1¼ lengths ahead of stablemate and second favorite Caldera (5-2), both horses trained by the east-coast trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. Last year’s Goodwood champion Nevada Beach, the 6-5 favorite, came in third under jockey Juan Hernandez, finishing 1¾ lengths behind Caldera, while Mr. A. P. secured fourth place.
The Goodwood, a Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” event, secured Forged Steel a paid spot in the $7-million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) scheduled for October 31 at Keeneland. For Edwin Gonzalez, originally from Puerto Rico, this marked his first Grade 1 victory on the mainland United States.
Gonzalez shared his strategy: “I spoke briefly with Saffie before the race, and he told me to assess our position after the start and take the lead if possible. When we passed the three-eighths pole, I overtook the leader, eased up slightly to catch my breath, then when I pushed him coming home, he responded immediately.”
Forged Steel completed the race in a time of 1:48.48, with splits of :22.97, :47.32, 1:11.20, and 1:35.74. Trainer Joseph, who was not present at Santa Anita, expressed his satisfaction over the phone: “Winning this race is hugely rewarding for both the horse and Edwin. Edwin rode excellently, and Forged Steel gave an outstanding performance.”
The 4-year-old colt, sired by Vekoma and out of the Tale of the Cat mare Scorcard, is owned by C2 Racing Stable, Mathis Stables, and TCC Stables. Before this victory, Forged Steel had two starts since the Hollywood Gold Cup win, finishing fifth in the G2 Suburban at Saratoga in July and seventh in the G1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar on August 22, both races at 1¼ miles. Joseph noted that Forged Steel stumbled in the Suburban but still ran well, and he felt the colt did not favor the flat surface at Del Mar but still performed respectably.
With this latest win, Forged Steel’s record stands at 6 wins, 3 seconds, and 3 thirds from 21 starts, with earnings surpassing $600,000. Regarding Nevada Beach, who had not raced since February 14 in Saudi Arabia, Hernandez praised his effort considering the layoff: “He ran well, especially with the long break. At the three-eighths pole, we were trying to get him moving. He’s a big horse and needs time to kick into gear. Seeing Forged Steel pull away, I knew it was time to push. Given the circumstances, it was a solid effort, and we’ll be better prepared next time.”
Forged Steel paid out $27.60 to win the race.
This article was first published by Paulick Report on September 27, 2026, in their News section.
Fan Take: Forged Steel’s resurgence highlights the thrilling unpredictability and depth of talent in horse racing, reminding fans why no race can be written off. With a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Classic now secured, all eyes will be on this rising star, promising exciting competition and fresh storylines for the sport’s biggest stage.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
