Nations Pride Outruns Annapolis in Saratoga Derby

Charlie Appleby had a million reasons to get to Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 6.

So, it was no big deal for the 47-year-old Englishman to hop on a plane Aug. 5 for a seven-hour flight to Boston and then a shorter trip to Saratoga Springs, N.Y.. Ditto for jockey William Buick, a Norwegian native who has carved his trade in England.

The two made their Saratoga on-site debuts memorable ones as they teamed up to win the $1 million Caesars Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) with Godolphin's 3-year-old colt Nations Pride .

Nations Pride, a son of Teofilo rallied down the stretch of the Mellon Turf course to win the 1 3/16-mile race by 1 3/4 lengths.

The race was held on the heels of the Whitney Stakes (G1). The afternoon's racing drew a crowd of 39,478 on a hot, humid summer Spa afternoon.

"It's amazing to be here," Appleby said in the winner's circle. "I see why horses do so well here. It's a nice, relaxing environment."

Appleby did have a presence at the 2021 Saratoga meet, although he wasn't onsite. His trainee Althiqa  won the Diana Stakes (G1T) last August.

The 34-year-old Buick was also making his first appearance at Saratoga, and his ride made the long trip worth it for both trainer and jockey.

"The jockey colony over here is something really special," Buick said. "To be in the jock's room with all the superstars was fantastic and great to be part of."

Appleby and Buick had such a good time on Whitney Day that they are sticking around, although that was part of the plan. They will attempt the weekend grass stakes when Buick rides the Appleby-trained With the Moonlight, also owned by Godolphin, in the $700,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G3T). That filly is the 5-2 second choice on the morning line.

Nations Pride was the 2-1 favorite in the Saratoga Derby. He was coming off a second-place finish in the Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational (G1T) at Belmont Park on July 9.

With a better trip, Nations Pride might have won that one. At Belmont, Nations Pride was ridden by Italian superstar jockey Frankie Dettori. He broke slow, had a wide trip, and faced traffic trouble.

"I think so," Appleby said when asked if a cleaner trip might have produced victory at Belmont. "Frankie said the same thing. He said when he made his move on the backstretch, the pace steadied, and everyone got shuffled back."

But there would be no frustration.

"Ah, this is life," Appleby said with a laugh. "I don't get frustrated. You move on and go on to the next one. I came into this one, confident, for sure."

Nations Pride had a clean trip and took aim at his nemesis from the Belmont Derby, Classic Causeway . The Kenny McPeek trainee had won the Belmont Derby in front-running fashion at odds of 26-1 and tried to do the same thing at the Spa.

Ridden by Julien Leparoux, Classic Causeway held the lead until an eighth of a mile remaining. 

"It was a good run," McPeek said. "You can't complain anytime you hit the board in a grade I. I was really worried about Nations Pride. He was obviously the best horse in the race."

Nations Pride took his cue from Buick and surged past Classic Causeway, who went off at 8-1 this time. The winner then had to hold off the Todd Pletcher-trained Annapolis , who made a big run through the stretch.

"I saw him in the corner of my eye," Buick said. "All I had to do was keep my horse doing his job. You never know until you pass the wire, but I was quite happy with the way he was running throughout the race."

Annapolis and Irad Ortiz Jr. finished a head in front of Classic Causeway.

The final time was announced as 1:54.72. According to the Equibase chart: "Due to a teletimer procedural error, all splits were unavailable." Nations Pride returned $6.20.

After the Belmont Derby, Nations Pride shipped straight to Saratoga and trained for the last three weeks, as did With the Moonlight.

Before traveling to America, Nations Pride ran in the Cazoo Derby in Memory of Lester Piggott (G1), formerly called the Epsom Derby, and finished eighth.

"This horse is a very good mover, and he stays," Appleby said. "We felt he was the right horse to come to America in the spring. We had to let him take his chance in the English Derby; there is only one, and we want to have runners in it."

Nations Pride will likely stay stateside and compete in the $1 million Caesars Jockey Club Derby (G3T) Sept. 17 at  Aqueduct Racetrack. Last month, the New York Racing Association announced that the customary fall meet at Belmont Park would move Aqueduct due to tunnel construction at Belmont.

Video: Caesars Saratoga Derby Invitational S. (G1T)