Brown Sends Out Strong Double in Saranac

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will saddle a pair of top contenders in graded stakes winner Carl Spackler  and the improving Activist Investing  in the $175,000 Saranac Stakes (G3T) Sept. 1, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for sophomores, at Saratoga Race Course.

Carl Spackler (Tyler Gaffalione), owned by e Five Racing Thoroughbreds, has kept good company throughout his career, finishing a close second to eventual grade 1 winner Far Bridge  in his January debut at Gulfstream Park. 

He followed with a romping 8 3/4-length maiden win one month later over the same oval ahead of a close eighth, defeated just 4 1/2 lengths, in the American Turf Stakes (G2T) in May at Churchill Downs—a race won by next-out stakes winner Webslinger  and featuring third-place finisher Major Dude , who took the next-out Penn Mile Stakes (G2T).

The Lope de Vega  chestnut, bred in Ireland by Fifth Avenue Bloodstock, rebounded with a stylish 2 1/4-length score in the one-mile National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T) Aug. 11 at Saratoga. 

With returning rider Tyler Gaffalione up, Carl Spackler saved ground through the first turn and traveled just off the rail in fifth down the backstretch as Mysterious Night  marked the half-mile in :47.45. Carl Spackler was angled five-wide for the stretch run and took over from his stablemate Appraise  with a sixteenth to run to secure the comfortable win in a final time of 1:36.29 and garner a career-best 104 Equibase Speed Figure.

"Considering the layoff, I thought he ran terrific," Brown said. "We thought so highly of him, so to see him get back on track in a big way in a big race was great."

Klaravich Stables' Activist Investing (Flavien Prat) graduated on third asking in October at Belmont at the Big A. The British-bred Kingman  bay, out of the Redoute's Choice mare Astronomy's Choice , returned from a 10-month layoff Aug. 13 here to best an optional-claiming field by 1 3/4 lengths traveling nine furlongs over firm footing.

"It was just some immaturity stuff, no big deal," said Brown, regarding the time off. "It took longer than we thought, but he really impressed me off a really long layoff going a mile and an eighth which is hard to do."

Brown said he is concerned about bringing both horses back on short rest, but the opportunity to race them again on a familiar surface put them into consideration.

"It's nice that they handle it and they're right here," Brown said. "Right now, we're planning on running (both) but we'll take a good look at it, too."

Harrell Ventures' Lost Ark , a stakes winner on dirt, will make his grass debut for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

Lost Ark won impressively on debut last July, sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs at Belmont Park ahead of a 7 1/2-length score in the one-mile Sapling Stakes one month later at Monmouth Park that featured his third-place stablemate Major Dude, who is now a multiple graded stakes winner on turf.

The $275,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase was off the board in his final pair of starts as a 2-year-old but returned victorious in June in a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer at Monmouth. He was a distant fourth last out July 21 in the restricted nine-furlong Curlin Stakes won by Scotland , who finished sixth in Saturday's Travers Stakes (G1). The Curlin runner-up, Il Miracolo , exited that effort to win the Smarty Jones Stakes (G3) at Parx Racing.

Lost Ark has worked three times over the Oklahoma training turf, including a half-mile effort in :49.23 Aug. 27. 

The Spa's leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call aboard Lost Ark.

The field is completed by Gatsas Stables, R. A. Hill Stable, and Steve Schoenfeld's stakes winner Freedom Trail , Lael Stables' Taking Candy  for trainer Cherie DeVaux, stakes-placed Mendelssohns March  for trainer Kenny McPeek, and two-time winner Yacowlef  who makes his stateside debut for trainer Jack Sisterson. Brendan Walsh's Gilmore  is entered for the main track only.