Another year of horse racing action is coming to a close, and all the attention will soon turn toward the biggest races next year.
Next year promises to be a huge one in horse racing, as there will be a clear changing of the guard, and there will be a fresh feel among some of the biggest races with no clear favourite for some of the biggest prizes in the sport. If you are a bettor, make sure to grab this horse racing sign-up bonus by TwinSpires to give you an initial boost.
But, who are some of the horses that all fans will need to be following in 2023?
Little Big Bear
Many had questioned whether Aidan O’Brien’s abilities to land big international graded winners was fading throughout 2022, but those doubts were routinely answered with three winners at the Breeders’ Cup. All the trainer’s attention will soon turn toward the British Classics in 2023, and one standout contender within his ranks looks set to be Little Big Bear.
The two-year-old enjoyed an excellent 2022 campaign, picking up four wins from five starts under rules. Following defeat on his debut, he landed success at Royal Ascot by a neck, before dismantling the field at Curragh in the G3 Anglesey Stakes and G1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes. We will likely see Little Big Bear stepped up in trip when he returns to action, and the G1 2,000 Guineas looks to be a perfect race for him.
Arabian Knight
There is always one potentially special horse in the Bob Baffert yard with the Triple Crown races in mind, and that looks set to be Arabian Knight in 2023. There had been a lot of talk about this two-year-old before his debut on track, as he cost a staggering $2.3 million. However, he more than lived up to the hype on debut, as he dominated on the undercard to Saturday’s action at the Breeders’ Cup, winning by a dominant 7 ¼ length margin.
Given Baffert’s stars have already under delivered, with Cave Rock getting beat in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and Arabian Lion coming undone in the Los Alamitos Futurity, it could seem that Arabian Knight is the number one string for the Hall of Famer. However, it is worth remembering that any potential run in the Kentucky Derby for the contender will need Arabian Knight to move to a different yard, as Baffert is once again ineligible to make declarations at Churchill Downs in 2023.
Wonder Wheel
Of course, it isn’t all about the boys in horse racing, and there will be an open gap in the fillies and mares division for some of the big races throughout 2023. Wonder Wheel certainly looks like a contender that could fill that void based on what we have seen from the two-year-old to this point.
She has progressed excellently with every start that she has made, which led to a dominant showing in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, where she beat Leave No Trace by a solid three lengths. She already has previous experience at Saratoga, while the Mark Casse-trained runner broke her maiden on debut at Churchill Downs over six furlongs by a dominant 6 ¾ lengths. There could be big things on the horizon.
Constitution Hill
While the flat action will dominate the headlines over the summer months, it will be all about the jumps action before then. We look set to see one of the most explosive stars in the hurdling division at the Cheltenham Festival, as Constitution Hill bids to maintain his unbeaten record under rules. The five-year-old returned to action at Newcastle in November, as he won the G1 Fighting Fifth by a dominant 12-length margin.
That success saw him achieve a Timeform rating of 177p. That figure has only been bettered by five two-mile hurdlers, which is staggering given that Constitution Hill is only at the beginning of his racing journey. We may not be seeing something special only in 2023, but a legend in the making.