Wide-Open Field Assembled for Bernard Baruch

Two previous stakes winners on the Saratoga Race Course turf, defending titleholder Emaraaty  and last year's Better Talk Now Stakes hero Wit  will lock horns for the first time in the Sept. 4 Bernard Baruch Stakes (G2T).

Both contenders, the probable favorites in the field of six, are entering the $150,000 1 1/16-mile turf contest off the bench for trainers Chad Brown and Todd Pletcher.

British-bred Emaraaty captured the 2022 Baruch in impressive frontrunning fashion but has only gone to the starting gate once since. In his sole start this year, he was sixth, beaten 7 1/2 lengths in the June 10 Poker Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park. The Brown trainee has been breezing at Saratoga since the Poker, registering a half-mile in :48.88 last Monday.

An 8-year-old son of Dubawi , Emaraaty, originally purchased as a Book 1 yearling by Shadwell Stable for $3,480,477 at the 2016 Tattersalls October Sale, has raced a majority of his career in North America. Now campaigned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Michael Caruso, the gelding has notched three allowance-level wins in addition to his Baruch triumph.

Flavien Prat has the call on Emaraaty.

Brown will also saddle the Peter Brant-owned Public Sector  in the Baruch. Like his stablemate, the 5-year-old has made only one trip to the post this year, where he was fifth in the Cliff Hanger Stakes May 27 at Monmouth Park. 

Public Sector won three graded stakes in a row in 2021, taking the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T), Saranac Stakes (G3T), and Hill Prince Stakes (G2T), but has not posted a win in eight starts since. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. will attempt to guide the Kingman  horse back to the winner's circle.

Wit, hailing from the Pletcher barn, makes his first start in over seven months in the Baruch. The 4-year-old Practical Joke   colt was a two-time grade 3 winner on the dirt until switching to the turf at Saratoga last summer. He responded with career-best performances—a second in the National Racing Hall of Fame Stakes and a 2 3/4-length victory in the Better Talk Now. He concluded his season with two more graded black-type placings, the best being a narrow third-place defeat in the Hollywood Derby (G1T).

Owned in partnership by Repole Stable, Gainesway Stable, and St. Elias Stable, Wit last raced in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) in January, where he was eighth. Jose Ortiz will ride Wit.

The remainder of the field includes Bring Me a Check , Pioneering Spirit  and main track only entrant Jake Rocks . Trainer Linda Rice made a late decision to enter Pioneering Spirit, who finished third in the grade 1 Sword Dancer Aug. 26. Jose Lezcano will ride Pioneering Spirit.