Monmouth's Sapling Safe Harbor for American Sanctuary
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Photo: Coady Photography
Chris Davis, trainer of American Sanctuary
For trainer Chris Davis to venture east to Monmouth Park, something he has done just once before in his brief career, there has to be a good reason.
Visions of the Breeders' Cup would qualify as that.
Davis, currently based at Arlington International Racecourse, starts American Sanctuary in Monmouth Park's $200,000 Sapling Stakes Sept. 5 at one mile for 2-year-olds, where the colt faces graded winner Double Thunder and six others.
A Kentucky-bred son of American Freedom out of the E Dubai mare Haven's Honey , American Sanctuary will be seeking his first stakes win, with a bigger prize in Davis' sights down the road for the Dare To Dream Stable-owned colt. American Sanctuary finished second in the Prairie Gold Juvenile Stakes at Prairie Meadows in his last start Aug. 14.
"He got a rough trip in that race, finished really strong, and galloped out great," said Davis. "He's a horse that we want to go long with. He came out of that race in good order and worked back last week. We're trying to make the Breeders' Cup with him."
Davis, 32, is having the type of career year that suggests that he may not be overreaching with that goal. He is just two wins shy (with 30 overall) of matching his career-best for a year and his $859,457 in earnings are already a personal best. On July 17 he earned his first graded stakes win when Naval Laughter captured the Modesty Stakes (G3T) at Arlington.
American Sanctuary, though, has not tried more than six furlongs. Sunday's race is around two turns.
"I like the distance of the Sapling for him," said Davis. "I like going from three-quarters of a mile to a flat mile, as opposed to a mile and a sixteenth. Looking at the nominations I feel we're right there with the top ones in the field."
Davis, who grew up under parents who were both trainers, has been on his own since 2016. He currently has 35 horses and is looking to branch out beyond the Midwest, with plans to try Gulfstream Park this winter.
His trip to Monmouth will be just the second of his career. In 2018, he saddled Moonlit Garden to a second-place finish behind Divine Miss Grey in the Lady's Secret Stakes.
"I was going to send a couple to Monmouth last year but it didn't work out," he said. "They were going to give me stalls, but with COVID-19 and the late start they had we had to change our plans and wound up at Churchill.
"With Arlington closing we could potentially have some horses at Monmouth Park next year. We'll see."
Accompanying American Sanctuary on the trip East will be stablemate Quick Tempo , with Davis pointing that one to the Rumson Stakes Sept. 11 at Monmouth.
Sophie Doyle, who piloted American Sanctuary to his maiden victory at Prairie Meadows this summer, comes to Monmouth for the ride in Sunday's race.
The Sapling includes three horses that made their last starts in New York, including Phoenix Thoroughbred III's Double Thunder, who ran fourth in the Saratoga Special Stakes Presented by Miller Lite (G2) Aug. 14 at Saratoga Race Course. Prior to that start, the Super Saver colt won the Bashford Manor Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs and a maiden race at Monmouth for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Pletcher also runs Repole Stable's Midnight Worker , an Outwork colt who captured a maiden race at Saratoga by a head July 24.
Monmouth Park, Sunday, September 05, 2021, Race 9Entries: Sapling S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Double Thunder (KY)
Paco Lopez
121
Todd A. Pletcher
5/2
2
2Under the Gun (KY)
Gerardo Corrales
115
Steven M. Asmussen
6/1
3
3Buff Hello (PA)
Angel Cruz
117
Claudio A. Gonzalez
6/1
4
4Chancellor Bay (KY)
Cristian A. Torres
117
Daniel Pita
7/2
5
5Forty Stripes (KY)
Jose C. Ferrer
117
Jerry Hollendorfer
10/1
6
6Midnight Worker (KY)
Mychel J. Sanchez
117
Todd A. Pletcher
9/2
7
7American Sanctuary (KY)
Sophie Doyle
117
Christopher Davis
5/1
8
8Swift Tap (KY)
Isaac Castillo
117
Jerry Hollendorfer
8/1
