Brown Chases Saratoga Win Record with Three in Baruch
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Chad Brown
Horses arriving from Europe have surely made their mark on American racing, especially in their initial appearances on these shores.
Yet even after successful first forays in United States races, that second start in a new environment can sometimes be problematic.
In the $250,00 Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2T), how two new arrivals handle their second American starts could hold the key to deciding the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes Sept. 2—and trainer Chad Brown's quest for a meet record—as the curtain falls on another year of racing at Saratoga Race Course.
Both horses in the field of seven—and three overall—are Brown trainees coming off solid efforts in their U.S. debuts.
The Baruch features the final starters at the meet for Brown, who had 41 wins after the Aug. 31 card.
Shadwell Stable's Emaraaty won his U.S. debut July 27 at Saratoga when he notched a neck victory in an allowance optional claiming race at the Spa, and Sacred Life missed by a nose in the Fasig-Tipton Lure Stakes Aug. 3 at the Spa.
"They both had really good races here. One lost by a nose and one won nicely," Brown said. "I liked their preps for (the Baruch) very much. They have been training together the last couple of works, and they did fabulously."
As for the possibility of a bounce, Brown believes both horses are showing the right signs and seem poised for good efforts.
"It depends on the horse," he said about runners imported from Europe making their second start in America. "With some of those horses, I've had success and others have needed more recovery time. These two act like they are ready to run again, and they should fit in well here."
Sacred Life, a son of Siyouni owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Bethlehem Stables, rallied from 13 lengths back in the 1 1/16-mile Lure only to lose to Lucullan in a photo finish. The 4-year-old colt was a group 3 winner in France at 2.
Assigned 119 pounds, he'll get three pounds from the 122-pound co-highweights, March to the Arch and Qurbaan.
Emaraaty, a 4-year-old Dubawi colt, stalked in fourth in his first American appearance and beat Frontier Market by a neck, with Dream Friend, another Baruch starter, a neck back in third.
Listed at 117 pounds, he has won three of eight starts but has yet to place in a graded or group stakes.
From the same connections as Sacred Life, Brown is also sending out Olympico, who will be making his fourth start in America. After winning the Fort Marcy Stakes (G3T) by three lengths in his first American race, he was seventh to Horse of the Year candidate Bricks and Mortar in the Manhattan Stakes (G1T) and then seventh by 1 3/4 lengths in the Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) July 27 at the Spa.
A 4-year-old Rajsaman gelding, Olympico will carry 120 pounds.
Live Oak Plantation's March to the Arch exits a fourth-place finish in the Fourstardave Handicap (G1T) in which he finished 2 3/4 lengths behind the victorious filly Got Stormy at a one-mile distance. Trained by Mark Casse, the Arch gelding was victorious in his previous try at 1 1/16 miles, taking the June 15 Wise Dan Stakes (G2T) at Churchill Downs.
Shadwell's Qurbaan won last year's Baruch in his U.S. debut, then finished third in the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland.
The Baruch proved to be the French-raced son of Speightstown 's only U.S. win as he has two seconds and four thirds in seven starts since then. In his last effort for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, he was third, beaten a half-length, in the July 12 Forbidden Apple Stakes (G3T) at the Spa. March to the Arch was fifth in that one-mile race.
"He's doing very well. He won it last year, and he had a good run here earlier in the meet to be third," McLaughlin said. "He shows up. He's a nice horse, so we hope all goes well. Everything is in good shape. The extra distance should be fine. He won it last year, so everything is a go."
The field also includes Repole Stable's Noble Indy, who faced Justify in two legs of the Triple Crown last year. He opened 2019 with three lackluster starts on dirt for trainer Todd Pletcher but finished fourth in the Lure, his third start on turf.
"He's seemed to find new life on the grass," Pletcher said.
Saratoga Race Course, Monday, September 02, 2019, Race 9Entries: Bernard Baruch H. (G2T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1March to the Arch (FL)
Tyler Gaffalione
122
Mark E. Casse
3/1
2
2Emaraaty (GB)
Javier Castellano
117
Chad C. Brown
9/2
3
3Qurbaan (KY)
Joel Rosario
122
Kiaran P. McLaughlin
7/2
4
4Dream Friend (KY)
Luis Saez
116
John P. Terranova II
10/1
5
5Noble Indy (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
118
Todd A. Pletcher
10/1
6
6Sacred Life (FR)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
119
Chad C. Brown
5/2
7
7Olympico (FR)
John R. Velazquez
120
Chad C. Brown
5/1
