Halladay Seeks First Graded Win in Bernard Baruch

Halladay exited the spring in Florida as one of the top turf milers at Gulfstream Park. Now he seeks to carry his winning ways into New York this summer.

On July 26, he ventures into the most demanding company of his career when he starts against Seismic Wave, Good Governance, Somelikeithotbrown, and two others in the Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course. The $150,000 race is over 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf course.

Although Halladay has not yet won a graded race over his 12-race career, he beat future graded winners in the slow-paced Sunshine Forever Stakes May 9  at Gulfstream in frontrunning fashion. Runner-up Aquaphobia captured the United Nations Stakes (G1T) at Monmouth Park July 18, and third-place Social Paranoia took the Poker Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park July 4.

Halladay's time matched the company he defeated. He scorched 1 1/16 miles on Gulfstream's quick turf course in 1:38.66, and his final sixteenth in :06.03 kept Aquaphobia at bay by 1 1/4 lengths. His time was the fastest at the distance since Inchcape's course record of 1:38.10 in March 2015.

Whether he can transfer that speed to Saratoga is the question. He is 3-for-3 on the Gulfstream grass, including an allowance optional claiming race this year and the Tropical Park Derby in late 2019 for owner Harrell Ventures. The gray 4-year-old son of War Front  is 2-for-7 on other turf courses, recording those victories at Belmont. He ran a close second at Saratoga in an allowance last summer in his one local grass start.

"So far, the turf course has not been kind to horses close to the pace," trainer Todd Pletcher said of racing this summer at Saratoga. "That's really my only concern. The horse is training super, and we're excited about Sunday. He's in great form and seems to be steadily improving. Obviously, he took to the turf at Gulfstream quite well, so I'm hoping that he can apply that to this turf course."

Pletcher, who saddled Dominus  to a Bernard Baruch score in 2012, has given the mount to Luis Saez, who has been aboard the colt's past two victories in Florida. They break from the outside in the field of six.

Halladay's only off-the-board effort came in his previous attempt in graded company when he ran fourth, beaten 2 1/4 lengths, in the Tampa Bay Stakes (G3T) at Tampa Bay Downs Feb. 8.

Trainer Chad Brown will saddle a pair of contenders for the Bernard Baruch in the lightly raced Good Governance and graded stakes winner Olympico.

Owned by Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables, Good Governance broke his maiden in August on the Spa's inner turf before finishing a close second to Global Access in the Saranac Stakes (G3T). The 4-year-old son of Kingman did not race again until June 26 when he defeated winners by 3 3/4 lengths at Belmont Park. 

"He's lightly raced, but he's very talented," Brown said. 

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Wonder Stables' Olympico bids for his first victory since an 18-1 surprise in his North American debut in last year's Fort Marcy Stakes (G2T) at Belmont Park. He will be making his season debut after a runner-up finish in the Knickerbocker Stakes (G2T) at Belmont Oct. 14. 

Trainer Mike Maker also starts a pair in graded stakes winners Somelikeithotbrown and Mr Dumas. 

Owned by Skychai Racing and David Koenig, Somelikeithotbrown, a 4-year-old son of Big Brown , was third in the Fort Marcy June 6 last out, beaten just 1 1/4 lengths by future Manhattan Stakes (G1) winner Instilled Regard. He won the John Battaglia Stakes and Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park last year.

WSS Racing and Hooties Racing's Mr Dumas, who captured last year's Commonwealth Turf Stakes (G3T) at Churchill Downs while being trained at the time by John Ortiz, exits a swiftly run allowance optional claiming race in which he was third June 26. Prior to that start, he won an allowance optional claimer there on turf May 21.

Completing the field is Juddmonte Farms' Seismic Wave for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, who won the Bernard Baruch five times from 1998-2004. Seismic Wave ran second in the Poker and is a two-time stakes winner.

Entries: Bernard Baruch H. (G2T)

Saratoga Race Course, Sunday, July 26, 2020, Race 9

• Grade II
• 1 1/16m
• Inner turf
• $150,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 5:46 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Seismic Wave (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	119	William I. Mott	6/1
2	2Good Governance (GB)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Chad C. Brown	9/5
3	3Somelikeithotbrown (NY)	Tyler Gaffalione	119	Michael J. Maker	4/1
4	4Mr Dumas (KY)	Manuel Franco	119	Michael J. Maker	12/1
5	5Olympico (FR)	Joel Rosario	119	Chad C. Brown	9/2
6	6Halladay (KY)	Luis Saez	119	Todd A. Pletcher	2/1