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Gufo, Japan Meet Again In Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

During the latter half of his 4-year-old season, Otter Bend Stables' Gufo has displayed an affinity for 1 1/2-mile turf tests. On Saturday, Gufo will meet a cast of familiar rivals when striving for more 12-furlong success in the 44th running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic over the Widener turf at Belmont Park.

The Hirsch, slated as Race 7, is part of a lucrative 11-race card that also features the Grade 2, $250,000 Vosburgh [Race 5], a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 6 at Del Mar; and the Grade 3, $150,000 Matron [Race 6] at six furlongs on turf for juvenile fillies. First post on Saturday is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

Gufo, a last-out winner of the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course, has never finished off the board in a dozen starts sporting a ledger of 7-2-3 and lifetime earnings of $1,138,510.

The consistent Declaration of War chestnut will face a quality field which includes returning rival Japan, as well as previous Joe Hirsch Turf Classic victors Channel Maker [2018, 2020] and Arklow [2019].

Trained by Christophe Clement, Gufo earned a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure when fending off Japan by a neck in the Sword Dancer. The talented turf stayer raced along the rail through the early stages of the Sword Dancer, picking up ground past the second turn and into the backstretch. He was in command past the three-sixteenths and held off Japan's menacing outside rally.

Prior to the Sword Dancer, Gufo was a one-length winner of the 12-furlong Grand Couturier on July 5 at Belmont.

During his sophomore campaign last year, Gufo secured graded stakes triumphs in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Kent at Delaware Park and captured the 10-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational two starts later.

While stretching out to 1 ½ miles has paid dividends for Gufo, Clement said adding blinkers for the Grand Couturier score has been equally as beneficial.

“The blinkers made him a bit more manageable,” Clement said. “It's nice to have a horse that is so consistent at that level. We'll need some racing luck like always. He's run well in every Grade 1 in New York on turf this year and that's what it's all about. It's a Grade 1 so it will be a tough race by definition, but we'll be there.”

Joel Rosario, the pilot aboard Gufo in six of his 12 starts, will have the call from post 3.

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Japan seeks to turn the tables on Gufo for trainer Aidan O'Brien who shipped Cape Blanco to the United States to take the 2011 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic.

Owned by Coolmore triumvirate Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith in partnership with Masaaki Matsushima, Japan gradually improved position throughout the Sword Dancer and attempted to collar Gufo in the final furlong coming up a nose short.

The 5-year-old son of Galileo was a two-time Group 1 winner in 2019, defeating three other Group 1 winners in the Juddmonte International in August 2019 at York. He captured the Group 1 Grand Prix De Paris in May 2019 at Longchamp.

Winless in five starts in 2020, Japan recaptured his winning form this season with a pair of Group 3 triumphs. In his seasonal bow, he won the Ormonde on May 6 at Chester, three starts ahead of a victory in the Meld on July 15 at Leopardstown.

“The turns at Saratoga didn't inconvenience him,” said O'Brien's travelling assistant T.J. Comerford. “He went around Chester in England which has pretty tight turns. He just probably didn't get the run of the race when he wanted. He came out of it well. He's going the right way. He's training well and Aidan is very happy with him. All he has to do is run like he did the last time and that gives him a good shot.”

Wayne Lordan ships in to ride from post 7.

A five-time graded stakes winning 7-year-old, Channel Maker captured both the Joe Hirsch and Sword Dancer last year ahead of a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf, which earned him Champion Turf Horse honors.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Channel Maker won both of his respective Joe Hirsch Turf Classics in wire-to-wire fashion garnering career best 108 Beyers.

After defeating a field of four Grade 1-winners by 4 ½ lengths in 2018, Channel Maker earned his second Joe Hirsch Turf Classic victory two years later, winning by 2 ¼ lengths under Manny Franco. He joined his sire English Channel amongst a compact group of horses to have won multiple runnings of the Joe Hirsch. A triumph this year would make Channel Maker the only horse to win three.

Channel Maker, one of five millionaires in the field, boasts the largest bankroll with earnings of $3,266,551. He is also the most seasoned amongst his competitors with a record of 41-7-6-5.

Franco will ride from post 6.

Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger and the Estate of Peter Coneway's Arklow, the 2019 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic winner, will vie to join Channel Maker and Val's Prince [1997, 99] as horses to win non-consecutive Joe Hirsch Turf Classics.

Trained by Brad Cox, the durable 7-year-old son of Arch secured his only Grade 1 victory when defeating Channel Maker by a half-length two years ago.

Sporting a ledger of 35-9-8-2, Arklow has won at least one graded stakes race every year since 2017. After rounding out his 6-year-old season with a win in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup in November at Del Mar, Arklow made his seasonal bow when coming from 10 lengths off the pace to win the Grade 3 Louisville on May 15 at Churchill Downs.

Arklow arrives off a late closing second in the Grade 3 Calumet Turf Cup on September 11 at Kentucky Downs, a race he had won in 2018 and 2020.

“He had a tough trip last out at Kentucky Downs but he ran a really good race,” Cox said. “He came out of the race in good shape and had two nice works on the turf at Belmont. He's made almost $3 million in his career and it would be exciting to win this race for the second time.”

Jose Lezcano picks up the mount from post 2.

In pursuit of his third Joe Hirsch victory, trainer Chad Brown will saddle Serve the King [post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Rockemperor [post 4, Javier Castellano].

Peter Brant's Serve the King earned his first stakes victory last out in the restricted John's Call on August 25 at Saratoga, which he won a half-length. The lightly-raced 5-year-old son of Kingman sports a consistent record of 9-4-1-1.

Rockemperor, owned by Madaket Stable, Michael Dubb, Wonder Stable, Michael E. Kisber and Michael J. Caruso, was fourth in the Sword Dancer last out. The seven-time graded stakes-placed son of Holy Roman Emperor last found the winner's circle in a 10-furlong allowance optional claiming tilt on June 26 at Belmont. He will race with blinkers off on Saturday.

Completing the field is Three Diamonds Farm's Cross Border who enters off a third in the Sword Dancer for trainer Mike Maker. Unplaced in the last two Joe Hirsch Turf Classics, the New York-bred 7-year-old secured graded stakes victories with back-to-back wins in the Grade 2 Bowling Green at Saratoga [2020-21].

Cross Border was bred in New York by Berkshire Stud and B.D. Gibbs. Luis Saez will ride from post 5.

The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational is named in honor of the late journalist, the founding president of the National Turf Writers Association, and recipient of the Eclipse Award of Merit [1992]. The press box at Saratoga Race Course is named in honor of Hirsch.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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Pocket Square Gets 92 Beyer Speed Figure For Athenia, Brown Targets Champagne For Jack Christopher

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown saddled Pocket Square and Miss Teheran to a one-two finish in Saturday's $200,000 Grade 3 Athenia, a nine-furlong inner turf test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The victory provided Brown with his 100th graded stakes win at Belmont Park, joining Hall of Famers Todd Pletcher and Shug McGaughey as the only conditioners to reach the century mark of graded stakes wins at Belmont.

Juddmonte homebred Pocket Square, with Irad Ortiz, Jr. up, rated in fourth outside rivals before advancing wide through the turn and powering home a 2 1/2-length winner, garnering a 92 Beyer. She paid $2.90 as the odds-on favorite.

Pocket Square, a 4-year-old Night of Thunder chestnut, entered from a 4 1/4-length optional-claiming win traveling nine furlongs on the turf at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on August 25.

“I'm really pleased with how she came out of the race and I'm really happy the way she's put a couple of nice wins together now – impressive wins,” Brown said. “We have her back on track. We've always thought a lot of her.”

Pocket Square, sixth in her lone sophomore start in the Group 3 Musidora at York, was a Group 3 winner as a juvenile in France for her former conditioner Roger Charlton. She notched a debut win for Brown in a 1 1/16-mile allowance tilt at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., in April and followed with back-to-back fifth-place finishes in Grade 1 company in the one-mile Longines Just a Game in June at Belmont and the nine-furlong Diana in August at Saratoga.

Brown said he left the Athenia trip in the capable hands of Ortiz, Jr.

“I certainly wanted her to stay out of trouble as the heavy favorite in a short field, so I did leave it up to Irad,” Brown said. “He knew what he had and he had a plan. Irad has really focused on trying to get to know this horse. He has a terrific record on her. He's ridden her so well. He's been very helpful with the development of her over here.”

Brown said he may have rushed Pocket Square into her recent Grade 1 efforts but that the filly's recent efforts are encouraging.

“Now that I've had a chance to regroup and given her a couple of easier races, she's shown the ability we saw over the winter,” Brown said. “It's probably time now to step into a higher level race again. I'm not sure where or when yet, but her training will guide us.”

Brown said he spoke with Juddmonte general manager Garrett O'Rourke following the race and would even consider stretching Pocket Square out in distance.

“It did strike me yesterday when she stormed to the front and kicked on to the wire and beyond that this filly can run further than I originally thought of her when I started this campaign in the spring at Keeneland,” Brown said. “She looked the part potentially of a miler on form when she came over here.

“I saw something yesterday when she got to the wire and on out that she seemed steady and strong as she kept going out,” Brown added. “I wouldn't be afraid to try her longer distances. I wouldn't have thought of that in the spring or earlier in the summer, but your opinion can change if they develop, certainly.”

Miss Teheran rallied from the back of the pack under Manny Franco to complete the Athenia exacta, but was pulled up in the gallop out and provided a precautionary ride home in the equine ambulance.

“Unfortunately she bled in the race. It's uncharacteristic for her. We'll have to regroup with her and figure out her future,” Brown said.

Swift Thoroughbreds, Madaket Stables, and Wonder Stables' Tamahere romped gate-to-wire in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile Violet at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., contested over yielding turf.

The victory, which garnered a career-best 104 Beyer, was the 4-year-old Wootton Bassett filly's first win since the one-mile Grade 2 Sands Point in October at Belmont in her North American debut, following a trio of starts in her native France.

Tamahere entered the Violet from a pacesetting fourth in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa in August at Saratoga.

“It's nice to get her back on track. Obviously, she's been really keen in her races,” Brown said. “Her year didn't quite go as we planned based on how we started her career over here with an impressive off-the-pace win in the Sands Point, but she's definitely had some difficulties since then and some keen situations and such and been a little inconsistent.

“It was nice to let her cruise along on the lead at Monmouth,” he added. “She certainly loved the course.”

Klaravich Stables' McKulick and e Five Thoroughbreds' Kinchen worked five-eighths in company Sunday on the Belmont inner turf in 1:02.09 in preparation for Saturday's Grade 2 Miss Grillo, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for juvenile fillies.

McKulick, by Frankel and out of the Makfi mare Astrelle, graduated on debut in a 1 1/6-mile turf maiden on August 8 at Saratoga with Ortiz, Jr. up.

Kinchen, by Lope de Vega and out of the Galileo mare Miss Nouriya, rallied to finish second in her August 29 debut at 1 1/16 miles on the Saratoga turf under Tyler Gaffalione.

My Sister Nat [1:00.80] and Orglandes [1:00.40] breezed five-eighths in company on the inner turf in preparation for Sunday's Grade 3 Fasig-Tipton Waya at 11 furlongs on the inner turf.

“They both went super,” Brown said.

Peter Brant's My Sister Nat, a Group 3-winner in France, won last year's Waya when it was contested at 12 furlongs on the Saratoga turf. The 6-year-old Acclamation bay sports a record of 19-3-7-5 with purse earnings of $660,672.

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael J. Caruso's Orglandes, a 5-year-old French-bred daughter of Le Havre, won the Grade 3 Red Carpet Handicap in November at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. She has finished sixth in a pair of Grade 2 starts this year in the Sheepshead Bay in May at Belmont and the Glens Falls in August at the Spa.

Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's promising Grade 1 Champagne aspirant Jack Christopher breezed five-eighths in company with sophomore maiden winner Pipeline in 1:00 flat Saturday on the main track.

“Two nice horses there. They both came out of it well,” Brown said. “He's [Jack Christopher] on target for the Champagne. Pipeline, I'm considering waiting and running him in the Perryville at Keeneland later in the meet. He just broke his maiden but his figures are so fast, I'd like to see how the race comes up.”

Jack Christopher, a Munnings chestnut who was purchased for $135,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, registered a 92 Beyer for his 8 3/4-length debut score in a six-furlong maiden special weight on August 28 at Saratoga.

John Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock Services' Pipeline, by Speightstown and out of the Empire Maker mare Vivo Per Lei, graduated at fourth asking in a seven-furlong maiden tilt on September 4 at Saratoga. The bay colt's 3 1/4-length score matched a career-best 97 Beyer.

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Klaravich Stables' Domestic Spending worked five-eighths on the inner turf in 1:01.52 in company with Rockemperor [1:01.45].

Domestic Spending, a three-time Grade 1-winner, finished second last out in the Grade 1 Mr. D. on August 14 at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Ill. Brown said the 4-year-old Kingman gelding is likely to make his next start in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf in November at Del Mar.

“I'm going train him [Domestic Spending] to the Breeders' Cup and I'm not sure what I'm going to do with Rockemperor yet,” Brown said.

Technical Analysis breezed five-eighths in 1:02.65 on the inner turf in preparation for the Grade 1 QEII Challenge Cup on October 16 at Keeneland.

“She breezed really good this morning,” Brown said.

Public Sector [1:02.11] and Sifting Sands [1:02.08] breezed five-eighths in company on the inner turf in preparation for the $400,000 Grade 2 Hill Prince, a nine-furlong turf test for sophomores on October 23 at Belmont.

Klaravich Stables' Gerrymander worked a half-mile in :48.77 on the Belmont main track Sunday in preparation for next Sunday's Grade 1 Frizette against a tough field led by Echo Zulu for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Gerrymander, a 2-year-old Into Mischief bay, garnered a 73 Beyer in her second-out maiden score sprinting six furlongs on the Saratoga main track on August 29.

“I know that's a tough spot but she broke her maiden and I want to try her at a mile,” Brown said. “I like the way the horse is training but she's going to have to really step up. This is a really strong race. Asmussen's filly is in there and I think she's the best 2-year-old dirt filly I've seen run, so everyone has their work cut out for them.”

Klaravich Stables' Portfolio Company breezed a half-mile in :49.05 on the Belmont main track.

Brown said the 2-year-old Kitten's Joy colt, runner-up last out in the Grade 3 With Anticipation, has been training with a new bit and will be piloted by Joel Rosario in the Grade 2 Pilgrim.

“He had a little work on the dirt today and it thought he went well,” Brown said. “I just put a different bit on him for a little more control.”

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Brown Chasing Record Fourth Score In Sword Dancer With Tribhuvan, Rockemperor

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will saddle a pair of strong contenders in Tribhuvan and Rockemperor, who will square off against a talented field of Grade/Group 1-winners in Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer at Saratoga Race Course.

The Sword Dancer, contested at 1 1/2-miles on the inner turf for older horses, provides a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1, $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf on November 6 at Del Mar and is part of a loaded Runhappy Travers Day card featuring seven stakes and six Grade 1s, offering $4.6 million in total purse money.

Headlined by the 152nd running of the $1.25 million Runhappy Travers, the stakes-laden undercard also includes the Grade 1, $600,000 Personal Ensign presented by Lia Infiniti; Grade 1, $500,000 Ketel One Ballerina; Grade 1, $600,000 Forego; and Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, along with the Grade 2, $400,000 Ballston Spa.

Brown, who has won this event previously with Big Blue Kitten [2013], Flintshire [2016] and Annals of Time [2019], is tied with Hall of Famer Bill Mott, represented here by defending champion Channel Maker, with a record three Sword Dancer scores.

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables and Michael J. Caruso's Tribhuvan, a 5-year-old French-bred son of Toronado, has utilized a front-running approach to record consecutive triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in three starts this year.

Tribhuvan posted a dynamic score in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Fort Marcy [103] in May ahead of a runner-up effort to stablemate Domestic Spending in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Manhattan [101] in June, both at Belmont.

Last out, Tribhuvan made every pole a winning one to capture the 11-furlong Grade 1 United Nations [102] over firm Monmouth Park turf on July 17.

Brown said Tribhuvan has reached a new level since being gelded in January.

“He surprised me that he's turned into the frontrunning horse that he is now,” Brown said. “We've gone on with it and he's changed since we gelded him as well. He's developing beyond my expectations and I'm really proud of the horse. He continues to get better.”

The Irish-bred Rockemperor, a 5-year-old multiple graded-stakes placed son of Holy Roman Emperor, will look to break through at the top flight.

Owned by Madaket Stables, Dubb, Wonder Stables, Caruso and Michael E. Kisber, Rockemperor has hit the board in 3-of-4 starts in Grade 1 company, including a third in the 2019 Belmont Derby; a neck loss when second to Instilled Regard in last year's Manhattan at Belmont; and third in the Turf Classic in September at Churchill Downs.

Rockemperor won a 10-furlong optional-claiming event in June at Belmont ahead of a closing second last out in the 11-furlong Grade 2 Bowling Green won by Sword Dancer-rival Cross Border.

“He ran well last time. He's a horse that's always knocking on the door in these bigger races, so hopefully he steps it up here,” Brown said.

Flavien Prat will pilot Tribhuvan, carrying a field-high 124 pounds, from the inside post, while Irad Ortiz, Jr. will guide Rockemperor, listed at 118 pounds, from post 3.

Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, R. A. Hill Stable and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Channel Maker has racked up a number of accomplishments through 40 starts, including a 2017 Sovereign Award as Canada's Champion 3-Year-Old Colt and an Eclipse Award last year as the nation's Champion Turf Male.

With seven wins and more than $3.2 million in purse earnings, the multiple Grade 1-winner will make his fourth straight Sword Dancer appearance following a second in 2018, a fourth in 2019 and a win last year to highlight his championship campaign that also included a score in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont.

“He's a very durable horse,” Mott said. “He stays in good flesh, eats good, shows up to work every day. He doesn't have a lot of issues. He's just been a real warrior.”

The 7-year-old English Channel gelding, bred in Ontario by the Tall Oaks Farm of Ivan Dalos, will look to get back on track after a pair of off-the-board efforts following his good second in the Neom Turf Cup in February at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.

Mott, who sent out Fraise [1992] and Broadway Flyer [1998] to Sword Dancer scores, will task regular rider Manny Franco to engineer a winning effort from post 4 on a course Channel Maker [122 pounds] performs well on.

“He does like it here,” Mott said. “I suppose a lot depends upon how the race shapes up for him. That's always important.”

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Masaaki Matsushima, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith's Japan, trained by Aidan O'Brien, will make his first start in North America.

The 5-year-old multiple Group 1-winning son of Galileo arrived in New York on Monday in the care of traveling assistant T.J. Comerford and after clearing quarantine was able to train Wednesday morning.

“We got out on to the track this morning and trotted around the opposite direction and then cantered back past the winning post. It was something just very light,” Comerford said.

Japan, who boasts a record of seven wins and four thirds from 18 starts with purse earnings in excess of $2.1 million, posted consecutive Group 1-wins in 2019 in the 12-furlong Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp and the 1 5/16-mile Juddmonte International at York.

Japan has notched a pair of Group 3 wins in four starts this campaign, taking the 1 11/16-mile Ormond in May at Chester and the nine-furlong Meld last out on July 15 at Leopardstown.

“The last day in Leopardstown when he won, he was very good,” said Comerford. “Going a mile and an eighth he had to be at his quickest to win it and he did. He showed plenty of boot there and that was good for him. He's in very good form.”

Comerford said he's hopeful that Japan will return to Grade 1-winning form as he stretches back out to his preferred distance.

“After winning a Juddmonte International, he's on his way back I think. Hopefully, he turns up on the day,” Comerford said. “A mile and a half is better for him than a mile and an eighth, but it's good that he's won over a mile and a eighth, because it shows that he's got a bit of speed as well. You just want a true run race every time you come here.”

Ryan Moore will guide Japan, assigned 120 pounds, from post 6.

Otter Bend Stables' Gufo, a 4-year-old son of Declaration of War, captured last year's Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational for trainer Christophe Clement.

A tremendous sophomore season, in which the chestnut won 4-of-6 starts, also featured wins in the English Channel at Gulfstream and the Grade 3 Kent at Delaware Park.

Gufo [122 pounds] has made three of his last four starts in Grade 1 company, beginning with a neck loss when third in the Hollywood Derby in November at Del Mar and continuing through a nose loss to Channel Cat in the Man o' War in May at Belmont and a closing third in the Manhattan in June. Last out, Gufo found class relief by capturing the $150,000 Grand Couturier traveling 1 1/2 miles on July 5 at Belmont.

Joel Rosario will retain the mount from post 2.

Three Diamonds Farm's Cross Border, a 7-year-old New York-bred son of English Channel, thrives on the Saratoga turf with a record of 7-6-1-0 led by back-to-back wins in the Grade 2 Bowling Green, albeit by disqualification last year when Sadler's Joy was taken down.

The ultra-consistent ridgling has amassed a record of 35-10-8-4 with purse earnings of $948,421. Bred in the Empire State by Berkshire Stud and B. D. Gibbs, Cross Border won three races at the 2019 Spa summer meet and last year won the restricted Lubash in addition to a runner-up effort in the Sword Dancer, his only loss at Saratoga.

Conditioned by Mike Maker, Cross Border [122 pounds] will exit post 7 under the Spa's leading rider Luis Saez.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will send out multiple graded-stakes placed Moretti for his turf debut. The regally-bred 5-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro, out of the Grade 1-winning Concerto mare Rigoletta, breezed a half-mile in 49.02 on the Oklahoma training turf on August 22.

Owned by Repole Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Moretti captured the 1 3/4-mile Birdstone here over the main track last August.

Moretti [118 pounds] will exit post 5 under Jose Ortiz.

The Sword Dancer is slated as Race 11 on the 13-race card. First post is 11:35 a.m. Eastern. For the third consecutive year, FOX will air the Runhappy Travers as the centerpiece of a 90-minute telecast beginning at 5 p.m. The networks of FOX and FOX Sports will air 7.5 total hours of live racing and analysis on Runhappy Travers Day, with coverage scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. on FS1. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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Brown Prepares Miles D For Travers, Prat To Ride

Trainer Chad Brown said Peter Brant's Miles D will race in the $1.25 million Grade 1 Runhappy Travers on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where he will be ridden by jockey Flavien Prat.

Second to Dynamic One in the Curlin last out on July 30, a race named after his multiple champion-producing sire, Miles D broke his maiden by 2 ¼ lengths off seven month's rest going a one-turn mile on June 12 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

In his debut on October 11 at Belmont Park, Miles D was a close fourth behind subsequent stakes winner Caddo River and multiple graded stakes winner Greatest Honour. The winner of that event, Speaker's Corner, defeated winners on Saturday.

Miles D breezed a half-mile Saturday in :50.04 over the Saratoga main track.

“He's going to have to take a big step forward in the Travers, but he's training well,” Brown said.

On Saturday, Brown sent multiple Grade 1-winner Domestic Spending to Arlington Park for the Grade 1 Mister D., a race formerly known as the Arlington Million. Sent off as the heavy 2-5 favorite, the consistent son of Kingman tracked slow fractions set by Two Emmys and closed late to finish second beaten a neck behind the pacesetter.

Domestic Spending, owned by Klaravich Stables, secured three Grade 1 victories entering the Mister D. when capturing the Hollywood Derby on November 28 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., and arrived at nearly six month's rest to dead heat with Colonel Liam in the Bourbon Turf Classic on May 1 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. From there, he conquered the Manhattan on June 5 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

“I'm not sure if I'm going to train him up to the Breeders' Cup or not, we'll get him back home and see how he's doing,” Brown said.

Jeff Drown's New York-bred maiden winner Key Point won on debut going six furlongs on August 12 over the Spa main track. The son of Into Mischief registered an 82 Beyer for the victory.

“We're going to see how he comes out of the race and get him back under tack, but so far so good. We'll point to something at Belmont,” Brown said.

Brown sent out a handful of horses for turf works over the Oklahoma training turf on Sunday morning, including Rockemperor, who went a half-mile in :48.60 seconds in company with Flighty Lady.

Brown said Rockemperor, second to Cross Border in the Grade 2 Bowling Green on July 31 last out, will point to the $600,000 Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Invitational on August 28.

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