In Profile: Ag Bullet

By Peter Fornatale 

Time For Sandals, No Half Measures, Asfoora – 2025 has been a big year for the girls in the sprinting division. The last-named looks like she will attempt to claim a third top-level success of the campaign in this year’s Turf Sprint, but in doing so she will have to beat another top distaffer in the shape of Ag Bullet.

Ag Bullet has had two runs on dirt or synthetics in her life, finishing a well-beaten fifth on both occasions. On the green stuff, however, she’s a different prospect.

A winner of eight of her 13 starts on turf, Richard Baltas’s mare has steadily ascended the grades and now appears to be reaching the peak of her powers following a strong campaign in 2024. Running a 106 Beyer when romping in the Ladies Turf Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs, she wasn’t quite able to hit that level at the Breeders’ Cup but still ran a fine race to finish third behind Starlust in the Turf Sprint.

On that basis plenty was expected on her first start of this year, with the betting public making Ag Bullet favourite for the Unbridled Sidney Stakes. However, she weakened tamely late to finish only seventh having sat close to a fast pace. Umberto Rispoli, who had ridden her on the majority of her starts, seemed to be the fall guy as he was jocked off for her next start in favour of John Velazquez in the Jaipur.

Whether it was solely down to the jockey change is open to debate, but under Velazquez Ag Bullet produced what her talent and previous form had suggested she was capable of. Always in a perfect stalking position, she was clearly going best at the top of the lane and strode away readily to land her first Grade 1 victory, beating the boys in the process. The form of that contest looks solid enough, with the runner up My Boy Prince going on the fill the same spot behind Notable Speech in the Woodbine Mile.

Despite this win, Velazquez was not on board for her most recent start in the Ladies Turf Sprint Stakes, a race she had won last year. This time Luis Saez was in the irons and a repeat victory was never in doubt as she dominated her field from the gate and had the race won a long way out. Subsequent Grade 1 winner Simply In Front made some late headway to close the margin but was never getting the talented grey.

Ag Bullet didn’t quite match that career-best 106 Beyer, but her 101 in the Jaipur was the same as her Turf Sprint number and the manner of her victory there, as well as how she moves through races, suggests she is a horse that can run a little quicker still.

Proven at Del Mar, tactically versatile, and with a stack of ability, there’s every chance that this fine mare can score another famous sprint victory for the fairer sex at this year’s Breeders’ Cup.

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