Saratoga undercard: Program Trading, Cogburn are victorious
Program Trading looked to be second-best in midstretch as a loaded Webslinger ranged up to challenge for the lead, but the Lope de Vega ridgling dug in gamely to fend off his rival and claim a wire-to-wire victory in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Saratoga Derby Invitationalat Saratoga.
In victory, Program Trading earned an automatic berth into the U.S. $3.3 million Cox Plate (G1) on Oct. 28 at Moonee Valley Racing Club in Victoria, Australia.
Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown and owned by Klaravich Stables, Program Trading earned the first stakes win of his career while remaining undefeated in three lifetime outings, adding to a debut score in May against elders at Monmouth Park and a first-level allowance optional claiming coup in June at Belmont Park, both going 1 1/16 miles. The win was Brown’s second in this event after taking the 2020 edition with Klaravich Stables color-bearer Domestic Spending.
“This horse really dug in and showed a lot of heart. It’s only his third start moving right into a major race like this,” Brown said. “We always thought he had the ability. He probably had the advantage of fresh legs so to speak, because the horses that were behind him have had long seasons and such, but he did have some inexperience he overcame. A lot of credit goes to the horse. Sometimes these horses aren’t made to be 2-year-olds and they get their careers started later. If you’re patient, you’re often rewarded.”
Away well from post 2 under Flavien Prat, Program Trading was urged to take command passing the stands for the first time in the 1 3/16-mile Mellon turf test for sophomores. He marked splits of 23.74 seconds and 49.59 over the yielding footing, with Lion of War and Mondego battling for second position. The Javier Castellano-piloted Webslinger enjoyed a patient trip in sixth down the backstretch before he began to pick off rivals into the final turn.
Prat asked Program Trading for more as he swung out from the inside after three-quarters in 1:14.41 and faced a strong challenge on the far outside from the rallying Far Bridge, along with Webslinger, who posed the greatest threat in the middle of the racetrack. It appeared Webslinger would sweep past his pacesetting foe with ease at the sixteenth pole while drawing clear of an all-out Far Bridge, but Program Trading found enough late to regain command and land the head victory in a final time of 1:56.63.
Far Bridge finished 1 1/2 lengths behind Webslinger for third with Battle of Normandy another 2 3/4 lengths back. The filly Aspen Grove, last-out winner of the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational, The Franchise, Mondego and Lion of War completed the order of finish. Truly Quality was scratched.
Prat, who was aboard Program Trading in his last victory, said his mount’s early foot is his best weapon.
“He showed good speed and got us into the race. I was traveling well all the way around,” Prat said. “He was very happy on the lead and that horse on the outside (Webslinger) made a move and got the jump on me and I couldn’t get him to go as much as I wanted to, but once he got the target, he really was game. He fought back. He never had any issues with the ground. Some European breeding definitely helps. I felt like he had one more gear and it was a matter of whether that horse could fight back. Fortunately, he didn’t. The way he ran today, I think he could stay farther.”
Brown added that he was pleased to see Program Trading alone up front when the Christophe Clement-trained Mondego did not challenge for the lead from the inside post.
“Me and Flavien talked about if the one was going to leave out of there or not. He was the only other speed horse. We were just a little faster on paper,” said Brown. “We decided to break, stay off the rail and just see if we could nurse him along. He was passed in early stretch. For an inexperienced horse to come back on the inside, he showed a ton of heart and I think it might be even a little softer down on the inside where he was. He really overcame a lot in the stretch to show his heart and ability."
Brown said he will wait to decide if Program Trading will target the $500,000 Jockey Club Derby (G3) going 1 3/8 miles on October 7.
"I’m not sure. I’ll have to think away,” said Brown. “That’s an awful long way to go. We’re just going to enjoy this win here. He’s only ran three times and he’s 3. I’m hoping to have this horse for many years down the road.”
Bred in Great Britain by Fittocks Stud and Arrow Farm and Stud, Program Trading banked $330,000 in victory, boosting his total career earnings to $415,250. The $356,551 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale purchase returned $9.20 for a $2 win ticket.
Javier Castellano praised the effort from Webslinger, trained by fellow Hall of Famer Mark Casse.
“Perfect trip, I like the way he did it,” said Castellano. “Unfortunately, the winner got away with some slow fractions and was able to slow down the pace. I think that’s why he won the race. But I came from behind and tried to catch up. I almost did it, but I’m satisfied with how my horse did it.”
Cogburn extends perfect turf record in Troy; Caravel 4th
Cogburn remained unbeaten since moving to turf, posting his third consecutive victory on the grass by overtaking Nobals in the stretch to capture Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Troy for older horses to kick off the first of five stakes on a stacked Whitney Day Card at Saratoga.
Since Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen moved Cogburn from the main track to the turf, the 4-year-old Not This Time colt rallied for a pair of five-furlong victories, winning the Chamberlain Bridge in May and the Grand Prairie Turf Sprint in June at Lone Star Park. Stretched out slightly to the Troy distance of 5 1/2 furlongs, Cogburn improved to 3-for-3 on the lawn with his three-quarter-length victory.
Nobals led the seven-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 21.92 seconds and the half in 45.19 into the stretch over a yielding Mellon turf course.
Cogburn, under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., previously won over firm ground but handled the softer going with aplomb. Straightened for home, Cogburn first overtook Remuda from the outside and set his sights on Nobals, collaring him inside the final sixteenth and hitting the wire in 1:03.70.
Nobals, ridden by E.T. Baird, bested Thin White Duke by 1 1/2 lengths for second for trainer Larry Rivelli. Caravel, the 6-year-old mare who entered off a five-race win streak and went off as 1-2 favorite, finished fourth. Remuda, Mister Mmmmm and Ikigai completed the order of finish. Grooms All Bizness was scratched.
“The last two races, he'd been breaking really bad. I was really surprised when he got out on two feet, I stayed last by maybe 10 to 15 lengths, and man he closed hard,” Santana said. “I was really happy where I was today, that was all the plan. It is what I went over with Steve this morning and that horse looked like he loved the turf.
"It was a perfect trip,” he continued. “The horse has been improving and improving, more and more. He ran hard today. He really liked the turf and I'm really happy with him."
Off at 7-1, Cogburn returned $17 on a $2 win wager. He improved his earnings for owners Clark O. Brewster and William and Corinne Heiligbrodt to $591,710 and advanced his record to11: 6-2-0.
“I think obviously he has excelled on the turf, being undefeated, and gave me a great feel today,” Asmussen said. “We put him on the turf honestly because he wasn’t performing as well as he trained on the dirt. He would run solid, but not as special as he seemed training.”
After handling the softer track, Asmussen said the potential for a Breeders’ Cup target in November at Santa Anita could be in play, along with a potential start first in the $1 million Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint (G2) on Sept. 9.
“I thought Ricardo gave him just a perfect trip today,” Asmussen said. “Thankfully, he handled the soft turf. The concern was that he had run twice on very firm turf and all the rain we got yesterday - not being sure how he’d like it - but obviously it suits him well. I feel great to beat the field that we did today and now we can think big. We hopefully have a Breeders’ Cup horse.”
Nobals, who won the Turf Sprint (G2) in May at Churchill Downs and William Garrett Handicap in July in his previous start, finished on the board for the fourth time in his last five starts.
“He broke great and he really ran his race,” Baird said. “He handled it great. I know it's a little soft, but he never bobbled once and didn’t have a hard time handling the track at all.”
Caravel trainer Brad Cox said the give in the ground was not to his charge’s liking.
“It was (the yielding turf). She’s never traveled like that in her life,” Cox said. “We’ll regroup. I don’t know where we’ll go from here.”
