Hit Show

Hit Show was an immediate smash hit on the racetrack, winning his 2-year-old career debut by 5 1/4 lengths in a Keeneland seven-furlong maiden race on Oct. 9, 2022. He lost his second start but then rebounded in his third career start to win a non-winners of two allowance race by 3 1/2 lengths in a two-turn mile race at Oaklawn Park on Dec. 17 to round out his juvenile campaign.

Hit Show made his stakes debut in his first outing as a 3-year-old in the $250,000 Grade 3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct on Feb. 11, 2023. Sent off as the 6-5 favorite on the tote board in a field of seven, Hit Show sat off a live pace in mid-pack and then rolled past the leaders to a big 5 1/2-length victory. His winning time for the 1 1/8-mile distance was 1:54.71.  The Withers was a points race on the Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby, and with his win, Hit Show earned 20 qualifying points.

Hit Show made his next start in the Grade 2 $750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct. Hit Show drew the far outside post 12 in a 12-horse field in the Wood Memorial but was sent off as the 1.70-1 favorite and ran a game effort in defeat when he came-up a nose short to 59-1 longshot Lord Miles in a three-horse photo along with Dreamlike. The Wood Memorial was a maximum points race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, and Hit Show earned 40 more points for his runner-up finish, giving him 60 points in total and clinching himself a spot in the starting gate for the run for the roses.

Some would say that Hit Show was unlucky to have lost such a tight photo finish in the Wood Memorial, and his run of bad luck continued at the post position draw for his next start in the Kentucky Derby. Hit Show drew the disadvantageous post No. 1 in an 18-horse field in the Kentucky Derby, and at post time he was sent off as a 24-1 longshot. Considering the draw, Hit Show went on to run an admirable race to finish fifth in the run for the roses, beaten a total of 6 1/4 lengths. After making a menacing move into contention on the far turn, he flattened out in the stretch. 

Hit Show is trained by Brad Cox. He was bred in Kentucky by the sire Candy Ride out of the mare Actress by Tapit.