Digital Age closes stoutly to win Old Forester Turf Classic

Like shoppers who have gravitated to easier ways of doing business, trainer Chad Brown and owner Seth Klarman are modernizing their older grass runners, going from Bricks and Mortar to Digital Age.

Digital Age on Saturday followed in the footsteps of Bricks and Mortar, winning the Grade 1, $1 million Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, the race traditionally preceding the Kentucky Derby.

Last year, when the race was run in May, Bricks and Mortar used it as part of a resume that resulted in him winning Horse of the Year. Digital Age is less accomplished at this point, but is obviously headed in the right direction. This was his fifth win in 11 starts, but his first Grade 1 victory and only his second graded stakes, both coming at Churchill Downs. He won the Grade 2 American Turf last year on the same card on which Bricks and Mortar won the Turf Classic.

Klarman owned the majority of Bricks and Mortar in a partnership, but he owns Digital Age outright. Brown, always well represented in races like this, had three of the 10 entrants. He finished first, third, and fourth, with his Rockemperor and Sacred Life following the runner-up, front-running Factor This.

It was Factor This who led early in the 1 1/8-mile grass race, pushed along by True Valour and Spectacular Gem through a lively pace of 23.24 seconds for the quarter and 47.17 for the half. Factor This was able to shake free of his pace rivals entering the lane, but Digital Age, well back early, closed stoutly in the center of the course after splitting rivals in upper stretch, reeled in Factor This nearing the wire, and prevailed by three-quarters of a length.

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Digital Age paid $19.20 for $2 to win.

Factor This, gallant in defeat considering the race shape, finished 2 1/4 lengths in front of Rockemperor. The rest, in order, were Sacred Life, Dontblamerocket, Spectacular Gem, True Valour, Mr Dumas, Somelikeithotbrown, and Bowies Hero.

Digital Age completed 1 1/8 miles on the firm course in 1:47.79.

Javier Castellano rode Digital Age. Irad Ortiz Jr. was aboard Digital Age for his two prior starts this year, but he chose to remain at Saratoga for closing weekend. Castellano had ridden Digital Age twice previously, both defeats.

Digital Age had allowance conditions earlier this year, and Brown used them as building blocks. He returned from a layoff of nearly seven months to finish second at Belmont Park on Belmont Stakes Day, June 20, in a third-level allowance, then won at that level July 18 at Saratoga. That was his first win since the American Turf and ended a six-race losing streak.

Digital Age, 4, is by Invincible Spirit. He has now won five times in 11 starts, and the $589,000 he won Saturday boosted his bankroll to $1,234,660.