International Horse Profile: Switch in Love

Scouting Report for Switch in Love

Japanese juveniles were all well beaten in last year’s Breeders’ Cup. But none came for this race, and none were trained by Yoshito Yahagi, who made history for his homeland by winning two Breeders’ Cup races at Del Mar in 2021. 

Switch in Love still has a fair amount to prove here, after being second-best in her only start outside of newcomers’ company. Yet Yahagi’s precision targeting isn’t easy to dismiss; he’s 2-for-3 in the Breeders’ Cup, and his only loss was Forever Young’s third in the 2024 Classic (G1). Forever Young returns to the Classic with stronger claims than Switch in Love, who nevertheless could be dangerous in catch-me-if-you-can mode. 

Owned by DMM Dream Club Co. – the same connections as Yahagi’s first Breeders’ Cup winner, Filly & Mare Turf heroine Loves Only You – Switch in Love is from the first crop of Yahagi star Contrail. The 2020 Japanese Triple Crown champion concluded his career with an exclamation point in the 2021 Japan Cup (G1). 

Sold for $1.2 million as a foal at the JHRA Select Sale, Switch in Love is out of the Galileo mare Switch in Time. The juvenile’s granddam is the top-class racemare Switch. A multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire, Switch placed in three consecutive editions of the Filly & Mare Sprint (2010-12). 

Switch in Love justified favoritism in her Aug. 17 debut, going left-handed at Chukyo. In that metric mile race for newcomers, she stalked a tepid pace in second and chased for the length of the stretch. By producing a field-best final three furlongs in :34, she just got up to deny the longtime leader at the wire. 

Next time at right-handed Hanshin on Sept. 20, Switch in Love went off as the second choice to fellow debut winner Alankar, and the market had the exacta pegged. Switch in Love caught a flyer out of the gate, set the pace while appearing a bit keen, and had no answer to the finishing burst of the impressive Alankar (:33.3). With a second-fastest closing sectional in :34.5, Switch in Love was easily second-best in the metric mile affair. 

Yahagi’s rationale for trying the Breeders’ Cup is based on the two-turn configuration. 

“I can’t imagine her winning a G1 race with a single turn in Japan,” the horseman reportedly said in a Yahoo.co.jpn story, “but I hope she can use her speed to her advantage on the tight Del Mar course. I’ve been thinking about this since she won her maiden race.”