Public Sector, Founder a Brown Combination in Saranac

Chad Brown, looking to secure his fourth Saratoga Race Course training title for a meet that concludes Sept. 6, could boost his win total when he sends out stakes winners Public Sector  and Founder  in the $200,000 Saranac Stakes (G3T) Sept. 4.

Klaravich Stables' Public Sector already has a win at the meet, having won the Aug. 6 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T). Jeff Drown and Don Rachel's Founder is also a last-out stakes winner, though his victory came at Monmouth Park, where he won the Tale of the Cat Stakes July 31.

They are part of a short field in the 1 1/16-mile turf race of 3-year-olds that includes Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) 12th-place finisher Like the King  and layoff-returning stakes winner Never Surprised .

Public Sector, a British-bred son of Kingman , has only failed to come in first or second once in seven starts when 12th in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Presented by Coolmore America (G1T) in November at Keeneland.

Saturday he will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., who replaces the West Coast-based Flavien Prat, who was in town to ride the colt in the Hall of Fame.

"It really was a great ride last out by Flavien," Brown said. "He continues to improve and develop into a real top horse, so hopefully it's another step forward again."

Founder (Upstart  ) doesn't figure to be as popular with bettors, but his form is on the upswing.

"He's really improving. I think he's found a nice new path on the turf," Brown said. "Hopefully, he's another one that continues to improve."

Jose Ortiz will be in the irons.

Brown also has entered Risk Taking , eighth in the Preakness Stakes (G1) May 15 at Pimlico Race Course, though he will run only if the Saranac is moved to the main track. 

M Racing Group's Like the King (Palace Malice  ) seeks his first victory since capturing the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) on synthetic at Turfway Park in the spring. The Wesley Ward-trained colt was then outrun in the Kentucky Derby before running fifth in the Audubon Stakes at Churchill Downs on turf and second in the Kent Stakes (G3T) on grass at Delaware Park. Those two grass stakes came on wet ground.

Regarding the Derby, "We knew we were overmatched looking at his odds and all that," Ward said. "Unfortunately, we were beaten on the square by better horses, but I thought his future was going to be on the grass."

Like the King breezed five furlongs in a bullet :59 4/5 at Keeneland Aug. 30 leading up to the Saranac. He will be ridden Saturday by John Velazquez.

Repole Stable's lightly raced Never Surprised went 2-for-2 as a juvenile, winning his debut Nov. 8 at Aqueduct Racetrack before capturing the Central Park Stakes later that month there. After running second in his 2021 bow in the Kitten's Joy Stakes (G3T) in January at Gulfstream Park, Never Surprised went to the sidelines for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

A son of Constitution  , he has logged his pre-Saranac works at Belmont Park.

He'spuregold  and Mohs  complete the field.

Entries: Saranac S. (G3T)

Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, September 04, 2021, Race 8

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Inner turf
• $200,000
• 3 yo
• 4:27 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Public Sector (GB)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	124	Chad C. Brown	7/5
2	2Like the King (KY)	John R. Velazquez	118	Wesley A. Ward	6/1
3	3He'spuregold (NJ)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	122	Kelly J. Breen	15/1
4	4Never Surprised (KY)	Luis Saez	118	Todd A. Pletcher	8/5
5	5Founder (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	122	Chad C. Brown	4/1
6	6Mohs (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Patrick B. McBurney	12/1
7	7Risk Taking (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	124	Chad C. Brown	8/5