Roughly six weeks ago, the Bjorn Baker trained So You Are had never recorded success at black type level, but now the son of So You Think (NZ) has secured three in a row, with his latest coming in the $500,000 G3 ATC St Leger Stakes (2600m) at Randwick.
Ridden by Tommy Berry for the first time with regular jockey Rachel King in Melbourne, the gelding jumped away cleanly from the inside barrier, going forward to settle in second position behind Sam Hawkens (IRE) as the field past the winning post on the first occasion.
With the field order staying pretty much unchanged for a good portion of the race, the first to make a move was Baker’s second runner Thebudgiesmugla (NZ) who came off the back of So You Are to zoom to the lead.
As a result, So You Are came off the rail to follow his stablemate, before going even wider into the home straight to make his run.
Taking the lead passing the 300m mark, Berry asked for an effort from his mount and although the Gavin Bedggood trained Tempesti (ITY) had come from a mid-field to make a race of it, So You Are packed too much punch in the run to the line.
Securing his third consecutive black type victory and highlighting his chances for the upcoming $10.2m G1 VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m), So You Are took the prize by three parts of a length.
Coming from last on the turn, the John O’Shea and Tom Charlton trained Klondike (GB) worked home very well to finish third.
SO YOU ARE WINS THE ST LEGER ?? BJORN HAS A DOUBLE ON EVEREST DAY @TommyBerry21 @BBakerRacing https://t.co/hguFlcuGg1
— 7HorseRacing ?? (@7horseracing) October 17, 2026
“He is an iron man, and he was good late,” said Baker. “I knew he’d keep finding and massive thrill to win on a day like today. How special.”
When asked would he be heading to Melbourne for the Cup, Baker seemed very keen.
“I don’t make the decision. I want to thank my team, solely one person in this team – (owner and breeder) ‘Rambo’ Stuart Ramsey.”
"We’ll be going. ‘Stuey’ and me and his wife Trish, they’ve been great. He gave me one of my first horses when I came over and he breeds them tough, and he hasn’t bred too many tougher than this bloke – (he got) off the deck.”
“We’ll be there. The race that stops two nations. He’s a really, really good stayer. I can’t wait to see him over two miles.
“He’s tough. Even mid-race, they weren’t quite going quick enough so two-miles is better. I’m sure he’ll be able to get into the Melbourne Cup off that, so hopefully he comes through well. I’ve only had him for the four runs so I’m the lucky benefactor of a really well-trained, straightforward racehorse.”
Riding the gelding for the first time, Berry felt confident going into the race after speaking to So You Are’s regular jockey Reachel King.
“We were in sort of a trailing position there,” said Berry. “I kept half carting to the fence, off the fence.
“That just stopped anyone coming up inside me or coming around me. Because I knew that if I could get the first half easy, that I was going to put him into the race quite early.
“He hits a bit of a flat spot. Rachel King gave me a really good run down before the race. Once the second horse got to me, he picked up and found really well late.
“He is very tough. He showed that in every run. Even when I beat him on that Boniface, that was over 2000m. I remember I put him away very easily and he was back alongside of me on the line. I got to know him without sitting on him. Credit to team.”
Taking his earnings to just shy of $1m from his seven wins and 12 placed efforts from 27 starts, the Stuart Ramsey bred and raced gelding is currently around 30/1 for the first Tuesday in November.
Offered through the draft of Lime Country Thoroughbreds at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, So You Are was retained to race by his breeder after being passed in just shy of his $100,000 reserve price.
The 5yo gelding is the best of three winners from four to the races out of the Hard Spun mare Tornado Gal, a half-sister to Listed winner Skyt, both out of the G3-winning Sir Tristram mare Sky Tryst.
The gelding is one of 125 stakes performers for Coolmore's ten-time G1 winner So You Think whose legacy is being continued by sons D’Argento, Peltzer and Quick Thinker at stud.
