St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven Duncker and Vicarage Stable’s Deterministic rocketed to the top of U.S. grass milers last summer with a victory in the FanDuel Fourstardave (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 2.

With the win came a fees-paid berth into the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) Presented by PDJF but it was not to be.

“It was a blow that we were not going to be able to dance every dance,” said trainer Miguel Clement, who gave Deterministic time off following the Fourstardave.

Wintering at Payson Park Training Center in Florida, Deterministic returned to the work tab Feb. 7 with Friday’s $650,000 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) the first goal for 2026.

“We targeted this race by design,” Clement said by phone. “This is the first big dance of the year and the logical place to start.”

Deterministic will exit post 10 on Friday under Kendrick Carmouche, who has been aboard for victories in the Fort Marcy (G2), the Resorts World Casino Manhattan (G1) and the Fourstardave.

“Kendrick has ridden him brilliantly,” Clement said. “They make a formidable pair and are a winning combination.”