Patience Pays Off for Domestic Spending in Manhattan
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Photo: Chad B. Harmon
Domestic Spending is all alone at the wire of the Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park
Klaravich Stables' Domestic Spending rolled to his third consecutive grade 1 win June 5 at Belmont Park as he captured the $750,000 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes (G1T) under a patient ride from Flavien Prat.
The Kingman gelding closed out his sophomore season with victories in the Saratoga Derby Invitational and Hollywood Derby (G1T). He returned this year at 4 with a close finish in the May 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1T) at Churchill Downs—so close he finished first in a dead heat with fellow Manhattan rival Colonel Liam .
In the 1 1/4-mile Manhattan, there was no doubt Domestic Spending was the winner as he drew off to a 2 3/4-length victory, evoking memories of the 2019 race winner and Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar for trainer Chad Brown.
"He's starting to look that way on his form. I hate to use that comparison with Bricks and Mortar because they're so rare to come by and you don't want to say that the next one you have is the same. It rarely ever works that way," Brown said. "But boy, he's on his way. It's certainly looking that way. He's gotten stronger and is going farther than we thought when he was a younger horse, like Bricks and Mortar. He just keeps progressing along. I'm so proud of him."
Brown saddled the winner and the runner-up, Tribhuvan , as he won his third straight Manhattan, and seventh overall.
"This has been an important race for us. It's such a great tradition, and to be run before the Belmont Stakes every year. It is one of the premier turf races for males at a classic distance in the country and I hold it in high regard," Brown said. "We point for it every year, and I've been so lucky, me and my team, to have some good horses through the years to work with."
The 3-2 favorite in the field of 10, Domestic Spending was seventh early and raced three to four wide into the first turn before settling on the outside. His stablemate Tribhuvan led up front through quarter-mile fractions of :23.81, :46.95, 1:11, and 1:35.51 on the inner turf course that was rated good.
Domestic Spending had moved up a position at the quarter pole and was 5 1/2 lengths off Tribhuvan. Prat guided him from the two path to the four path on the far turn, then took him five wide to unleash the bay gelding's rally. Domestic Spending surged down the stretch, closed the gap between himself and the pacesetter, then pulled clear for a final time of 1:59.08.
"We had a good trip. He broke well and I got him to relax all the way around there," said Prat. "It was a pretty strong pace. When it was time to make a move, he responded very well. Then, he was floating a little bit down the lane when he was by himself. He ran a good race.
"He went a mile and a quarter well today. He showed a good turn-of-foot last time and today. With the strong pace it's hard to show the same turn of foot and he did. I think I had more in reserve. He was floating a little bit down the lane, but I felt that I had more horse."
Domestic Spending and his connections head to the winner's circle after the Manhattan Stakes
Tribhuvan, winner of the May 1 Fort Marcy Stakes (G2T) at Belmont, stayed on for second to finish 1 1/4 lengths ahead of late-running Gufo , who last fall won the Belmont Derby Invitational (G1T). Colonel Liam, the 7-2 second choice, faded to finish eighth.
The winner survived a stewards' inquiry after drifting in during the final furlong and causing fourth-place finisher Masteroffoxhounds to briefly steady.
Domestic Spending was bred in Great Britain by Rabbah Bloodstock and is the only registered foal out of the stakes-winning Street Cry daughter Urban Castle. He comes from the female family of 2016 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) winner Queen's Trust .
Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables purchased Domestic Spending for the equivalent of $412,430 from Highclere Stud's consignment to Book 1 of the 2018 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
"This horse has been a particular challenge. We had to geld him after his 2-year-old year, even with that breeding, because he wouldn't train," Brown said. "We had several different people on our team working with this horse, down at Stonestreet (in Kentucky) and down in Ocala. So many people have touched this horse and really worked with and got his natural ability out of him. The latest is Flavien, who is now getting along just terrific with this horse. It's really my team. They've done an outstanding job developing this horse. There was a point in time when he was a baby that I didn't think we'd ever get him to the races."
The patience has paid off. Domestic Spending is a winner in six of seven starts, with one third, and has earned $1,314,500.