L'Imperator Faces Just Four Rivals in Bernard Baruch

Overshadowed by the Sept. 6 WinStar Mint Million (G3T) at Kentucky Downs—a race that offers a $1 million purse for Kentucky-breds—Monday's closing day, $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course can't compete with that turf race for depth.

The Bernard Baruch did, however, draw one last-out winner among its five entries in L'Imperator , who captured an allowance optional claimer last month at the Spa for trainer Chad Brown and owners Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Bob LaPenta.

The 1 1/16-mile turf race also attracted four stakes-placed runners: Tell Your Daddy , En Wye Cee , No Word , and Dreams of Tomorrow .

L'Imperator's recent victory came after nearly a year layoff, resulting in the defeat of the graded stakes-placed Ever Dangerous  by 1 3/4 lengths Aug. 4. The triumph in the 1 1/8-mile race was the first start for the French-bred son of Holy Roman Emperor  since making his North American debut in the Saranac Stakes (G3T) in August 2020, where he maintained seventh position at every call. 

"He's come back really well. He's a totally different horse and I've been very pleased with him," Brown said. "It's a little bit of a cutback in distance, that would be the only concern. But we're giving it a shot. I was impressed and he exceed my expectations in his allowance win. Gelding him and giving him the time off have really gotten him over some of his soreness and such. He certainly did a 180."

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., a two-time winner of the Bernard Baruch, will pilot L'Imperator, who will carry low co-high weight of 118 pounds.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle a pair of contenders in No Word and En Wye Cee.

Wertheimer and Frere's No Word was a troubled eighth in an Aug. 6 allowance optional claimer, but last year showed enough promise to finish third to subsequent grade 1 winners Domestic Spending  and Gufo  in the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes before coming up a half-length shy of victory in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) when second to Gufo. 

Out of the unraced A.P. Indy  mare Listen A.P., No Word is a full-brother to dual graded stakes winner Silentio . 

"He had a tough trip last out, but he's come back well," Pletcher said. 

Waterford Stables' En Wye Cee seeks his first turf triumph after a trio of third-place finishes over grass. Last out, the homebred son of Declaration of War  finished behind L'Imperator after lacking racing room in upper to mid-stretch and rallying late in the final furlong to round out the trifecta. That was his first start since finishing third in the Knickerbocker Stakes G(3T) in October at Belmont Park. 

"He had a tough trip in his comeback race but ran well, hopefully he moves forward from having a start," Pletcher said. 

Shug McGaughey will seek his fifth Bernard Baruch triumph with Phipps Stable's three-time winner Dreams of Tomorrow (Speightstown  ), who enters from a fourth in the Lure Stakes Aug. 7 at Saratoga.

Running second in that race was Flying P Stables' Tell Your Daddy for trainer Tom Morley. The son of Scat Daddy  was claimed $40,000 in January at Fair Grounds Race Course  & Slots and was third in the Seek Again Stakes May 22 at Belmont Park in his second start for Morley. 

Owing to the short field, the Bernard Baruch is the third race on Monday's 12-race card.