Pondering's Career Has Been a Rollercoaster
- Kaeli Bartholomew
- Dec 11, 2025
- 2 min read
After a rollercoaster start to her career, PONDERING has turned into a serious racehorse. The Brendan Walsh trainee seeks her third stakes win this Saturday in the Holiday Inaugural at Turfway Park.
Pondering is a half-sister to Think Big, who captured three graded stakes this year. Their dam, Always Thinking, showed plenty of ability herself, winning a stake and competing three times at the graded level. Pondering's sire, Hard Spun, was a talented runner as well, earning four graded victories — including the King's Bishop (G1) — two of which came at Turfway Park.
Pondering began her career last summer at Ellis Park, winning on debut in a Maiden Special Weight on dirt. Her win was so promising that her connections took her to New York for Saratoga's Spinaway (G1) and the Frizette (G1) at Belmont at the Big A. Bettors sent her off as the third and second choice respectively, but she finished off the board in the Spinaway and was eased in the Frizette.
She returned at three as the favorite in a turf allowance at Fair Grounds and appeared on her way to victory when she lugged in, hit the rail, and unseated her rider. Her bad luck continued in her next start at Fair Grounds, where she again lost her rider after stumbling out of the gate.
She completed her next two starts, though neither resulted in a win, and finally returned to the winner's circle nearly a year after her maiden victory. Favored in a five-furlong turf allowance at Horseshoe Indianapolis, she rewarded her backers with a dominant five-length score.
Back at Ellis Park, Pondering ran second in the Pea Patch Stakes before surging down the center of the stretch to win the KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint Stakes. After an unplaced effort in the Music City Stakes (G2) at Kentucky Downs, a race won by future Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) champion Shisospicy, she finished third in the Franklin Stakes (G2) at Keeneland.
In November, Pondering ventured to Woodbine for the Bessarabian Stakes (G3), where she caught Canada’s 2024 Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, Caitlinhergrtness, in the final yards.
Now Pondering's back stateside and looking to add another win to her resume. Will she prevail?
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What a wild journey for Pondering! Unseating her rider twice in a row must've been incredibly frustrating, but bouncing back to win a G3 against Canada's Champion Filly shows real class.
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That Bessarabian finish sounds thrilling - catching the favorite in the final yards is peak racing drama. Hope she wins at Turfway!