Limousine Liberal should get trip he needs in Alfred G. Vanderbilt

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Kentucky-based horses have gotten off to a good start at this year’s Saratoga meeting, and the Bluegrass State will be well represented here Saturday in the $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, with both Limousine Liberal and Bird Song among the major players. The Vanderbilt is the only Grade 1 event on the afternoon’s 11-race program, which includes three other graded stakes.

Limousine Liberal, who has competed in the last two editions of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, comes into the six-furlong Vanderbilt having won his last three starts, including the Grade 2 Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day. Limousine Liberal will be making his third local appearance, having finished second behind Runhappy in the 2015 King’s Bishop and a tiring seventh a year ago in the Grade 1 Forego.

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“This has kind of been our target all along after giving him the winter off, as planned, following the Breeders’ Cup,” said Ben Colebrook, who trains Limousine Liberal for owner and breeder Katherine Ball. “He ran huge in the race at Churchill on Derby Day, after which we gave him a couple of easy confidence boosters prior to this one. He ran big here two years ago when running into a monster in Runhappy in the King’s Bishop, and last year, in the Forego, he got caught inside horses, where he really doesn’t want to be.”

Limousine Liberal should not get caught inside in the Vanderbilt, having drawn the outside post in the eight-horse field.

“The key is having him in the clear on the outside, and he should be in a good spot with all the speed to his inside,” said Colebrook. “Last year, he might have had a little case of the 4-year-old blues, but he’s older and more seasoned now, and I think this is the best he’s ever been.”

A fast pace is what trainer Ian Wilkes wants for Bird Song, who turns back to six furlongs for the first time since beating first-level allowance horses here last summer. Bird Song has since captured the Grade 3 Fred Hooper going a mile last winter at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 2 Alysheba at 1 1/16 miles in May at Churchill Downs.

Wilkes said Bird Song is using the Vanderbilt as a steppingstone to his major goal at the meet, the seven-furlong Forego on Aug. 26.

A. P. Indian will attempt to win the Vanderbilt for the second year in a row. He won last year by 1 1/4 lengths after forcing the pace. The victory was the third of five straight for A. P. Indian, including the Forego four weeks later.

A. P. Indian, who missed the Belmont Sprint Championship due to a minor injury sustained in his final work for the race, figures to be part of a very honest pace that should also include the much-improved El Deal and Grade 1 winner Green Gratto.

Spartiatis, Awesome Banner, and Ready for Rye complete the field.

Key Contenders

Limousine Liberal, by Successful Appeal
Last 3 Beyers: 94-94-101

◗ Limousine Liberal, who owns the track record for six furlongs at Ellis Park and 6 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland, likely will “sit a little further back than usual because of all the pace in the lineup,” Colebrook said.

Bird Song, by Unbridled’s Song
Last 3 Beyers: 81-101-92

◗ He is 2 for 3 over the track and comes into the race off an extremely impressive half-mile bullet work here last Saturday.

A. P. Indian, by Indian Charlie
Last 3 Beyers: 100-98-93

◗ He’ll carry the high weight of 120 pounds, two more than he toted to victory in this race a year ago, and will concede one to six pounds to his seven rivals.