European shippers swept Saturday's Grade 1 events at Saratoga Race Course with Title Role taking the $750,000 Belmont Derby and Kensington Lane dominating the $600,000 Belmont Oaks.
Will Stroud and Coolmore partners Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's Title Role, trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, exited post 9-of-10 in the nine-furlong Mellon turf route and was in a tussle into the first turn with Touch of Fire and West End Kid with the former showing the way through splits of 23.65 seconds, 49.20 and 1:13.15 over the firm footing.
Hall of Famer Velazquez gave Title Role his cue approaching the quarter-pole and was in front at the head of the lane, powering gamely to the wire to stave off the late lunge of West End Kid to notch a nose victory in a final time of 1:47.55. The winning effort earned an 86 Beyer Speed Figure.
The win completed a banner day for Stroud, who also celebrated Kensington Road's score in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks through an interest in co-owner Medallion Racing.
"When I got in this game I said that the hardest thing to do would be to win a Grade 1 at Saratoga. To get two on the same day on the Fourth of July, I'll take it. What a great way to start the meet," said Stroud, who watched the race on TV from the nation's capital where he was enjoying festivities surrounding America's 250th birthday celebration.
The victory marked a first Grade 1 win for Title Role, who had captured the Jumeirah Two Thousand Guineas under Ryan Moore in February at Meydan Racecourse and arrived from a 1 1/4-length win in the Group 2 German Two Thousand Guineas on May 25 at Cologne with Sean Levey aboard.
Les Reynolds, traveling assistant for the Crisfords, said Moore had indicated Title Role would appreciate stateside racing.
"Ryan Moore called it. He said this was the place for him and that was the race for him," Reynolds said. "He's a nice short-coupled horse, very versatile and he'll get around the bends. It really suits him here. He's just going to get better.
"From draw nine, Johnny V gave him a great ride," Reynolds added. "For a stride there, when he was getting a bit squeezed [in the first turn], I thought he might get too keen but they didn't go mad, they slowed it up and he gave him a great ride. In the straight, he stuck his head out and just ran. He has a massive heart. He's a perfect little racehorse."
Ed Crisford indicated post race that Title Role was likely to remain stateside, with one potential target being the Grade 1, $750,000 Saratoga Derby presented by Qatar Racing at 1 3/16-miles on August 8.
Stroud confirmed Sunday that the Saratoga Derby is the goal with the Crisfords to stay on as trainers.
"I believe we'll target the Saratoga Derby. We'll stay with the Crisfords through that race," Stroud said. "The more winners we can get at Saratoga the better."
Reynolds said Title Role exited his Grade 1 coup in good order.
"We're very happy with him. He ate everything, seems fine, legs are tight. He's full of it, he's bright," Reynolds said. "He ran so hard yesterday as well and all week he just grew. He's not a very big guy, but just in his character. I think he's going to thrive out here."
Paul Holley, exercise rider and assistant to the Crisfords, will stay on with Title Role for the time being in New York.
"He traveled over really well, took it well and he hasn't left his pot all week. He's eaten everything we've given him. He's just thrived all the way through, really. He just took everything in his stride," Holley said.
Holley credited Title Role for fighting on bravely in his first start beyond one mile.
"They went hard early. He's done it the hard way really, but he's got a big heart and he's tough. It got a bit tight towards the end there. I thought we'd got beaten on the line, but the result was right in the end," Holley said, with a laugh.
Bred in Great Britain by Hascombe and Valiant Stud, Title Role is out of the Grade 3-winning Lemon Drop Kid mare Valiant Girl and sold for $694,673 at last year's Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale. He has banked $727,945 through an 8-5-1-1 ledger.
Agave Racing, Medallion Racing and Evan Trommer's Kensington Lane made her U.S. debut a winning one with a prominent victory in the Belmont Oaks.
Trained by Donnacha O'Brien and piloted by Hall of Famer Joel Rosario, Kensington Lane broke alertly but allowed slow-starting familiar foe Abishiri to rush up and mark the opening quarter-mile in 23.47 seconds over the firm inner turf. Kensington Lane was soon back in front, making the half-mile in 48.82 and three-quarters in 1:13.17, opening up a 3 1/2-length advantage at the stretch call and won geared down in a final time of 1:47.77. The winning effort earned a 92 Beyer.
It was fitting that the chestnut daughter of Starspangledbanner made her American debut a winning one on Independence Day, avenging a fifth-place finish in the Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas in May at The Curragh in which the Charlie Appleby-trained Abashiri finished third.
Kensington Lane, winner of the Group 3 Athasi on May 4 at The Curragh, appeared to relish the two-turns at Saratoga after two previous runs on the straight in Ireland.
Kieran Murphy, traveling assistant to O'Brien, said he was pleased with the result.
"She's quality. She has a big heart," Murphy said. "She's good from the gate and she appreciates that quick ground. She's nimble and a very well-balanced filly around those two turns. She's a proper Grade 1 filly."
Murphy said Kensington Lane was in good order Sunday morning.
"She's perfect," Murphy said. "She came out of it very well, ate all her food and drank loads of water. We weighed her and she's lost almost no weight. She did it all very easy.
"Always happy to come to Saratoga," Murphy added. "We're so well looked after and they always make you feel very welcome."
Medallion Racing's Phillip Shelton said by phone on Sunday that he was thrilled with the result.
"She went her last three furlongs in 34 and change and Joel barely raised the stick," Shelton said. "He squeezed her a little bit in mid-stretch and gave her two pumps of his arms and that was basically it. They don't win Grade 1s often as easily as she did yesterday."
Shelton said the team now has the enviable problem of figuring out what's next for Kensington Lane. Options in the U.S. include the nine-furlong Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Oaks on August 22 or the Grade 3, $2 million [$1 million KTDF] Dueling Grounds Oaks at 1 5/16-miles on September 9. Last year, Fionn completed the Belmont Oaks/Dueling Grounds Oaks double en route to a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland. The latter race a route Shelton would consider for Kensington Lane as a bridge to the Breeders' Cup.
Should Kensington Lane return to Europe, possible targets are the Group 1, €400,000 Coolmore Matron for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at a one-turn mile on September 12 at Leopardstown or the Group 1, €400,000 Romanet at 10 furlongs on August 23 at Deauville.
"There's a flight back to Ireland on the 11th and a flight to California on the 11th and she'll likely be on one of the two, which one we haven't decided yet," Shelton said. "Had we not won, she would have 100 percent been going to Del Mar. Now that she's won, there's the Romanet at 10 furlongs and the Matron at Leopardstown.
"We could look at the Kentucky Downs race as well," Shelton added. "We don't have to chase the Grade 1 as much, at least in America."
Kensington Lane, bred in Ireland by Almost Always Partnership, is out of the Galileo mare Almost Always, and her second dam is Ramruma, winner of the Group 1 Epsom Oaks, Group 1 Irish Oaks and Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks in 1999.
"The second dam won three Group 1s over 12 furlongs. We feel like there's plenty of stamina in her pedigree to help her stay further," Shelton said. "There is some appeal for the Romanet over 10 furlongs. It's a flatter track at Deauville and the earlier you run in the summer, the better chance you have of getting the firmer ground."
The pending decision will also impact who will train the talented filly moving forward.
"If she goes home, she'll go back to Donnacha. We've had a lot of luck with Donnacha with Porta Fortuna and Balantina, who won the Breeders' Cup [Juvenile Fillies Turf] last year. We've got 10 other horses in training with Donnacha and we're a big supporter of Phil D'Amato on the West Coast as is our partner Agave Racing," Shelton said.
Kensington Lane has banked $411,281 via a 10-3-2-0 ledger.
Phileas Fogg Will Be Considered for Whitney
Jupiter Stable's Phileas Fogg wired the field by 10 lengths in Saturday's Grade 2, $500,000 Suburban presented by Subourbon Life, a 10-furlong test for 4-year-olds and up, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Gustavo Rodriguez, the 6-year-old Astern gelding became the first repeat winner of the Suburban since Effinex in 2015-16 after capturing this same race by a head last year over returning rival Antiquarian.
Phileas Fogg took early command in this year's edition under Kendrick Carmouche and did not look back, his final time of 2:01.70 earning a career-best 107 Beyer Speed Figure. He is now under consideration for the nine-furlong Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on August 8 here, a "Win and You're In" for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in October at Keeneland.
"I'm not sure yet, but he loves Saratoga," Rodriguez said, of the Whitney. "Even when he trains, I can see a different horse over here. He loves Saratoga, he loves this race track... We will see, I don't want to say we will run in that spot, we don't know yet. I've got to talk to my owner and see what is going to be best for him, but one thing is for sure, he loves Saratoga."
Last year, Phileas Fogg exited the Suburban to run in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on August 31 at Saratoga. That race this year, also a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" qualifier, is slated for September 18 at Belmont Park, which is Opening Day of the reimagined venue.
At 10 furlongs, Phileas Fogg is 3-for-4, while at nine furlongs he is 3-for-6. Rodriguez believes he can be effective at either distance with a proper trip, but a one-turn mile is too short, as seen this winter in the Grade 2 Cigar Mile Handicap and Listed Stymie at Aqueduct Racetrack.
"Right now, I've got to talk to my owner and see what is best for him," said Rodriguez. "He loves two turns. He ran twice over at Aqueduct going one mile with good horses, they go kind of fast, he gets pushed and he cannot take the pressure. But if they leave him by himself on the lead without getting pushed, he can be really, really tough like yesterday."
The bay was haltered by current connections for $62,500 in July 2024 at the Spa, and now his pair of scores in the Suburban represent Rodriguez's first graded stakes wins.
"He means a lot," an emotional Rodriguez said. "I don't think, you never know, but I don't think we will have another horse like him."
Booked Nets 85 BSF for Sanford Romp
Jackpot Farm, Alvin Fults, Jason Itkin and Michael D. Smith's Booked was awarded a career-best 85 Beyer Speed Figure for his dominant six-length victory in Saturday's Grade 3, $225,000 Sanford, a six-furlong sprint for juveniles, at Saratoga Race Course.
The colt's Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen also trained his sire, Yaupon, to win 6-of-8 starts, including Spa scores in the 2020 Grade 2 Amsterdam and 2021 Grade 1 Forego. The conditioner said it is special to be a part of the early success at stud for Yaupon, whose first two crops of racing age have already produced two graded winners and 12 additional black type winners.
"It's great," Asmussen said. "We are obviously very excited about how good of a sire Yaupon is, and he'll get several more chances [to further it]."
In the Sanford, Booked set a pressured pace under Ricardo Santana, Jr., who was also aboard Yaupon for his win in the Forego. Booked held a half-length advantage over Pocket Listing and marked an opening quarter-mile in 21.96 seconds over the fast footing before opening up his lead to one length through the half-mile in 45.64. He was asked for his best exiting the turn and responded gamely to urging, drawing off and completing the course in 1:11.24.
He doubled up on wins following a second-out graduation sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs here on June 7 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.
Asmussen said he was pleased with the Sanford effort, and that Booked will now target the Grade 2, $250,000 Saratoga Special going 6 1/2 furlongs on August 1 here.
"I'm happy with how he came out of the race and expect him to run in the Saratoga Special," Asmussen said. "We've been very high on him. He's a very classy individual from the day we got him. The only disappointment was that he didn't win first time out, but obviously he's made amends."
The well-named $325,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is out of the Competitive Edge mare Fingerprint, and is a half-brother to dual stakes-placed Zadorsky.
Later on Saturday's card, Asmussen sent out Winchell Thoroughbreds, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's Tiztastic to a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Suburban presented by Subourbon Life.
The 4-year-old Tiz the Law dark bay sat back in ninth-of-11 as Phileas Fogg took a clear lead and never looked back. Tiztastic put in a game rally, but could not reel in the runaway pacesetter as he finished 11 lengths back and kept his neck in front of the hard-luck Antiquarian - who stumbled badly at the start - to hold onto third.
Asmussen said he was proud of the effort from Tiztastic, who landed a troubled 10th in last year's Grade 1 Kentucky Derby ahead of four subsequent starts on turf before returning to dirt two starts back for a nine-furlong optional claiming win in May at Churchill Downs.
"I think we are officially over the Derby - it took a while," Asmussen said. "It was obviously not the pace scenario that would have been ideal for him [in the Suburban]. Hats off to the winner for running a great race, but it is good to see him [Tiztastic] back and third in a Grade 2 without it going exactly as we'd hoped. He came out of it good."
Asmussen added Tiztastic could look long term to the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup on September 18 as part of the exciting reopening of Belmont Park.
On Friday, Asmussen will send out a pair of contenders in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 3, $225,000 Victory Ride in Spendthrift Farm's Goodall and KatieRich Stables' Iron Orchard, the latter of which makes her barn debut.
Goodall enters from a local win in the six-furlong Jersey Girl on June 4, where she tracked in second through the first half-mile before challenging for the lead at the stretch call. Jockey Flavien Prat lost his whip heading into the lane, but Goodall responded professionally to a strong hand ride and drew clear to win by 2 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:08.78.
"She ran in [one minute and] eight and change over the racetrack, and I'm excited about that," Asmussen said.
Prat returns to the irons from post 10.
The New York-bred Iron Orchard was purchased for $2.5 million at last year's Fasig-Tipton Mid-October Digital Sale and gets back to the races off an eight-month respite dating to an off-the-board finish for trainer Danny Gargan in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar. Last year, she went 3-for-3 to start her career, including a debut graduation and a 6 3/4-length win in the Seeking the Ante here ahead of a nose win in the Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont at the Big A.
"With her having success here last year and her already being a Grade 1 winner, it's an exciting spot to get her back going," Asmussen said. "She's good-feeling and fast."
Hall of Famer Joel Rosario rides from post 2.
Heeere's Johnny Pointed Toward Saratoga Derby
Heeere's Johnny, the 15-1 upset winner of Friday's restricted Listed Saranac Stakes for 3-year-olds, came out of the race in good shape and will be pointed to the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby presented by Qatar Racing at Saratoga Race Course, trainer Ray Handal said Sunday. The Saratoga Derby will be contested at 1 3/16 miles on the turf August 8.
"He ate up, looking good, feeling happy, very proud of himself," said Handal, who trains Heeere's Johnny for Magic Carpet Racing, Catherine W. Coyle, and Blue Bison Stable. "We are looking forward to a hopefully prosperous summer for him."
The Saranac, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-olds who had never won a stakes, was the maiden win for Heeere's Johnny, who rallied from last to prevail by a neck. As a 2-year-old, the son of Oscar Performance finished second both in the Grade 3 With Anticipation at Saratoga and the Grade 2 Pilgrim at Belmont at the Big A and was fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar.
As a 3-year-old, he had made two prior starts in maiden special weights, finishing second to West End Kid going 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland in April and fifth over turf labeled "good" in a 1 3/8-mile event open to 3-year-olds and up May 23 at Belmont at the Big A.
West End Kid returned to win the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge in June and was second, beaten a nose, in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby on Saturday.
"They don't have restricted 3-year-old maiden specials, so you have to run against older horses," said Handal of the decision to enter Heeere's Johnny in the Saranac. "It just gets so tough up here, especially with Chad [Brown] and his elite turf runners and routers. It felt like that if I was going to have to run an 85-90 Beyer, I would rather do it in a stakes race restricted to 3-year-olds instead of a maiden special against 3-year-olds and up. You never know who you are going to run against. He had shown he can compete against those horses as a 2-year-old and even early as a 3-year-old. He had run a bang-up second to West End Kid, who probably is at the top-end of that division right now. He probably just didn't like the soft turf last time.
"It could have been the distance [in the May 23 maiden special weight], maybe, but I don't think so," Handal added. "Oscar Performance, I think they are actually OK on soft ground, but he himself hated it. I just chalk it up to that. I think he wants to go further. I think the Saratoga Derby is going to be perfect for him, a mile and three-sixteenths, a little extra ground to work with."
Dylan Davis, aboard Heeere's Johnny in the May 23 race, was named to ride the colt in the Saranac but took off his mounts after being involved in a spill in the Listed Wild Applause earlier in the card. Jaime Rodriguez picked up the mount, and Handal praised the substitute rider for his ride in the Saranac.
"He's such a great jock," said Handal. "We have had some success together. It was unfortunate what happened to Dylan. I'm glad he's OK. He actually breezed some for me and he was back riding yesterday. With turf racing, it's very tactical, the timing has to be perfect. Obviously, we saw this with this horse. Jaime did a tremendous job on him."
Harper's Corner Under Consideration for Adirondack
Trainer Cathal Lynch reported that Harper's Corner emerged from her 5 1/4-length victory in Friday's Grade 3 Schuylerville for 2-year-old fillies in good shape and that a decision regarding her next start will be made after he talks to owner Charles L. Biggs on Monday. Under consideration is the Grade 3 Adirondack at 6 1/2-furlongs on August 2 at Saratoga Race Course.
"She was back in her paddock at Fair Hill the next morning, running, jumping, playing, rolling," said Lynch via telephone Sunday while driving from Fair Hill to Monmouth Park. "She seems good. Ate up everything. I'll talk to Mr. Biggs on Monday. He stayed at the Spa for a couple of days. He'll be home in Pennsylvania on Monday, and then we'll have a conversation about where we are going."
The Schuylerville was the second start for Harper's Corner, who on June 12 debuted a 7 3/4-length winner in a maiden special weight at Laurel Park. Lynch credited his assistant Austin Reynolds for the decision to run Harper's Corner off three weeks' rest in the Schuylerville. With the victory, the dark bay filly became the first stakes winner for her sire Speaker's Corner.
"We weren't shocked by [the Schuylerville win]; she has always shown she has a lot of talent," said Lynch. "It was not a big surprise. It was easy enough with the maiden race and it did not take a lot out of her. Austin Reynolds gallops her every day and he was happy enough with her going into the race. Twenty-one days was a little short for us; we usually like to give them a little more time between races, especially with young horses. He talked me into going, and I'm glad we did."
Antiquarian in Good Order Following Suburban
The hopes were high for Centennial Farms' Antiquarian heading into Saturday's 10-furlong Grade 2, $500,000 Suburban presented by Subourbon Life at Saratoga Race Course, but those expectations were quelled when the favored son of Preservationist stumbled badly emerging from post 7-of-11 under Hall of Famer John Velazquez and was relegated to seventh early on.
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said the distant trip behind runaway pacesetter and winner Phileas Fogg was too much for the Grade 1-winning chestnut to overcome, but that he showed heart to still put in a late run and just miss third by a neck.
"We knew the position we wanted to be in and unfortunately we were not there. They went pretty slow," Pletcher said. "He came back OK - he lost a shoe, assumed it was during the stumble, and I thought he ran a courageous race considering the trip he got. It seemed like he had half the racetrack on him when he got back. He looked good this morning."
Antiquarian, who won the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup last year here, over the same course and distance, finished a head second to Phileas Fogg in last year's Suburban. This year, he made his 5-year-old debut with a strong win in the one-mile Grade 3 Westchester in May at Belmont at the Big A, and entered the Suburban from a prominent fourth in the Grade 1 Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap on June 6 here.
Pletcher said he has not ruled out a return for a title defense in the Jockey Club Gold Cup on September 18 for the reopening of Belmont Park. He mentioned the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on August 8 at the Spa as a possible bridge between. The Whitney offers a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic.
"I think the Jockey Club is in play, but that's not until September 18, so we've got to do something in between now and then," Pletcher said. "We'll let the dust settle and get with the Centennial group and come up with a plan, but I wouldn't necessarily rule out the Whitney. We'll see how it goes."
Looking ahead, Pletcher will hope to see a successful return to the races from Spendthrift Farm's dual Grade 1-winner Tommy Jo, who has not raced since finishing off the board in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in October at Del Mar.
The Into Mischief filly is entered to make her sophomore bow in Friday's Grade 3, $225,000 Victory Ride cutting back to 6 1/2 furlongs here.
Tommy Jo began her career here last summer, graduating on debut sprinting six furlongs in July and following with a 6 1/2-length win in the Grade 1 Spinaway in August. Both efforts garnered a career-best 85 Beyer Speed Figure. She then crossed the wire second in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland, but was elevated to victory after interference from Percy's Bar in the stretch.
Pletcher said Tommy Jo has given all the right signs that she is ready for a strong return to the races.
"She's training very well and she has always been an impressive filly to watch train," Pletcher said. "It looks like a pretty salty race to make a comeback in, but we've got limited options. I think the cutback will be good for her. She had success sprinting last year, so hopefully she runs well."
Pletcher said Tommy Jo continues to impress physically just as she did as a juvenile.
"She was such a beautiful 2-year-old filly and mature, and she's done very well and looks great," Pletcher said. "She's filled out and grew up a bit. She was so good at two that she didn't need to change much."
Velazquez rides from post 5.
Cy Fair On Track for the Coronation Cup
Trainer George Weaver reported Sunday morning that he is pleased with Cy Fair's recent progress and that she is on target for the Grade 3, $225,000 Coronation Cup, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-old fillies on July 18, at Saratoga Race Course.
On Friday, Cy Fair breezed four furlongs on the Oklahoma training track in 50.60. As a 2-year-old, the daughter of Not This Time won a pair of stakes, including the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar. She was third in her sophomore debut, the Grade 3 Limestone at Keeneland on April 10 before regaining the winning thread with a one-length score in the Grade 3 Mamzelle April 30 at Churchill Downs. The initial plan was to run her in the Group 1 King Charles III at Royal Ascot in June, but she was withdrawn from consideration after missing a breeze.
"She's doing great," said Weaver, who trains Cy Fair for Medallion Racing, Swinbank Stables, Joey Platts, and Mark Stanton. "She breezed well, and we are looking forward to seeing her run up here."
Weaver had a plethora of workers over the Oklahoma turf course on Sunday, including stakes winners Johnny's Red Storm, Royal Testament, and Governor Sam.
The tentative objective for Johnny's Red Storm, who is unbeaten in two starts and was last seen winning the Listed Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint in August, is the Grade 3, $225,000 Mahony on August 16.
Governor Sam, last year's winner of the Grade 3 Quick Call presented by Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, captured the Get Serious June 21 at Monmouth Park and has been pointed toward the Grade 2, $300,000 Troy on August 9.
Plans have not yet been determined for Royal Testament, who last year won the Rosie's at Colonial Downs and was second in the Grade 3 Matron at Aqueduct. She has not raced since finishing 11th in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.
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