A Rising Star in the Racing World: Closer To Free's Triumph in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude
The excitement surrounding the young colt Closer To Free has reached new heights following his recent victory in the G3 MRC Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) over a distance of 1100 meters. This thrilling win comes shortly after his new owners acquired him, having been impressed by his previous winning jumpout. While many had their eyes set on the unbeaten Home Affairs colt, Guest House, it was Closer To Free who captured the spotlight with his remarkable performance.
In his most recent jumpout, Closer To Free managed to outshine the impressive duo of Eternal Warrior and Stretan Ruler, who had previously finished first and second in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes. Sean Buckley’s Ultra Horse Syndicate saw potential in the unraced colt and promptly decided to purchase him. Now under the guidance of trainer Danny O’Brien, Closer To Free is being considered a serious contender for the upcoming $2 million G1 MRC Blue Diamond race scheduled for February 21.
As the race began, the favorite Guest House, starting from barrier 6, struggled to find his stride, allowing the last-start Listed Blue Diamond Preview third-place finisher, Invicto, to take an early lead along the rail. Meanwhile, Michael Dee expertly guided Closer To Free to settle alongside Invicto, eventually nudging ahead as the field approached the straight. Jamie Melham, riding Guest House, attempted to position himself just off the leading pack, but it quickly became evident that Guest House was facing challenges in closing the gap on the resolute Closer To Free, who displayed commendable tenacity.
Ultimately, Closer To Free crossed the finish line with a comfortable length advantage over Guest House, while Eternal Warrior and Stretan Ruler confirmed their strong jumpout form by securing third and fourth places, respectively.
"I witnessed his potential during the trial; I had a horse in the same trial, and Adrian, who handles our yearlings, was there too," said O'Brien. "He mentioned he was trialing this colt with the aim of selling him. After watching him perform effortlessly in the mounting yard, I knew I had to acquire him before he left. He is a stunning colt with an impressive pedigree. Street Boss has a history of producing quality horses, with his first three dams all being stakes winners at two years old, making Closer To Free an exciting prospect."
Jockey Michael Dee, who rode Devil Night to victory in last year's Blue Diamond after finishing second in the Prelude, expressed his admiration for Closer To Free. "When I saw him live during the trial, I was immediately struck by his performance. It wasn't until last Saturday that Jack Howard, our Racing Manager, informed me I would be riding this two-year-old we recently bought, which got me quite excited. He executes everything perfectly and reminds me of how Devil Night felt last year in the same race. I hope this is a positive indication for the future."
Currently, Closer To Free is positioned as one of the top contenders for the G1 Blue Diamond, even having opened at odds as high as 200/1 just weeks ago, now sitting as an equal second favorite behind the undefeated Big Sky.
With his maiden victory, Closer To Free has already amassed $210,750 in earnings. He was acquired by Polaris Bloodstock for $60,000 at last year's Inglis Classic yearling sale, coming from the draft of John Muir’s Milburn Creek, who offered four lots at this year’s sale.
Notably, Closer To Free is not just any colt; he is the first winner and stakes winner out of the Listed SAJC Cinderella Stakes-winning mare Lady Naturaliste, a half-sister to the Listed Debutant Stakes victor Tanker. It’s intriguing to note that the last son of Street Boss to secure a win in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude was Hanseatic, who went on to finish a close second in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes shortly afterward, underscoring the caliber of this lineage.
With Closer To Free becoming the 88th individual stakes winner for Street Boss, a stallion known for siring 11 individual G1 winners including Anamoe—whose first crop yearlings fetched up to $1.1 million at this year's Magic Millions—and G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Tentyris, who is gearing up for the G1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes next Saturday, the anticipation surrounding this young colt continues to grow.
Could Closer To Free be the next big name in the racing world? As fans eagerly await the upcoming races, we invite you to share your thoughts. Do you believe he has what it takes to succeed at the G1 level? What are your predictions?
