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Breeders’ Cup Winner Public Sector Finds Rail Spot To Prevail In Grade 2 Hall Of Fame Stakes

Public Sector (GB) emerged victorious from a relaxed rail trip in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga on Friday, Aug. 6. Jockey Flavien Prat got the Chad Brown favorite away from the gate well and seemed pointed for an early lead, but settled in along the rail and let Next and Wolfie's Dynaghost dictate the early pace for much of the one-mile contest on the inner turf. As the field began bunching up around the final turn, Public Sector seemed initially boxed in but found a gap along the rail and burst through, holding off a late challenge from Annex.

There was a stewards' inquiry into the stretch run, where Annex crossed over from the outside of rival Original under right handed urging from jockey Junior Alvarado. Original subsequently took a serious bobble and seemed to trip as though he caught the heels of Annex, and jockey Luis Saez pulled Original up before the finish line. Original was unsaddled and walked off the track alongside his groom, under his own power. There was no change to the order of finish as the result of the inquiry.

Annex was left up as second, with In Effect third and Next fourth. The final time for the mile was 1:35.03, with fractional times of 1:11.37, :47.56, and :23.91.

As the 4-5 favorite, Public Sector paid $3.80, $2.50, and $2.10.

Public Sector came to the race off a second-place finish in the Manila Stakes at Belmont (where he was second behind Original), and was last year's G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner. Klaravich Stables owns the 3-year-old son of Kingman (GB) and Montjeu (IRE) mare Parle Moi (IRE). Public Sector was bred in Great Britain by The Kathryn Stud. The colt was a $217,822 purchase by Klaravich from the Tattersalls October Sale, where he was consigned by Clearwater Stud.

See the full chart here.

G2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Quotes, courtesy NYRA Press Office

Chad Brown, winning trainer of Public Sector (No. 2, $3.80*): “Our plan was to leave out of there with intention. It looked like there was a lot of speed on paper but make them go, get our spot and if they're going to go, go. If not, we'll be there. As it turned out, they actually weren't going. The 47 and 3 [half-mile] is solid but it's been dry here and in a graded race at Saratoga, that's not that fast for these horses. Flavien [Prat] does many things wonderfully and that was one of them. He gives you a chance to win by adapting to the pace right away. If you give him the right horse, he's going to deliver for you.”

On winning for Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables: “We've become very close friends and he's such a loyal supporter of our stable and he provides us with these wonderful horses like you saw today with Public Sector. He's a real sportsman and always does the right thing by the horse and he gets rewarded because of that.”

Flavien Prat, winning jockey aboard Public Sector (No. 2): “The first time I rode him, I was really close to the pace and he won a nice race [on June 4 at Belmont Park]. Last time, I think it was just a slow pace. I got stuck behind horses. He couldn't really bring me anywhere around the turn and I had to make up a lot of ground on the slow pace [second in the Manilla on July 4 at Belmont]. Today, we had a good draw and he broke well and put me in the race. The pace was a bit stronger and it worked out well.

“I thought I was going to be able to go around the leader, but then I saw the leader came out and I dropped in and had room.

“We were pretty much making the move together but when I really asked him to make the move, he responded well.”

Junior Alvarado, jockey aboard runner-up Annex (No. 1): “I was moving with Luis Saez [aboard No. 6, Original] and we both made the run. At the time, I was moving more forward than him and I felt him bump me on my rear end. I knew I was still straight in my path. After that, when he was out of there, I started coming again. My horse put in a good run today and I was happy with him.

“It may have cost me a few lengths but I didn't have much room on the inside. The winner had the trip and I really didn't have another way to go but just move outside.”

Luis Saez, rider aboard Original (No. 6) who did not finish the race: “The horse was OK. He just clipped heels.”

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Racing And Gaming Conference Of Saratoga Returns With A More Mainstream Approach

In recent racing seasons, the Albany Law School's Racing and Gaming Conference was a hub for lawyers and racing industry executives to gather and discuss legal issues facing the racing and wagering industries. After the 2019 edition of the conference, it seemed the event may have run its course, as the college decided it would no longer host the event, which is traditionally held in Saratoga between the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale and the Jockey Club Round Table.

Attorney Patrick Brown, co-founder of Brown & Weinraub, couldn't let it go.

“I was very disappointed because I worked on it for many years,” Brown said. “I decided, well I know the conference, so why don't I step up and try to do it myself?”

Brown was on the event's advisory board for the law school, and had been a panelist, sponsor, and speaker at various times during the life of the event. The conference had been offered for continuing education credits for equine attorneys, but Brown had bigger ideas of what it could be.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic struck and one of Brown's first actions as the new organizer of the event was to cancel its 2020 edition. He delayed planning the 2021 conference until it became clear that the Saratoga race meet would go on with fans in attendance. Then, he got to work.

As the product of a law school, the conference has previously been focused on academic legal subjects. Brown wanted to open it up a bit, so racing fans and industry professionals could find an engaging topic presented in a way that made sense to them. While lawyers still make up a portion of the speakers and panelists at this year's event, Brown has balanced them with non-attorneys whose perspective he finds key to the issues at hand.

“I wanted to move the focus of the conference from academic/lawyer to some academics, lots of industry folks, and if we can attract some fans, just regular people who are really interested in horse racing and the gambling industry, I wanted to try to make the panels attractive to fans as well – and potential participants in horse racing,” Brown said. “I think we lawyers can get into the weeds quickly. It's interesting, and the panels I participated in were very good for lawyers but I wanted to make it less of that and more accessible to non-lawyers.”

This year's topics include an examination of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) and its challenges, information on decoupling, ownership models, sports betting in New York, mobile sports betting, esports wagering, and tribal gaming.

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Brown has also moved the event from a hotel downtown to the 1863 Club at the track and will be partnering with the New York Racing Association for the first time. It always made sense to have the event during the race meet, but Brown wanted to connect it more directly with the experience of the track, which is the primary draw for most attendees.

In some ways, Brown said he has had a career's worth of preparation to structure an event like this one (although he admits he has had considerable organizational help from Spectrum Gaming Group). Brown worked in Gov. Mario Cuomo's Counsel's Office in the late 1980s, where he advised Cuomo on matters pertaining to racing, lottery, and tribal gaming law. After Cuomo left office, Brown worked for a firm with a number of racing industry clients before launching his own firm in 2001.

He is also a Thoroughbred owner.

Brown said there are two panels he's most excited about — one he will moderate on mobile sports wagering, and another titled 'Economics of Bookmaking,' which will feature a top Vegas attorney and a professional bookmaker.

“The point of that panel is to highlight that one of the fundamental challenges of the new sports wagering is to get people to change their behavior,” said Brown. “People who bet on sports in this country have been doing it the same way for a long time and when you bet with a bookie, you don't have to put the money up, you can bet on credit. There's advantages to doing it that way, and the authorized sports books have to now get people to change that behavior.

“I really like the array of policy choices you have to make when you're trying to create a rational horse racing and gambling policy in a state. It's really fascinating to me.”

The Racing and Gaming Conference at Saratoga will be held Aug. 16 and 17. Registration is available on site or in advance at this link.

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Brown Pair My Sister Nat, Orglandes Headline Saturday’s Glens Falls Stakes

My Sister Nat and Orglandes, who began racing in their native France before finding Grade 3 success in the United States, seek to give three-time meet-leading trainer and four-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown his first career victory in the Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

The 26th running of the 1 ½-mile Glens Falls for older fillies and mares on the inner turf, honoring the city located 15 miles north of Saratoga and nicknamed 'Hometown U.S.A.,' is one of five stakes worth a combined $2.87 million in purses on a spectacular program highlighted by the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney, one of the country's premiere races for older horses.

Peter Brant's My Sister Nat is a 6-year-old mare that has run well on the Saratoga turf since coming to the U.S. in the summer of 2019. Last year, she won the Grade 3 Waya at 1 ½ miles and was second as the favorite to Civil Union in the Glens Falls, beaten a length after encountering some trouble at the start.

Second by a head to Civil Union in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational last fall at Belmont Park, My Sister Nat ran fourth in Belmont's Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay in May to open her 2021 season. Last out, she rallied from far back to be third by two lengths on yielding ground in the Grade 2, 1 ¼-mile New York on June 4.

“She likes the course. I think that's important,” Brown said. “I much prefer to have a horse that's experienced over this turf course. She should be good.”

Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Wonder Stable and Michael Caruso's Orglandes came to the U.S. a year after her stablemate and went more than a year between races before finishing third in her stateside debut last September at Monmouth Park. She capped 2020 winning two straight including a cross-country trip to Del Mar for the Grade 3, 1 3/8-mile Red Carpet, rallying for a half-length triumph.

The 5-year-old Orglandes has raced once this year, finishing an even sixth in the Sheepshead Bay. She came to Saratoga from Belmont in June and has trained steadily on the grass for her return.

“Her first start of the year didn't go quite the way we planned so we regrouped with her and here we are. We look to get her back on track,” Brown said. “For whatever reason she just didn't show up. She came out of the race a little sore so I just kind of backed off. I have her back nice now, [she's] moving very well and looks healthy so we'll try again.”

Jose Ortiz has the call on My Sister Nat from post 5 while older brother Irad Ortiz, Jr. will be aboard Orglandes from post 4 in the field of seven.

The top three finishers from the Grade 3, 1 3/8-mile Robert G. Dick Memorial July 10 at Delaware Park – Dalika, Luck Money and Temple City Terror – will square off again in the Glens Falls. Bal Mar Equine's Dalika emerged from a protracted duel with Luck Money to prevail by a length, with Temple City Terror another three-quarters of a length back.

“She was pressed all the way by a long shot, every step of the way. I figured that would soften her up but she put that horse away and kind of rebroke again in the stretch and outran some nice fillies,” Dalika's trainer Al Stall, Jr. said. “That's what gave us a little confidence coming up here.”

The 5-year-old Dalika, bred in Germany, is a four-time stakes winner and has won three of seven starts since being stretched out late last winter. She has tried the distance twice, finishing second by less than a length to Temple City Terror in the May 22 Keertana at Churchill Downs.

“We're confident. If she's comfortable underneath the jock and there's no tug of war, so to speak, she runs a pretty nice race,” Stall said. “She's such an odd horse, a horse that goes this far and has that much energy doing it. You can't figure it out by training, just what we saw in some of her races. She's cost herself races by wrestling around with the jock. We kind of just give her head, let her bounce along and hopefully she'll settle down on her own.”

Regular rider Miguel Mena has the assignment from post 6.

Catherine Wills' homebred Luck Money, beaten favorite in the Robert G. Dick, has tried the Glens Falls distance twice before. The 4-year-old filly won the Zagora over a yielding course last fall at Belmont Park and was second to Blame Debbie, also as the wagering choice, in the June 13 Searching at Pimlico Race Course.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano will climb aboard for trainer Arnaud Delacour from outside post 7.

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R Unicorn Stable's Call Me Love takes a two-race win streak into the Glens Falls, neither by more than a neck, the margin of her most recent triumph in the 1 ½-mile River Memories July 11 at Belmont Park. She was beaten a neck by multiple Grade 1 winner Starship Jubilee in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa last summer at Saratoga.

“She actually lost to a very good filly in Starship Jubilee and lost nothing in defeat. She's proven that she does well in Saratoga,” said Miguel Clement, assistant to his father, trainer Christophe Clement. “If you believe in speed ratings, that was one of her best races in the Ballston Spa. The filly is doing well, we're based here, and it's time to go.

“It's a bit quick back from her last start, but the filly is doing well. It's time to be ambitious,” he added. “She's a very gutsy filly. She demonstrates that in the morning and, obviously, on race day. It's been fun.”

Junior Alvarado, up for each of her last two wins, gets the return call from post 1. Christophe Clement has four previous victories in the Glens Falls, the most recent being with Irish Mission in 2014.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott owns a record five Glens Falls victories – 1999, 2009 and 2015 through 2017. He will look to extend that mark with George Krikorian's War Like Goddess, a 4-year-old daughter of turf champion English Channel making just her sixth career start. Four of her first five races have resulted in wins, including the Grade 3 Orchid March 27 at Gulfstream Park and Grade 3 Bewitched April 23 at Keeneland, her most recent outing. Both wins came under Julien Leparoux, who rides back from post 3.

Completing the field is Pocket Aces Racing's Temple City Terror, a 5-year-old Temple City mare that has finished behind Dalika three times in six starts since mid-December including the Robert G. Dick last out, but beat her in the Keertana in her only previous try at 1 ½ miles.

“She's a nice filly. She's really done well since we stretched her out,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “Last time she had a tough trip at Delaware. She got in a little traffic and I think with a smoother trip, we would have been close. The filly that beat us is a very good filly, too. We beat her at Churchill and it was her turn at Delaware. There's not much between them.”

Tyler Gaffalione, who broke Temple City Terror's maiden in November 2019 at Churchill Downs, will be in the irons from post 2.

The Glens Falls is slated as Race 7 on Saturday's 12-race card, which offers a first post of 12:35 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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Bolshoi Ballet Returns To New York For Middle Leg Of Turf Triple

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg's Bolshoi Ballet will look to capture the second leg of NYRA's Turf Triple series for sophomores in Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Saratoga Derby Invitational at Saratoga Race Course.

The 1 3/16-mile Mellon turf test is one of three Grade 1 events on Saturday's 12-race card, led by the $1 million Whitney at nine-furlongs on the main track for older males and the $500,000 Longines Test for sophomore fillies at seven furlongs on the main track. The lucrative card is bolstered by the Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls at 12 furlongs on the inner turf for older fillies and mares and the $120,000 Fasig-Tipton Lure for older horses at 1 1/16-miles on the Mellon turf course.

Bolshoi Ballet, by the late Galileo and trained by Aidan O'Brien, was a visually-appealing winner of the 10-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational on July 10, capturing the first leg of NYRA's Turf Triple series by 1 1/4-lengths over good turf under jockey Ryan Moore's confident handling.

T.J. Comerford, traveling assistant for O'Brien, said the team is expecting another top performance.

“It's a good opportunity for him,' Comerford said. “He's doing well and came back here in good order. Aidan and the team are very happy with him at the moment. If he runs to his last race, he should be right there again.”

A victory on Saturday could set Bolshoi Ballet up to become the first horse to capture all three legs of the Turf Triple series that was inaugurated in 2019. The series concludes September 18 at Belmont with the 12-furlong $1 million Jockey Club Derby Invitational, which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Turf.

Following a juvenile campaign which included a four-length maiden triumph over yielding turf on October 16 at Leopardstown, Bolshoi Ballet launched his sophomore season with decisive wins in the Ballysax on April 11 and the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial on May 9, both Group 3 events at 1 1/4 miles at Leopardstown.

Bolshoi Ballet entered the Belmont Derby from a disappointing seventh as the beaten favorite in the Group 1 Epsom Derby on June 5, emerging with a cut to his right hind leg.

Bolshoi Ballet, who will exit from post 6 under Moore, who will look to provide O'Brien with his first Saratoga winner in his eighth attempt.

Moore, a three-time champion jockey in his native Great Britain, seeks his first win at Saratoga in his third attempt following a runner-up effort with Mendelssohn in the 2018 Grade 1 Travers and a sixth with Idaho in the 2017 Grade 1 Sword Dancer.

Alpha Racing's Cadillac, an Irish-bred son of Lope de Vega, cruised to victory in the one-mile Group 2 Champions Juvenile in September at Leopardstown for trainer Jessica Harrington.

Out of the Dansili mare Seas of Wells, Cadillac followed with a fifth-place effort in the seven-furlong Group 1 Dewhurst in October at Newmarket ahead of a closing fourth in the one-mile Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf in November at Keeneland.

Cadillac made a winning seasonal debut last out with a nose score over Dawn Patrol in the 10-furlong Group 3 ARM Holding International on June 26 at the Curragh.

Shane Foley retains the mount from post 4.

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Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's King Fury was pointed to last weekend's Grade 2 Jim Dandy before changing course towards a turf debut after his barn was placed under a precautionary quarantine – which was lifted on Sunday – due to a positive case of Equine Herpesvirus-1 in that barn.

Trained by Kenny McPeek, the Curlin chestnut captured the 1 1/16-mile Street Sense in October at Churchill Downs and made the grade in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Lexington in April at Keeneland.

Following a closing second to Masqueparade [who subsequently ran third in the Jim Dandy] last out on June 26 in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown, King Fury has breezed three times at Saratoga, including a five-eighths effort in 1:01.25 Sunday on the Oklahoma training turf.

McPeek said Saturday's test could serve as a prep for the Grade1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers at 10 furlongs on the Saratoga main track on August 28, a double last accomplished by Catholic Boy in 2018.

“We're really using this race as a prep for the Travers, which is something that Catholic Boy pulled off. So that will be interesting,” McPeek said. “I think he'll handle the grass just fine. He's a lovely horse. So hopefully, it's one step and a big one for him.”

McPeek, who will also saddle filly Swiss Skydiver in the Whitney, noted his previous success with versatile runners, including multiple graded stakes winner Frac Daddy who was an allowance winner on turf and the 2017 Kentucky Oaks runner-up Daddys Lil Darling, who captured that year's Grade 1 American Oaks on the Santa Anita turf.

“A good horse will run on just about anything given the chance,” McPeek said. “There's some throwback horses over the years I've had that were like that. I spent a lot of time around Einstein, and he ran on anything, Frac Daddy was another one who ran on about anything. Dr. Fager ran on both surfaces back in the day. Daddys Lil Darling ran on dirt and turf, it didn't matter. I could run Swiss Skydiver on the grass and it wouldn't bother her.”

Ortiz will pilot King Fury from the outermost post 11.

Trainer Charlie Appleby will saddle Godolphin's Secret Protector, a Kentucky-bred son of War Front, as he looks to build on his great success in Grade 1 NYRA turf events this year, following one-two finishes with fillies Althiqa and Summer Romance in both the Longines Just a Game in June at Belmont and the Diana last month at Saratoga.

An $800,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Secret Protector was a dominant winner of the 1 3/16-mile Meydan Trophy in February ahead of back-to-back runner-up efforts to well-regarded Mohaafeth in 10-furlong events, including the Newmarket in May and the Group 3 Hampton Court last out on June 17 at Ascot.

Chris Connett, traveling assistant for Appleby, said the distance should suit Secret Protector.

“Trip wise it looks really made for him,” Connett said. “His run at Ascot was very good. I know he didn't win but from where he was in the run to how he finished was quite striking. It's going to be a tough race with Aidan's horse and a few of the others but Charlie is fairly confident if he runs the race he run at Ascot, he will take a bit of beating.”

Connect said Secret Protector would prefer good-to-firm footing.

“He's fairly versatile. He wouldn't really want it like a road but on the quicker side of things is fine,” said Connett.

Hall of Famer Mike Smith rides from post 7.

Calumet Farm's Cellist, trained by Rusty Arnold, has hit the board in 4-of-5 starts. The Big Blue Kitten bay, out of the English Channel mare Cello, captured the nine-furlong Audubon in May over good Churchill Downs turf.

A prominent Cellist made the lead at the stretch call of the Belmont Derby under regular pilot Julien Leparoux but had to settle for third after being passed late by Bolshoi Ballet and runner-up Tokyo Gold.

Leparoux retains the mount from post 8.

Natalie J. Baffert and Debbie Lanni's Du Jour garnered an 89 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 American Turf in May at Churchill Downs. Last out, Du Jour endured a wide trip in the Belmont Derby but stayed on for fourth.

Du Jour will emerge from post 2 under Joel Rosario.

Trainer Mark Casse, who will be inducted to the Hall of Fame on Friday, will saddle John Oxley's late-running Palazzi. The Pioneerof the Nile colt finished sixth after exiting the inside post under Tyler Gaffalione in the Belmont Derby.

“He needs luck and pace. Two things he didn't have in his last start,” Casse said. “It was very frustrating because he was down on the inside with nowhere to go.”

Palazzi was a nose winner of the Texas Turf Mile in January at Sam Houston and two starts later closed to finish second in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Transylvania in April over good Keeneland turf.

He entered the Belmont Derby from a closing second to Cellist in the Audubon.
Gaffalione will guide Palazzi from post 3.

Edge Racing's Yes This Time has won 6-of-8 career starts, including stakes scores in his last two outings in the 1 1/16-mile English Channel in May over good Gulfstream Park turf and the Grade 3 Kent in July at Delaware traveling nine furlongs over soft going.

Trained by Kelly Breen, the Not This Time chestnut is out of the Smart Strike mare Smart Jilly, who is a full-sister to multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire Strike a Deal.

Yes This Time will leave from post 5 under Luis Saez.

Teme Valley's State of Rest, an Irish-bred son of Starspangledbanner trained by Joseph O'Brien, finished third in the seven-furlong Group 2 Champagne in September at Doncaster but failed to fire next out in the one-mile Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy in October on the same course.

Last out, State of Rest finished a close third in the one-mile Celebration, a half-length back of the victorious Fourhometwo and just a nose in arrears of runner-up Khartoum over good going on June 26 at the Curragh.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez will pilot State of Rest from post 9.

Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Morris Bailey, Wonder Stables and Michael Caruso's Soldier Rising, a British-bred son of Frankel, will make his graded-stakes debut for trainer Christophe Clement.

Soldier Rising has made all four career starts in France for his former conditioner Andre Fabre, including an allowance score traveling 12-furlongs over soft going in April at Chantilly. Last out, the bay gelding finished second in the listed Prix de l'Avre traveling 12-furlongs over soft ground at Longchamp.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. will guide Soldier Rising from the inside post.

Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, Nicolas Drion and Mathilde Powell's Flashiest has won 3-of-4 starts, including a first stakes score last out in the one-mile Oceanside at one-mile on firm Del Mar turf.

Trained by Leonard Powell, the Mizzen Mast gelding graduated at first asking in April in a maiden claimer at Turf Paradise and followed by besting winners in a one-mile optional-claimer in May at Santa Anita.

Jose Lezcano will guide Flashiest from post 10.

The Saratoga Derby is slated at Race 9 on Saturday's 12-race card. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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