In arguably his best performance to date on local soil from 23 starts, American-bred I Am Fred, with a run of exquisite command and mastery given a capable and talented field of 13 runners, emphatically won the Saint Cecelia Cup in fine style on Saturday, April 8, 2023.

I Am Fred, who granted a sight that looked very much like greatness, cemented himself as one of the rising stars after snaring the lead at the top of the lane in the 6 ½ furlong (1,300m) and keeping it from there.

Bred by Golden Lad out of the Rock Slide mare Happy Hailey, I Am Fred won the Open Allowance Contest for three year olds and upward by 2 ¾ lengths in a time of 1:18.2 (23.0 x 46.1 x 1:11.2) to register his second-consecutive win from as many starts this season and nine wins overall from 23 starts, earning over $7.3 million.

I Am Fred, trained by Jason DaCosta and ridden by Robert Halledeen, broke well at the start of the race as the five-year-old bay gelding sat in fourth place down the backstretch behind Yellowstone (Trevor Simpson), Atomica (Dane Dawkins), who recovered well on the inside rails, and She’s My Destiny, the mount of Omar Walker.

I Am Fred maintained his gallop well until navigating the half-mile (800m) turn, when he began to round horses slipping down in second place behind Yellowstone, approaching the distance with Runaway Algo (Anthony Thomas) and She’s My Destiny kicking into top gear.

I Am Fred hit the front full of running entering the straight, and although challenged by Runaway Algo in deep stretch, he sprinted off inside the final furlong (200m) to win easily in the end. Runaway Algo was second, and She’s My Destiny was third.