Big Everest Pursues Greater Heights in Kelso

British-bred Big Everest  brings a four-race win streak into his graded stakes debut in the $175,000 Kelso Stakes (G3T) July 15 at Saratoga Race Course. The one-mile inner turf test for older horses was previously run as the Forbidden Apple Stakes.

The 5-year-old The Gurkha  gelding has since captured the Artie Schiller Stakes and Danger’s Hour Stakes traveling one mile at Aqueduct ahead of a last-out victory in the 1 1/16-mile Cliff Hanger Stakes May 27 at Monmouth Park.

#7 BIG EVEREST (GB) ($8.60) led from the gate and still fired in the stretch to win the 🏆 Cliff Hanger Stakes at @MonmouthPark with @VargasJrJockey in the saddle for @clementstable. Congratulations to owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Steven Rocco, and William Branch. pic.twitter.com/ADzFBvrzGw

— TVG (@TVG) May 27, 2023

Big Everest won just one of his first five starts, but since being gelded ahead of his 2022 campaign he has won six of seven outings—all in trademark gate-to-wire fashion.

“He was the kind of horse that, early on, he fought with the jockey,” said co-owner Dean Reeves. “We learned over time that he was fighting with the jockey because he had speed and wanted to go to the front. So, once we got out of his way and once he was gelded, he doesn’t back up and they don’t have enough to catch him.”

Big Everest will carry 120 pounds when exiting post 5 in rein to Joel Rosario, who has guided the bay to five of his seven wins, including the Artie Schiller.

LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable’s multiple grade 1 winner Casa Creed  will certainly appreciate any pace that Big Everest can generate.

The 7-year-old Jimmy Creed   bay has posted two of his biggest wins traveling one mile over the Saratoga turf, taking the 2019 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T) and last year’s Fourstardave Handicap (G1T) for trainer Bill Mott. 

The late-running horse won back-to-back renewals of the six-furlong Jaipur Stakes (G1T) in 2021-22 over the Belmont Park turf and enters from a rallying third-place finish in his attempt at a threepeat when one length back of the victorious Caravel .

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will saddle a pair of talented turf runners for owners Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, and Peter Deutsch in multiple grade 2 winner Filo Di Arianna  and group 3 winner Ice Chocolat .

Filo Di Arianna enters from a narrow pacesetting defeat to Emmanuel  in the Poker Stakes (G3T).

Ice Chocolat has made four starts this year led by a close runner-up effort over the Woodbine Tapeta in the Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3) ahead of a closing sixth-place effort in the Jaipur.

Bass Racing’s Kentucky homebred Annapolis  has banked in excess of $1.3 million through a record of 9-6-2-0 for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The grade 1 winner returned victorious last out to capture a solid renewal of the one-mile Opening Verse Stakes in May at Churchill Downs, besting stakes winner Churchtown  by a head with multiple graded stakes winner Set Piece  in third.

Rounding out the field are graded stakes winner English Bee , Anaconda , and Mid Day Image . Gun It  is entered to race on the main track only.