Bernard Baruch Stepping Stone for Heart to Heart

Terry Hamilton's Heart to Heart will look to take the next step toward a potential Breeders' Cup start in the $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2T) Sept. 4 at Saratoga Race Course.

Facing eight rivals, Heart to Heart will be making his first appearance at the Spa since winning the 2014 Better Talk Now Stakes. The 6-year-old, who is the field's most experienced entrant, will also be making his 30th start. 

Trainer Brian Lynch said he wants Heart to Heart—runner-up by a neck to American Patriot in the April 14 Maker's 46 Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland—to use the Bernard Baruch as a prep for the Oct. 7 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1T) at the Lexington oval, a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" event for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) in November at Del Mar.

"He's been down at Belmont and all reports are that he's been training well, so I wanted to get a race in him before the Shadwell Mile. It seems to be the ideal spot and ideal timing," Lynch said.

Heart to Heart has three wins in four starts at the Bernard Baruch distance of 1 1/16 miles and will look to be the pacesetter, while breaking from the rail with Irad Ortiz, Jr. carrying co-highweight assigment of 120 pounds with American Patriot. 

"He's a dangerous horse if he gets left alone on the lead," Lynch said. "Provided we don't get a lot of rain here between now and Monday and it stays fast and firm. That's where he's most effective. He's coming off a layoff and he's been working on the dirt. Hopefully, he's ready and we get a good performance out of him."

WinStar Farm's American Patriot broke out at the highest level with his come-from-behind win in the Maker's 46 Mile, in which he rallied from eighth. Following that effort, American Patriot shipped to England, where he finished 11th in the group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. In his stateside return, the 4-year-old son of War Front  couldn't overcome a poor start over a yielding track, finishing sixth in the Aug. 12 Fourstardave Handicap (G1T) at the Spa.

"He's doing well. He didn't handle the soft course at all and didn't break well and never got on track," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "We'll hope the ground is firmer on Monday for him."

Luis Saez will have the call from post 5. American Patriot will also carry 120 pounds.

St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds' Ring Weekend will return to graded stakes company looking to repeat as the winner of the Bernard Baruch. He set a course record in last year's edition, winning in a time of 1:38.29 for 1 1/16 miles on the Mellon turf course. 

The 6-year-old son of Tapit  dropped in class after a wide trip and a 10th-place showing in the Longines Dixie Stakes (G2T) May 20 at Pimlico Race Course. After a runner-up performance against optional claimers June 15, the Graham Motion trainee finished fifth in the Aug. 5 Fasig-Tipton Lure Stakes at Saratoga.

Ring Weekend is seeking his first win since the 2016 Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T) in November at Del Mar. He drew post 4 with Jose Ortiz aboard.

Juddmonte Farms' Projected has been a runner-up in his last three starts for trainer Chad Brown, finishing one length behind Zennor last out in the Lure. Since arriving from France, where the English-bred raced exclusively for his first 11 starts, the 5-year-old is 1-3-0 in five North American starts, including second-place efforts in the Dixie and Poker Stakes (G3T).

Projected's stablemate Takeover Target ran third in the Lure last out. That was the first Saratoga appearance for the 5-year-old since he ran seventh in last year's edition of the Bernard Baruch for Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence.

Highland Sky will make his stakes debut this year, cutting back in distance after a six-wide trip and a seventh-place finish against optional claiming company at 1 3/8 miles on the turf at Saratoga July 21. The 4-year-old son of Sky Mesa  will make his first graded stakes start since finishing second by a neck to Deauville in the 2016 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T).

Delta Prince will stretch out in distance, making his first start at more than a mile after capitalizing on class relief in an optional claimer win Aug. 5 going one mile on turf. Trained by Jimmy Jerkens, Delta Prince was second in the April 1 Appleton Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park in his stakes debut, finishing a half-length behind All Included.

Forge, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, will make his first stakes appearance in the U.S. since arriving from England last year as a stakes winner. Glorious Empire, trained by Carlos Martin, will round out the field in his first graded stakes start since arriving in the U.S. from Great Britain.     

Entries: Bernard Baruch H. (G2T)

Saratoga Race Course, Monday, September 04, 2017, Race 7

• Grade IIT
• 1 1/16m
• Turf
• $250,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 3:53 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Heart to Heart (ON)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	120	Brian A. Lynch	5/2
2	2Takeover Target (KY)	Joel Rosario	117	Chad C. Brown	5/1
3	3Delta Prince (KY)	John R. Velazquez	115	James A. Jerkens	6/1
4	4Ring Weekend (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	H. Graham Motion	12/1
5	5American Patriot (KY)	Luis Saez	120	Todd A. Pletcher	5/1
6	6Forge (GB)	Manuel Franco	115	William I. Mott	8/1
7	7Glorious Empire (IRE)	Jose Lezcano	112	Carlos F. Martin	20/1
8	8Highland Sky (KY)	Rajiv Maragh	117	Barclay Tagg	12/1
9	9Projected (GB)	Florent Geroux	117	Chad C. Brown	7/2