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The 62nd running of the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., was not without some anxious moments during the stretch run, but Cross Border, 10 days removed from a victory in the Lubash, was awarded the victory and kept an unbeaten record at Saratoga intact for leading owner Three Diamonds Farm and trainer Mike Maker.

The dark bay son of English Channel was named the winner of the 1 3/8-mile event over the Mellon turf following the disqualification of four-time graded stakes winning millionaire Sadler's Joy, who was placed fourth due to interference within the final eighth of a mile. Cross Border arrived at the Bowling Green off a 6 1/4-length victory in the Lubash on July 22.

Stable mate Marzo established command heading into the first turn and opened up by five lengths past the Saratoga grandstand through an opening quarter-mile in 25.30 seconds and a half in 50.38 seconds over a firm turf course.

Meanwhile, jockey Jose Ortiz had Cross Border tucked along the rail in fourth with Sadler's Joy just to his outside. Approaching the far turn, Ortiz gave Cross Border his cue while Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano did the same aboard Sadler's Joy. At the top of the stretch, Cross Border was five wide in between horses with Sadler's Joy in pursuit.

In the final furlong, Sadler's Joy assumed command with Cross Border and Channel Maker to his inside coming in close quarters and crossed the wire first by a neck in a final time of 2:14.77.

Highland Sky, who crossed the wire third, was subsequently elevated to second.

Following the race, the stewards ruled that Sadler's Joy would be disqualified from first to fourth due to lugging into the path of Cross Border and Channel Maker who crossed the wire second and fourth respectively. Following the ruling, Channel Maker was elevated to third.

The official remaining order of finish was Sadler's Joy, Marzo and Dot Matrix. Pillar Mountain was scratched.

The triumph was a fifth victory in as many starts over the Saratoga turf for Cross Border, who joined Maker's stable last year.

“We weren't sure which horse would be the pacesetter, but Marzo coming off the layoff was up there. I thought Marzo ran an incredible race. When it comes down to a street fight, Cross Border is awfully tough,” Maker said.

The victory pushed Cross Border's lifetime earnings past the half-million mark to $534,471 after banking $137,500 in victory. He returned $6.40 for a $2 win wager.

The Bowling Green marked a fifth win of the meet for current leading owners Three Diamonds Farm.

“This is just a gutsy New York bred and it's good for the game that they can breed a New York bred that can win a Grade 2 at Saratoga,” said Three Diamonds Farm owner Kirk Wycoff. “We love the Bowling Green. We were second in it three years ago with Bigger Picture. It was a calculated risk to come back in 10 days and we weren't all in agreement, but Mike Maker made the decision and obviously it was the right one.”

The win was a third stakes victory of the meet for Maker, who also saddled Somelikeithotbrown to victory in Sunday's Grade 2 Bernard Baruch over the inner turf.

Bred in New York by Berkshire Stud and B.D. Gibbs, Cross Border is out of the Empire Maker broodmare Empress Josephine and comes from the same family as leading New York sire Central Banker.

Castellano, aboard Sadler's Joy, stated his case and said the contact was incidental.

“You could see I hit the hole when it opened and I saw the [other] horse, but I never came over,” Castellano said. “We were all on the same line and I think the inside horses was involved a little bit and we all ended up caught in an overreaction. Of course, that put everyone under pressure and they were going to blame the horse on the outside [Sadler's Joy]. It was a decision for the stewards.”

Live racing returns on Sunday with a 10-race card which features the $100,000 Birdstone for 4-year-olds and upward going 1 ¾ miles over the main track. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

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Three Diamonds Farm's Cross Border supported his heavy favoritism and kept a perfect record at Saratoga intact with a 6 ¼-length triumph in the inaugural running of the $85,000 Lubash on Wednesday over the Mellon turf at Saratoga Race Course.

The Mike Maker-trained dark bay son of English Channel arrived at the 1 1/16-mile event for New York-breds off a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Manhattan on July 4 at Belmont Park, where he finished a length behind Instilled Regard. Wednesday's race was his first start against his Empire State-bred counterpart since winning an allowance optional claiming event over Saratoga's inner turf in August 2019.

Breaking from the inside post under jockey Jose Ortiz, Cross Border took back and tipped off the inside moving into the three-path in third position as Blewitt led the field into the first turn. With The J Y tracking right to his outside in second, Blewitt controlled the pace through easy opening fractions of 25.48 seconds for the quarter-mile and 48.95 for the half over the firm turf course.

Around the far turn, Cross Border began inching his way into contention as Blewitt maintained his advantage under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez. Past the three-sixteenths pole, Cross Border had it all wrapped up, hitting the wire in 1:41.75. Rapt was second, a nose ahead of Blewitt. The J Y completed the order of finish. Dante's Fire and main track only entrant Yankee Division were scratched.

Returning $2.60 for a $2 win bet, Cross Border made his eighth trip to the winner's circle in 25 starts. Additionally, the Lubash was a first stakes triumph for Cross Border, who previously earned graded stakes black type when second in the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight at Gulfstream Park on January 25. Banking $46,750 in victory, Cross Border has now accumulated lifetime earnings of $396,971. A three-time winner over the turf at Saratoga last year, Cross Border is now unbeaten in four starts at the Spa.

“It looked like Todd's horse [Blewitt, No. 6] and Cross Border were the speed of the race. He's done well in the past stalking but on paper he looked like the class,” Maker said. “I think his tactical speed helps him, but also being a New York-bred and the conditions he had really helped him last year. Plus, it was a four-horse field here and a drop in class can't hurt.”

Maker did not rule out a start in the Grade 1, $500,000 Sword Dancer on August 29 at Saratoga, which offers an automatic berth into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf on November 7 at Keeneland.

“It could be against New York-breds or it could be the Sword Dancer, but it will be something up here,” Maker said. “He's run very well up here last year and started off well here this year.”

Ortiz said that the trip went according to plan.

“He can go for bigger things in the future. He did it pretty easy,” Ortiz said. “I knew I had the 1-hole so I decided to take him back from the get-go and put him in that winning position. I knew Blewitt had some speed and the other horse outside me [The J Y, No. 2] had some speed, too. I didn't want get into a bad position with him, I just wanted to ride him like he was much the best.”

Bred in New York by Berkshire Stud and B.D. Gibbs, Cross Border is out of the Empire Maker broodmare Empress Josephine and comes from the same family as leading New York sire Central Banker.

Live racing returns on Thursday with a 10-race card which features the $100,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series (Statue of Liberty) for 3-year-old fillies over the Mellon turf course and the Grade 1, $100,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase going 2 1/16 miles. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

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