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Brown Eyes Hollywood Derby For Public Sector, Sifting Sands

Trainer Chad Brown expressed a strong sense of satisfaction with Klaravich Stables' Public Sector, who secured a second graded stakes victory this meet when capturing the Grade 3 Saranac at 1 1/16 miles over the inner turf at Saratoga.

Prior to winning Saturday's Saranac by one length, Public Sector scored by the same margin in the one-mile Grade 2 Hall of Fame on August 6 at the Spa.

“He came out of it in good shape. He continues to develop,” Brown said. “To win two stakes at the meet for a 3-year-old is impressive. I'm very pleased with how far this horse has come along this year.”

Brown also saddled Technical Analysis, a fellow Klaravich Stables color-bearer, to dual graded stakes victories this meet in capturing the Grade 3 Lake George on July 23 and the Grade 2 Lake Placid on August 21.

“Winning two stakes at Saratoga is hard to do. They both have developed as well as they could,” Brown said.

With the Saranac in the rearview mirror, Brown said he will now likely point Public Sector toward the nine-furlong $400,000 Grade 1 Hollywood Derby on November 27 at Del Mar.

“I've had a lot of horses that at four have stretched out effectively,” Brown said. “These horses look like horses that will. How far and when I'm not sure, but we'll slowly get them out a little further over time.”

Both Public Sector and Technical Analysis are by 2014 Cartier Horse of the Year Kingman, whose three stakes winners this meet were all conditioned by Brown.

“Luckily, we were in on the first crop, we believed in the horse. We thought he had tremendous potential. Of course, not knowing what a first crop will do, but he's really developed into one of the top sires in the world,” Brown said. “We've been buying along each crop and supporting the horse. We believe in him and hopefully, we'll be able to still get our hands on some. They are really straightforward and honest horses to train, they should a great turn of foot in the mornings. They're sound horses.”

Brown also has the Hollywood Derby in mind for Peter Brant's Sifting Sands, who won the Better Talk Now on August 29 at one mile over the inner turf.

“I think it's a race that will fit him later in the year,” Brown said. “I plan on running him [and Public Sector] one time beforehand. He's a well-bred and well-meant horse and if he can target that, it's an important race that could make him a stallion at some point.”

Brown visited the winner's circle on Friday with Shadwell Stable's Emaraaty, who picked up a fourth lifetime win, besting an allowance optional claiming field on September 3 going one mile over the inner turf. The son of Dubawi arose from a five-month respite to produce a 95 Beyer. He ran the same figure in his first start for Brown in July 2019, which came off a year-long layoff.

“He's been a little frustrating to keep in a normal training routine of racing and he's a difficult horse to train, but I was really proud of how he ran the other day,” Brown said. “He's back in form now. He's got some age on him now, but he showed he can still do it. I'm hoping to get in a stake next time, but I'm not sure where.”

On Saturday, Brown saddled Pipeline to a maiden special weight triumph at fourth asking. Owned by John D. Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock, the sophomore son of Speightstown cut back to seven furlongs on the main track after finishing a close second going nine furlongs on July 28, coming up a head shy of victory to next-out winner Vindictive.

Brown said adding blinkers to Pipeline has made all the difference.

“He's been one of my real pleasant surprises of the summer. We liked him, he trained really well but ran not too good in his first two starts. I was sort of lost with him,” Brown said. “Thankfully, we put some blinkers on him and he did a turnaround. With a little bit of racing experience in blinkers, he way exceeded my expectations from his first two races and what I was starting to think about him. He's an example of turning a second into a win later. He obviously got beat by a really good horse [Vindictive] who came back and won. I'm happy to have a nice late-blooming 3-year-old dirt horse going into the fall when some of these other horses might be tired now.”

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Amoss To Saddle Kevin’s Folly In Hopeful At Saratoga

Trainer Tom Amoss will saddle Michael McLoughlin's Kevin's Folly in Monday's $300,000 Grade 1 Hopeful.

The Distorted Humor colt, an $80,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, registered a 69 Beyer in his winning debut sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs on July 31 at Saratoga.

With Tyler Gaffalione up, Kevin's Folly was in fifth position at the half-mile call before cutting the corner and powering home to a 1 1/2-length score in a field of six.

Amoss said the horse was training too well to wait on a two-turn race later in the fall.

“I know I'm asking a lot of him, but the timing is so poor to save him for the middle of the month for Churchill going two turns off that one race,” Amoss said. “We always thought he was talented. What I liked about him on debut is that he rated, he took dirt and he came through on the inside through a very small opening, so he was very professional. He galloped out well. I saw a lot to like about him off his debut.”

Amoss said he is hopeful that Kevin's Folly will be able to work out a trip when exiting post 9 under Jose Lezcano in a race led by graded-stakes winners Wit and High Oak.

“He's shown he'll rate and sit behind horses, so both those things are plusses, but I have nothing but the ultimate respect for Wit and High Oak. This is a very good race,” Amoss said.

Joel Politi's Li'l Tootsie closed to finish third in Saturday's Grade 2 Prioress, a six-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies at the Spa.

Amoss said he was pleased to see the Tapiture bay, a three-time winner in nine starts, pick up graded black type.

“That's what we were hoping for. She ran well,” Amoss said.

Maggi Moss and Greg Tramontin's graded-stakes winner No Parole posted a bullet half-mile in :47.21 Saturday on the Saratoga main track.

The 4-year-old Louisiana-bred son of Violence won the Grade 1 Woody Stephens last year at Belmont Park. He has made three starts this season, including a win in the LA Bred Premier Sprint in February at Delta Downs.

Amoss said No Parole, who finished seventh last out in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap in April at Oaklawn, is working his way back to race fitness having breezed four times at Saratoga.

“He's coming back off a layoff. He should be ready by the end of the month to find a race. I'd like to get him back into form and make him a stallion in Louisiana,” Amoss said.

Out of the stakes-winning Bluegrass Cat mare Plus One, No Parole was purchased for $75,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. His third dam, Star Deputy, produced multiple graded stakes winning millionaire License Fee.

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Baker Celebrates Saratoga Successes With Cilla, Gold Panda

Standing outside his barn on Saratoga's Oklahoma training track side Sunday morning, trainer Charlton Baker said how much he enjoys training at the Spa in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., but will have to return to Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., once the 40-day summer meet concludes tomorrow.

Baker's affinity for Saratoga is well founded, as the conditioner was one of just 12 trainers to register at least eight wins during the prestigious meet entering Sunday action, carrying an 8-2-2 record with 26 starters into the day.

On Saturday, Baker was credited with his third career graded stakes win and first since 2016 when P. Dale Ladner's Cilla bested favorite Souper Sensational by a half-length to win the $250,000 Grade 2 Prioress for sophomore fillies sprinting six furlongs. The win was a technicality for Baker, who saddled the Louisiana bred for trainer Brett Brinkman, who did not take out a license in New York but was on hand to witness the victory that earned Cilla an 88 Beyer.

While Brinkman remains Cilla's trainer, Baker is the conditioner of record, officially tallying his first graded stakes score since Joking won the 2016 Grade 1 Vosburgh and Grade 2 True North. A connection with former Baker employee Lisa Whitaker, who now works for Brinkman, helped facilitate what turned out to be a winning move for all involved.

“That was impressive. She's a very nice-looking filly to start with and she looks like she has come class to her, and it was nice to see her come in and get the win for them,” Baker said. “One of my old employees works for him, so Brett called him a couple of weeks ago about it. He wanted to come but wasn't sure what to do, so we talked about it and handled it that way.

“I get credited with it, but that's all it is,” Baker added with a laugh. “But Brett did the work.”

Baker has also enjoyed Saratoga success with his own stock, highlighted by Happy Face Racing Stable's Gold Panda, who improved to 2-for-2 at the meet after registering a 2 1/4-length score in a seven-furlong allowance contest on September 3 over the Saratoga main track.

The 3-year-old Goldencents gelding did not make his debut until July when running third in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint at Belmont. Gold Panda followed with a maiden-breaking 5 1/2-length win on August 19 over a sloppy and sealed Spa track before winning his second consecutive start and garnering an 88 Beyer for his Friday victory over a fast track.

“He's getting better every start. We figured we'd give him a little bit of time before his next race and go from there. He's definitely developing,” said Baker, who said his next start will likely be a two-other-than at Belmont. “Eventually, if he keeps on progressing, I think he's headed to [stakes] company. He has the mind to do it and the ability. He can be a nice horse.”

Gold Panda, a $65,000 purchase at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-Bred Yearling Sale, was bred in the Empire State by T/C Stable. Baker said the patience in not racing him as a juvenile has paid off as Gold Panda continues to progress.

“He just needed to mature. As a 2-year-old, we wasn't ready to go. We gave him some time and let him mature and brought him back this year and he's got better and better,” Baker said. “He ran a good race the first time out and then he came back and won. He learned from the first and I think he's just going to go forward from there.”

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Yaupon, Jackie’s Warrior Lead List of De Francis Dash Nominees

Defending champion Laki and Grade 1 winners Jackie's Warrior and Yaupon are among 25 accomplished older sprinters nominated to the $200,000 Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Saturday, Sept. 18 at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The 30th running of the six-furlong De Francis for 3-year-olds and up headlines four stakes worth $500,000 in purses, joined by the $100,000 Weather Vane for fillies and mares 3 years old and up, also at six furlongs; $100,000 Polynesian for 3-year-olds and up, and $100,000 Twixt for females 3 and older, both going one mile.

Honoring the late owner of Laurel Park and historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., the De Francis' distinguished roster of past winners includes Hall of Famer Housebuster and fellow sprint champions Cherokee Run, Smoke Glacken, Thor's Echo, and Benny the Bull.

Hillside Equestrian Meadows' 8-year-old gelding Laki rallied to capture last year's De Francis by a nose over Eastern Bay for his first graded-stakes triumph. Trained by Damon Dilodovico, who also won an ungraded De Francis with Immortal Eyes in 2013, Laki has lost four starts since extending his streak to five straight years with a stakes victory in the April 24 Frank Whiteley at Laurel.

Jackie's Warrior and Yaupon both exit Grade 1 triumphs on the Aug. 28 card at Saratoga for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, North America's all-time leading trainer by wins that has a total of four De Francis nominees. J. Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior captured the seven-furlong H. Allen Jerkens by a neck one race after Yaupon edged fellow Grade 1 winner and De Francis nominee Firenze Fire in the seven-furlong Forego.

While Jackie's Warrior has never raced in the state, Yaupon is 2-0 in Maryland having won the 2020 Grade 3 Chick Lang and the Lite the Fuse on July 4, both at Pimlico. Asmussen also nominated West Point Thoroughbreds and Marvin Delfiner's Jaxon Traveler, a four-time winner in Maryland including the Star de Naskra last out Aug. 21 at Pimlico, and Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen's Grade 1-placed Jalen Journey.

Since winning the six-furlong Grade 3 Tom Fool March 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., Michael Dubb's Chateau has run fourth in the Grade 1 Carter, second in the Grade 3 Runhappy at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., and most recently third behind Yaupon and Laki in the Lite the Fuse. The 6-year-old gelding is based in New York with trainer Rob Atras.

Multiple stakes winners nominated to the De Francis include Florida-based Double Crown, second to Yaupon in the Chick Lang; Francatelli, third by a head in the Aug. 31 Grade 3 Parx Dash; Just Might, Grade 2 placed on turf and a stakes winner on grass and dirt riding a three-race win streak; My Boy Tate, Threes Over Deuces, and Whereshetoldmetogo. Wondrwherecraigis was a front-running winner of the six-furlong Tale of the Cat Aug. 13 at Saratoga for trainer Brittany Russell.

The Weather Vane, named for the Maryland-bred champion older filly of 1998 that won 17 of 36 career starts and 14 stakes including the 1997 Grade 3 Safely Kept, also attracted 25 nominations. Prominent among them are Hello Beautiful, who earned her sixth career stakes victory in the July 31 Alma North at Pimlico and is 7 for 11 lifetime at Laurel, and four-time stakes winner Chub Wagon, who lost for the first time in nine lifetime starts when second in the Dr. Teresa Garafalo Memorial Aug. 23.

Other Weather Vane nominees include Ain't No Elmers, second in the 2020 Grade 3 Miss Preakness and third in the July 28 Grade 2 Honorable Miss at Saratoga; Casual, second to Chub Wagon in the May 15 Skipat at Pimlico; Club Car, third in the Grade 3 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie and second in the Grade 3 Chicago this year exiting a stakes win at Mountaineer Park Aug. 7; Garafalo Memorial winner Don't Call Me Mary, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher; and multiple stakes winners Honey I'm Good, Casual's Asmussen-trained stablemate; 2020 Grade 3 TCA winner Inthemidstofbiz; Needs Supervision; and Never Enough Time.

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Most popular among horsemen with 31 nominations was the Polynesian, stretched out beyond a sprint for the first time since returning to the stakes calendar in 2017 following a 17-year absence. Its first 12 runnings, alternating between Laurel, Pimlico, and Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., were contested at 1 1/16 or 1 1/8 miles.

Nominees include 2019 Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Roadster, unraced since a fourth in the April 30 Alysheba; West Will Power and Phat Man, respectively 2-3 behind Code of Honor in the Aug. 21 Grade 3 Iselin at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.; June 12 Grade 3 Salvator Mile winner Informative; 2019 Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf winner Mr Dumas; Aug. 27 Robert Hilton Memorial winner Exculpatory; and local multiple stakes winners Alwaysmining and Cordmaker.

The Twixt attracted 30 nominees led by May 2 Grade 2 Ruffian winner Vault and stakes-winning Brad Cox-trained stablemate Dreamalildreamofu, second in the May 14 Grade 3 Allaire du Pont at Pimlico; Off Topic, third in the 2019 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks; Chilean Group 2 winner Cheetara; and stakes winners Artful Splatter, Josie, Kiss the Girl, Malibu Beauty, Miss Leslie, Mrs. Orb, Needs Supervision, Saracosa, and Trolley Ride.

Laurel Park's 59-day fall meet is scheduled to run Thursday, Sept. 9 through Friday, Dec. 31.

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