NY-Breds in Spotlight at Spa on Travers Eve

The Aug. 28 card at Saratoga Race Course, on the eve of Travers Stakes (gr. I) Day, will feature six New York-bred stakes worth $1.15 million, highlighted by a showdown of older turf runners in the $150,000 West Point.

 

Heading the 1 1/16-mile West Point is Aliyu Ben J Stable homebred Lubash, who has won his past two starts at age 8. The son of Freud   trained by Christophe Clement has compiled a career mark of 13-9-5 from 39 turf starts, including this year's Kingston Stakes at Belmont Park.



Lubash finished a head behind multiple graded stakes winner King Kreesa in last year's West Point. A King Cugat gelding, New York-bred champion King Kreesa is back to defend his title for trainer David Donk and owners Gerald and Susan Kresa. In his most recent start, the 6-year-old finished fourth by a length in the Fourstardave (gr. IIT).



Lubash will also again square off with the Timothy Hills-trained Kharafa, a multiple stakes winner owned by Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch. The pair split four meetings last year, and were separated by a length in the Kingston, in which Kharafa finished second. Javier Castellano will be aboard Kharafa, a 6-year-old son of Kitalpha, who won the Elkwood Stakes at Monmouth Park.



The $250,000 Albany, a 1 1/8-mile race on the main track for 3-year-olds, is led by New York Derby winner Force from the barn of trainer Mark Casse. John Oxley's son of Flatter began his career on the West Coast before venturing east for an allowance race May 30 at Churchill Downs, when he finished third in his first start equipped with blinkers. He then made his New York debut on July 3 at Finger Lakes, taking the New York Derby by two lengths at odds of 13-1.



The $150,000 Yaddo Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf is headed by multiple graded stakes winner and millionaire Discreet Marq. Owned by Mayglare Stud Farm and trained by Christophe Clement, Discreet Marq is set to make her third start of the year and first against New York-breds since October 2014. The 5-year-old daughter of Discreet Cat   won the Beaugay (gr. III) at Belmont in her first start of the season May 9 and followed that effort with a third-place finish in the Just a Game (gr. I).