Raging Bull Gives Brown Saranac Score
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coglianese Photos/Chris Rahayel
Raging Bull wins the Saranac Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
The Sept. 1 card at Saratoga Race Course could easily serve as a microcosm for Chad Brown's entire meet in upstate New York.
Midway through the day's action, the two-time Eclipse Award winner bested his own record for wins by a trainer in a single Saratoga meet when Spirit Animal took the sixth race. Even when one of his own was getting beat, Brown was still coming out on top as his trainee Hizeem got put up in the eighth race following a double disqualification of the top two.
The only thing missing at that point was the native of Mechanicville, N.Y., adding another graded stakes win on turf to his lengthy résumé. Raging Bull took care of that part of the equation when he rallied on the far outside past pacesetter Up the Ante to win the $300,000 Saranac Stakes (G3T) by 1 1/4 lengths.
The 1 1/8-mile Saranac represented one of the few graded stakes on the grass at Saratoga that Brown hadn't already captured. In knocking off that test for his conditioner, Raging Bull also avenged his lone career defeat in the process.
Unraced as a juvenile, the bay son of Dark Angel won his first two starts but was beaten 3 1/2 lengths by Up the Ante when the two first met in the July 4 Manila Stakes going one mile at Belmont Park. Raging Bull came back Aug. 3 to take the 1 1/16-mile National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T) by a nose over Maraud, and the added ground he traveled Saturday further played into his turn of foot.
"The horse should really be undefeated," Brown said after notching meet win No. 43. "He got caught in a paceless race going a mile at Belmont (the Manila) and ran a big, big race to close. He just couldn't get there. It's the only blemish on his record. This horse has a remarkable turn of foot. He knows where the wire is. He's an immense talent."
With Joel Rosario in the irons, Raging Bull saved ground while rating fourth as Up the Ante cut the opening quarter mile in :23.25. Peter Brant's colt was still midpack in fifth as Up the Ante reached the half in :48.04 but was angled off the rail around the far turn and let loose on his rival at the head of the lane.
"This horse got a great trip," Brown said. "I just want to say that Joel Rosario rode an unbelievable race. When you have a horse that's talented but runs from behind on turf, you're very trip-dependent, and I just can't believe what a trip this horse got. He made every decision the right one at every pole of this race."
Added Rosario, "The race was perfect. (Raging Bull) broke well. Chad told me just let him be and get my position and not have to check him, just let him be. If he wanted to be fourth just let him be. When I got to the outside heading for home, I knew he would come running because he liked that spot and he was moving very nice and took off."
Raging Bull covered the distance in 1:47.19 over a course rated good, rewarding those who made him the 2-1 favorite in the nine-horse field. Up the Ante edged March to the Arch by a neck for place honors, with Hot Springs and Golden Brown completing the top five. Sand Dancer, Therapist, Free Drop Billy, and Maraud rounded out the order.
Bred in France by Dayton Investments out of the Mr. Greeley mare Rosa Bonheur, Raging Bull improved his bankroll to $383,500 after earning his fourth win in five starts. He was purchased by Eugenio Columbo for $100,935 out of the 2016 Goffs Orby Yearling sale.
"A lot of the credit also goes to Eugenio Columbo. He bought this horse as a baby over in Europe," Brown said. "He's been a real pleasure to train, this horse. He's quite a class act in the morning and in the afternoon."