Late Kick by Carson's Run Delivers Saratoga Derby Win

West Point Thoroughbreds and Steve Bouchey's Carson's Run  captured his second grade 1 stakes in the Aug. 11 Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course with an artful last-to-first ride by Dylan Davis.

The 3-year-old son of Cupid   tracked in last place for much of the 1 3/16-mile race on the turf course labeled good. But Davis was content to let the chestnut colt bide his time along the rail, while pacesetter Izzy d'Oro  set moderate fractions of :23.83, :48.30, and 1:12.98.

The real running commenced as Izzy d'Oro rounded into the second turn with Godolphin's even-money favorite Legend of Time  closing in on him after tracking in midpack through the early going. Closely packed exiting the turn, the field fanned out across the top of the stretch and Davis took the opportunity to angle Carson's Run into the middle of the track. 

Legend of Time was in full stride and driving with an eighth of a mile to go, fighting off a serious bid along the rail from Besilu Stables' Royal Majesty . Flavien Prat and Legend of Time had just put away Royal Majesty with a sixteenth of a mile to go when Carson's Run came flying to his outside and rocketed to a three-quarters of a length victory. The win was Davis' second for the day.

"Great race, very good ride from Dylan," said trainer Christophe Clement, who also saddled third-place finisher Deterministic . "He knows the horse very well, he has been working him many, many times the last two months. (Carson's Run) is a little bit peculiar. He had a very funny start at Aqueduct in the spring, so we have been working on it. Obviously, he loved the ground. When he is right, he has a spectacular turn of foot like he showed today."

West Point and Bouchey acquired Carson's Run through L.E.B. agent David Ingordo, who bought the colt for $170,000 from Randy Miles at the 2023 Ocala Breeders' Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. 

"I guess that's the beautiful thing about the partners and in particular David Ingordo our bloodstock agent," said West Point CEO Terry Finley. "We go to the sales and we have the freedom to take shots and to buy horses that other people don't buy. Often times they don't work out, but when they work out like this, there's a sweetness to this business that you can't match in anything else in life that you do."

For Davis who grew up in Saratoga, this race was especially sweet as his first grade 1 win in the United States and most importantly in New York. The rider could now get the chance to land a group 1 win in Australia because the race offers the winner a free berth to the Oct. 26 AU$5 million Cox Plate (G1) at Moonee Valley Race Course.

"I'll go anywhere he goes. He's an incredible horse and I know him very well, and he's capable of anything," Davis said.

Clement was reserved about a potential start in the Cox Plate, noting that both Carson's Run and Deterministic will be nominated to the 2 1/2-mile Nashville Gold Cup Stakes Sept. 11 at Kentucky Downs.

"It's a little quick back, only three weeks, so we will see how they come out of this one first," he said.