Maker's stable firing on all cylinders at Saratoga meet
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A third of the way through the Saratoga meet and the biggest surprise may be the name atop the trainers’ standings.
Mike Maker won two races on four of the five cards conducted here last week, giving him 14 wins through the first 14 days of the 40-day meet. That’s six more than both Todd Pletcher and Steve Asmussen and seven more than Chad Brown and Brad Cox.
Maker’s horses have earned $932,206, putting him second in that department behind Brown ($1,014,791). Maker’s 47 starters are second only to Brown’s 54.
Maker’s diverse stable has enabled him to enjoy this success. He’s won with bottom-level claimers, 2-year-olds, and he took Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green Stakes with Cross Border.
“We had a lot of horses that the races were ideal for them,” Maker said Monday. “You don’t know till you run them, but we had a lot of horses that fit and knew I was going to have a lot of starters. I didn’t know I was going to have 14 wins this quick at Saratoga.”
Maker, who won three races on July 23, has been coming to Saratoga regularly since 2008. He had his best meet in 2020, winning 20 races from 98 starters. That put him in a tie for third with Christophe Clement behind only Pletcher (32) and Brown (28).
Maker said he has accentuated Saratoga more over the last few years because two of his primary clients, Kirk Wycoff’s Three Diamonds Farm and Peter Proscia’s Paradise Farms Corp., have put an emphasis on Saratoga. This summer, Maker has won four races for Three Diamonds and three for Jordan Wycoff, the son of Kirk, who has branched out some on his own.
Cross Border won the Bowling Green for the second consecutive year, though his 2020 victory came with an assist from the stewards, who disqualified Sadler’s Joy from first. Saturday, Cross Border received a perfect trip behind Channel Cat and Channel Maker and won by 1 1/4 lengths. Cross Border, a 7-year-old ridgling by English Channel, is now 6 for 7 at Saratoga.
“He gives you 100 percent every time, maybe 110 percent up here,” Maker said.
Cross Border, who earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for his Bowling Green win, will be pointed to the Grade 1, $750,000 Sword Dancer on Aug. 28. He finished second in that race last year to Channel Maker. Glynn County, fifth in the United Nations at Monmouth, is possible for the Sword Dancer, Maker said, but added he could also race next at Kentucky Downs in order to split up the two horses.
Maker nearly pulled off a stakes double on Saturday as Special Reserve finished second, beaten a half-length by 34-1 shot Lexitonian, in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt.
“I wouldn’t have picked Lexitonian on the lead on the replay, but he ran a great race and so did we,” Maker said. “He saved ground and we didn’t, but can’t be more proud of the horse.”
Maker said he may wait until the Phoenix at Keeneland in October for Special Reserve’s next race.
Maker has his share of New York-breds. Run Curtis Run won the Rick Violette Stakes on July 21 and Rotknee won a maiden race here on Sunday. Both are targeting the $200,000 Funny Cide Stakes on Aug. 27. Somelikeithotbrown, who won last year’s Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Stakes, will be pointed to the $150,000 West Point for statebreds on that same day.
Field Pass, winner of the Baltimore-Washington Turf Cup on July 24, could run in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch on the Sept. 6 closing-day card.
Maker’s stable has undergone some revision already through the first three weeks of the meet. He has lost six horses at the claim box, but has claimed nine.
It’s not unreasonable to think Maker could contend for what would be his first Saratoga trainers’ title.
“You’d like to think so,” he said. “Hopefully, the hot streak doesn’t end. Todd, Chad, and Christophe are very tough. They may have what I had the second part of the meet.”