Economic Model shifts sights to King's Bishop

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Economic Model was to scratch from Saturday’s Grade 2, $750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer and will now point to the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga on Aug. 27, trainer Chad Brown said Friday.

Brown said he prefers to keep Economic Model around one turn and has trained the horse in blinkers, equipment he will wear for the first time in the seven-furlong King’s Bishop.

“He can use the additional time,” Brown said. “All of his success has been around one turn, and he’s been a little more focused with blinkers.”

Economic Model, a son of Flatter, won at Saratoga going six furlongs last August in his debut. He won an allowance race and the Easy Goer Stakes, both one-turn races, this summer at Belmont before finishing second to Fish Trappe Road in the Dwyer.

Economic Model will meet Fish Trappe Road again in the King’s Bishop. On Friday, Fish Trappe Road worked a sharp five furlongs in 1:00.09 over Saratoga’s main track.