Diego Velazquez Favored in Saratoga Derby Invitational

The Aug. 3 Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course attracted a field of eight 3-year-olds with a variety of international experience, the starters having run in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Dubai, England, and France, and the morning-line favorite is a horse that will be making his first start in this country. 

Purchased for $2.89 million at the 2022 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Diego Velazquez , named for the 17th-century Spanish painter, is owned by Westerberg, Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor. Successful in his first two races, both in Ireland, one of them the Champions Juvenile Stakes (G2) at Leopardstown, the bay colt failed to finish in the top three in four subsequent races before taking the Meld Stakes (G3) by seven lengths.

Trained by Aidan O'Brien, Diego Velazquez will break from post 4 under jockey Ryan Moore. 

Legend of Time  ran his first five races outside of the United States before taking up residence in trainer Charlie Appleby's stateside barn. The winner of the Pennine Ridge Stakes (G2T) at Aqueduct Racetrack came back to run third in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) at the same track in early July. The 7-2 second choice on the morning line is by Sea The Stars  and was purchased from the same sale as Diego Velazquez, albeit for a more modest $174,613.

Owned by Godolphin, Legend of Time has been training at Saratoga since May and will break from post 3 with William Buick in the saddle. 

Trainer Christophe Clement sends two to the post, the first a $625,000 yearling purchase from the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. A son of Liam's Map  , Deterministic  broke his maiden at Saratoga last August, running his first five races on dirt before being switched to turf last out, a second-place finish at Aqueduct in the Manila Stakes (G3T). 

"Deterministic is training very well. He had a great work the other day on the turf with Joel Rosario," Clement said. "We are very much looking forward to stretching him out to this distance."

Deterministic is owned by St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven Duncker, and Vicarage Stable. Rosario will be aboard, as he was in the horse's dirt starts. At 6-1 on the morning line, he'll break from post 5. 

Clement will also send out Carson's Run  (Cupid  ), owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and Steven Bouchey.

Completing the field are White Palomino , trained by Chad Brown and owned by James Bakke and Gerald Isbister; Royal Majesty , trained by Bill Mott and owned by Besilu Stables; Cugino , trained by Shug McGaughey and owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and Jimmy Kahig; and Izzy d'Oro , trained by Blake Kelly, who owns the Get Stormy colt in partnership with Joseph Gellenbeck and Isidoro Russo.