Verifying Impressive in Career Debut at Saratoga

The word was out on Verifying  Aug. 27 in the first race at Saratoga Race Course.

The 2-year-old bay colt by Justify   went off at odds of 4-5 in his career debut for owners Susan Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Westerberg, and Jonathan Poulin—and he ran like it.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, Verifying won the six-furlong race by 1 3/4 lengths while being timed in 1:10.26.

"He is a nice colt," trainer Brad Cox said in the winner's circle. "From a trainer's standpoint, you watch them train and you have high hopes. He did put it all together today. He broke well and he did everything right. I am hopeful he will stretch out, and, based on pedigree, I think will."

Verifying's dam is Diva Delite  by Repent , making him a half brother to 2019 champion older dirt female Midnight Bisou . Bred by Hunter Valley & Mountmellick Farm, he was purchased by M.V. Magnier for $750,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2020.

"When he came to us, he was a real immature baby and he kind of had to show me a little bit before we got super high on him," Cox said.

"He showed us a move at Keeneland and I thought, 'Look, he deserves an opportunity to come to Saratoga.'"

That was a July 6 work in which Verifying went four furlongs in :47 3/5.

"To get to Saratoga, you have to show a good bit of consistency," Cox said. "That is the big thing, seeing good works week in and week out."

Cox said he debated on running Verifying last week in a 6 1/2-furlong race to give him more ground. Then he decided on the opener on Travers Day.

He wanted to get one more work (:47 2/5 Aug. 22) into him, as well as some gate work. After that, Cox was confident the colt would run well, and he did.

"He broke well," Rosario said as he left the winner's circle. "Brad told me just to let him get comfortable and let him finish at the end and he did that. He was very impressive."

Cox said he has "three of four" juveniles by the 2018 Triple Crown winner in the barn, and this was the first one to start. The next step of Verifying's career has not been determined.

"We will let him bounce out of this and unwind mentally and see how he comes out of it physically," Cox said. "We'll see where we land. We will ship him back to Churchill when the meet is over and figure out where to place him next."