Proxy made his G1 debut a winning one when he overhauled West Will Power in the final strides to take the G1 Clark Stakes by three-quarters of a length at Churchill Downs on Friday, 25 November.
The four-year-old son of Tapit and future Darley stallion became the second consecutive winner of the Clark for Godolphin, who had success last year with Maxfield (Street Sense). Proxy has only finished out of the money twice in 13 career starts and has earned $971,220.
Patiently handled by trainer Michael Stidham, Proxy was making his first start since finishing a good third behind G1 winner Olympiad in the G2 Stephen Foster in July. The colt’s four-year-old campaign has also included runner-up efforts in the G2 New Orleans Classic (also to Olympiad) and the Listed Blame Stakes (to Dynamic One). As a three-year-old, Proxy finished second in a pair of Kentucky Derby prep races at Fair Grounds, the G3 Lecomte behind Midnight Bourbon and the G2 Risen Star behind future Kentucky Derby winner, Mandaloun.
Breaking alertly from the rail, Proxy was quickly into stride and tracked right behind leader West Will Power through the opening quarter mile. Jockey Joel Rosario then switched out the Godolphin homebred and moved closer to the leader entering the backstretch.
Proxy drew nearly drew even with West Will Power leaving the far turn and the pair then battled it out through the stretch, with Proxy surging to the lead in the final strides to claim the victory.
Proxy is out of the dual G1 winner, Panty Raid, who captured the G1 American Oaks on turf, the G1 Juddmonte Spinster over the Keeneland all-weather and the G2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on dirt during her sophomore season. Panty Raid was purchased by John Ferguson on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed for $2.5 million at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Proxy is a half-brother to Micheline (by Bernardini), winner of the G2 Hillsborough Stakes and runner-up in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.
