Klaravich Stables' Program Trading earned a career-high 95 Beyer Speed Figure with a hard-fought victory over yielding turf in Saturday's Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1) going 1 3/16 miles over the Mellon Turf Course.
Trained by Chad Brown, who won the 2020 Saratoga Derby with Domestic Spending, the sophomore Lope de Vega ridgling kept a spotless record afloat when running on an uncontested lead and battling to the inside of a game Webslinger, who put his head in front at the stretch call. But Program Trading had enough grit to fight back and win by a head under Flavien Prat.
Program Trading entered the Saratoga Derby from a five-length debut score against elders in May at Monmouth and an allowance optional claiming conquest in June at Belmont Park. Both races were run at 1 1/16 miles.
“He showed a lot of heart and handled the distance and the ground well,” Brown said. “I'm very, very pleased. I wasn't surprised, I wasn't in any way certain he was going to win the race, but we quite liked the horse. At the eighth pole I said to myself, 'We're going to see how good he is now, he has to come back on the inside with inexperience'. He more than impressed me.”
Brown noted that the turf was likely the softest on the inside.
“That's what I was hearing from the jockeys, but on the other hand it looked like he was always handling well and that's good to know down the road,” Brown said.
In winning the Saratoga Derby Invitational, Program Trading earned an automatic entry into the Ladbrokes Cox Plate (G1). Australia's premier weight-for age race, at Moonee Valley . But Brown said the Hollywood Derby (G1) in late fall at Del Mar and the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) in January at Gulfstream Park are both likely options.
“Down the road, the Hollywood Derby looks like a potentially nice race for that horse. I might give him a breather now and give him one prep for the Hollywood Derby,” Brown said. “Good horse for the Pegasus. He handled soft turf, but he handled firm turf at Monmouth, too.”
Additionally, Brown said Program Trading would likely bypass the Jockey Club Derby (G3) on October 7 at Belmont at the Big A, due to its three-turn configuration.
Bred in Great Britain by Fittocks Stud & Arrow Farm & Stud, Program Trading is out of the Oasis Dream mare Dreamlike – a full sister to stakes-placed Fashion Fund and half-sister to Group 2-winning stayer Silk Sari. Her third dam was dual Group 1 winner Gossamer – a half-sister to 1994 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) winner Barathea.
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