Trainer James Owen broke new ground in his burgeoning career on Saturday night when star three-year-old Wimbledon Hawkeye won the DK Horse Nashville Derby Invitational Stakes.
Frankie Dettori rode the Gredley family-owned Kameko colt in the valuable Grade 3 contest over an extended 10 furlongs at Kentucky Downs and, after being settled in mid-division for the first part of the race due to a wide draw in 12, gradually started to creep closer in the final half-mile.
With two furlongs to travel the early pace-setter King Of Ashes was starting to tread water and Dettori sent Wimbledon Hawkeye into a clear lead, quickly putting a couple of lengths between himself and the chasers.
Burnham Square came out of the pack to push the 9/4 favourite close, but the Newmarket raider toughed it out under a strong drive to hold on by a head.
Wimbledon Hawkeye, winner of the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket last September, was a first ever runner in the United States for Owen, whose other major wins this year were provided by East India Dock who landed the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March and the Ladbrokes Chester Cup on the Flat in early-May.
Owen said on the NBC Sports coverage: "He's run an absolute cracker and done us proud. It was a big call from Tim (Gredley) coming out here but they've laid on a fantastic show for us. We'll be coming back, we've had a great time!
"I just felt he's matured all year, he's been busy but he's improved all year. From stall 12 Frankie's given him a great ride. The other horse came to him but he's toughed it out well. He's a real, proper stayer this horse and he'll want further in time.
"He's a lovely horse, it's our third year training and he's flown the flag for us last year and he's flying it now. To win this prize is unreal. My team has done a great job."
"It's massive," Tim Gredley said of the $2.78 million prize pot.
"In England, in Europe, we're almost running for as much money as the English Derby (without the Kentucky-bred bonus). It's a massive incentive, it's quite addictive and I think, hopefully, more European horses will come to take them on."
Dettori, who recently lost one of his best friends who died two weeks ago in Dubai, said: "He was on my side, thank you Duncan. It's been a very difficult time for me but an amazing win.
"It's been a great joy for me and the Gredley family, we've been friends for years.
"He's proven at the distance, he's proven on the grass, the only thing I was afraid of was that he's danced every dance. He's been going since April... then traveling across the pond.
"I was hoping that he would come here with his 'A' game. But the team did a good job. He was in full form. He jumped decent. I managed to get him in a good spot. Half the field had only run on the dirt, so I knew I had a little bit of an advantage on them.”
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