Baby Yoda earned his first graded stakes win in the True North Stakes (G2) on Belmont Stakes (G1) day, June 8, and he returns to his favorite track to try for a second graded stakes score in the July 27 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
Four of the 6-year-old Prospective gelding's nine wins and nearly half of his $837,220 earnings have come at Saratoga, where he has raced six times. Owned by Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, and Jerold Zaro, Baby Yoda is trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott.
"It looks like it's going to be a tough race, but this is his favorite track, and to win on a day like that with the whole world watching and my partners and family there, it was really a lot of fun," said co-owner Adam Wachtel of Baby Yoda's True North score. "He's had some big performances at Saratoga, so it's a special place for him and for all of us. It's my favorite track to win a race at, so it was great."
Baby Yoda will break from post 4 under Eric Cancel carrying 122 pounds. He is 7-2 on the morning line.
The horse is strong with this one! 🌟 BABY YODA wins the Grade 2 True North Stakes presented by @fwwebb under @Ericcancel85 for trainer Bill Mott. pic.twitter.com/u9VrprCG8D
— Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) June 8, 2024
He will face some daunting competition in 6-5 favorite Skelly, trained by Steve Asmussen and owned by Red Lane Thoroughbreds, which paid $250,000 for the son of Practical Joke as a yearling. Red Lane attempted to pinhook him the following year with consignor Pick View, only to have him fail to meet his reserve, drawing a final bid of $350,000. In a 16-race career for his owners, Skelly has earned $1.6 million and is twice a graded stakes winner. The speedster, who has sometimes broken a bit slowly this year, will carry top weight of 123 pounds and will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. from post 6.
Trainer Wesley Ward's multiple graded stakes-placed Nakatomi (Firing Line) will break from post 1 carrying 120 pounds with Tyler Gaffalione in the saddle. Owned by Qatar Racing and Mrs. Fitriani Hay, the 5-year-old gelding will be making his first start since a third-place finish in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1). The well-traveled chestnut, who has run at 10 tracks on three continents, has a win and third at Saratoga, where he won an allowance optional claiming race over a sloppy track last year. He is the morning-line second choice at 5-2.
Making his graded stakes debut, Subrogate (Arrogate) will carry 119 pounds and be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. Winner of an allowance optional claiming race at Saratoga during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, he is owned by Colts Neck Stables and trained by Jorge Duarte Jr. He comes to the Vanderbilt with a three-race win streak, albeit against much lighter competition.
Completing the field are longshots Twisted Ride (Great Notion ), a Pennsylvania-bred who was second in last year's Runhappy Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park, and My Buddy B (Creative Cause ), making his third start after being claimed for $25,000 at Turfway Park in March.
Post time for the Vanderbilt is 3:20 p.m. ET, race 6 on a 12-race card.
Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, July 27, 2024, Race 6Entries: Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (G1)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Nakatomi (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 120 Wesley A. Ward 5/2 2 2Twisted Ride (PA) Kendrick Carmouche 117 Michael M. Moore 20/1 3 3My Buddy B (KY) Yan Aviles 116 Krista Nicole Hetrick 20/1 4 4Baby Yoda (FL) Eric Cancel 122 William I. Mott 7/2 5 5Subrogate (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 119 Jorge Duarte, Jr. 7/2 6 6Skelly (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 123 Steven M. Asmussen 6/5
