Balnikhov (IRE)
Dark Bay or Brown Gelding / February 22nd, 2019 in IRE / by Adaay (IRE) out of Leeward
$429,500
2024 earnings
117
speed figure
14%
2024 wins
racing Record
2024 Stats
Career Stats
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1
Firsts
7
1
Seconds
6
3
Thirds
6
2
Unplaced
11
7
Starts
30
$429,500
Earnings
$1,094,343
$61,357
Earnings / Start
$36,478
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Bio
Balnikhov’s maiden win came on a synthetic racing surface in France in his first career start on Dec. 22, 2021, in the waning days before his third birthday. He was transferred so the southern California barn of trainer Phil D’Amato for his 3-year-old season, which began on April 2, 2022, in heartbreaking fashion at Santa Anita, finishing second by a nose in a head bob in the $100,000 Singletary Stakes at one mile on the grass.
Balnikhov’s maiden win came on a synthetic racing surface in France in his first career start on Dec. 22, 2021, in the waning days before his third birthday. He was transferred so the southern California barn of trainer Phil D’Amato for his 3-year-old season, which began on April 2, 2022, in heartbreaking fashion at Santa Anita, finishing second by a nose in a head bob in the $100,000 Singletary Stakes at one mile on the grass.
Balnikhov continued to run well but had to wait a little longer for his first North American victory. He shipped to Churchill Downs to run in the Grade 2 $500,000 American Turf on May 7 but settled for second again that day. He then returned to SoCal and finished fourth in his next start on June 4 in the $100,000 Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita.
Balnikhov finally got the first stakes win under his belt on opening day of the Del Mar summer meet on July 21 when he made a big last-to-first move in a field of 12 to win the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes on one mile on the turf. He followed that up with a fourth-place finish back in graded stakes company when beaten only a total of 1 ¼ lengths in the Grade 2 $300,000 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 2.
Balnikhov scored his first graded stakes victory on Oct. 29 when he shipped back to Kentucky and took the Grade 3 $300,000 Bryan Station Stakes. He once again came with his trademark deep closing running style, passing horses from 11th in the field of 12 to get up in time to win by a neck margin over 2-1 favorite Wit. He ran the one mile on turf in a time of 1:35.48.
Balnikhov made his 4-year-old debut on March 4, 2023 at Santa Anita with a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile, but then wasted no time getting back into the winner's circle next time out when he won the Grade 3 $250,000 San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate on April 29. Balnikhov closed from last-to-first in a field of nine to just barely get up in time by a nose on the wire as the 7-5 favorite under jockey Umberto Rispoli.
Balnikhov was bred in Ireland by the sire Adaay out of the mare Leeward by First Defence.
