For the past year and a half, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Built ranked among the nation's best horses to have not won a graded stakes. He shed that label July 25 at Saratoga Race Course, scoring a 2 1/2-length victory over Hymn in the $400,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes (G2).
The 4-year-old Hard Spun colt picked up the elusive graded victory in his 14th race and in his sixth graded start, and he made it look easy in the 6-furlong contest. He broke smartly under Irad Ortiz Jr. and established a smooth tracking position right on the flank of pacesetting Damon's Mound, and he always appeared to have that rival at his mercy.
So when jockey Ortiz asked Built to accelerate leaving the turn behind fractions of :22.69 and :45.13, the race was quickly over. Built opened up under a few riding crop strikes from Ortiz, and cruised under the wire under a hand ride. He completed the distance in 1:09.14 on a fast track.
"I broke clean, so after that it was pretty easy, honestly. I just let him go," Ortiz said. "He put me in a good position. I took my time with him, and he did the rest. Every step of the way, I felt like I had horse."
Hymn rallied from a stalking position to grab the runner-up spot, a neck in front of a fading Damon's Mound.
The Vanderbilt was a favorable opportunity for Built, as it lacked other leading sprinters, such as the 2025 Vanderbilt winner and champion sprinter Book'em Danno, who instead raced and won last week's Mr. Prospector Stakes at Monmouth Park. Last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Bentornato, second to Book'em Danno in last month's True North Stakes (G3) at Saratoga, also did not compete as he is sidelined by injury.
Two scratches in the Vanderbilt also left the race with just a field of six. This contributed to Built being a prohibitive public choice. He paid $4.40 to win.
Built earned $220,000 Saturday, bringing his earnings to $699,696, accomplished with a 6-2-3 record in 14 starts.
After taking the 2024 Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, he embarked on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail there in 2025, but weakened over longer distances. His connections then cut him back in trip, and he appears to have found his calling as a sprinter. In addition to Saturday's victory, he set the 6-furlong track record at Fair Grounds in March when he covered the distance in 1:07.96. He was also second in the 6 1/2-furlong Bango Stakes (G3) last month at Churchill Downs after bobbling at the break.
Asked if 6 furlongs is Built's best distance, trainer Wayne Catalano said, "He'll go 7 furlongs, 6 1/2. He does whatever ... flat mile out of the chute."
The win in the Vanderbilt will allow Catalano and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners to think big. Five years ago, they teamed to win the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Del Mar with Aloha West —who prepped in the Phoenix Stakes (G2) at Keeneland in the fall after a couple of summer allowance optional claiming starts at Saratoga.
Built, bred in Kentucky by Robert and Lawana Low out of the Curlin mare Sea Garden, was a $260,000 purchase by his owner from the Harris Training Center consignment to the 2024 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.
Built is the fourth graded stakes winner of 2026 for Hard Spun, who stood this past breeding season for $20,000 at Darley in Kentucky.
