Nations Pride, With The Moonlight drill six furlongs for weekend stakes

The Charlie Appleby-trained pair of Nations Pride and With The Moonlight worked six furlongs together over the Oklahoma turf course Sunday morning in preparation for upcoming stakes engagements next weekend for 3-year-old turf horses at Saratoga.

Nations Pride, the colt pointing to Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Saratoga Derby, started out about a length in front of With The Moonlight, the filly pointing to next Sunday’s Grade 3, $700,000 Saratoga Oaks. The two joined up before the quarter pole as With The Moonlight went a length clear at the finish. She got her last quarter in 23.25 seconds.

“They galloped a good three quarters, just a nice, build-in pace; they joined together and finished really strongly and nicely together,” said Chris Connet, an assistant to Appleby who has been with these two horses the last three weeks.

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Nations Pride finished second to Classic Causeway in the Belmont Derby while With The Moonlight was second to McKulick in the Belmont Oaks.

“They’ve really settled in well to training here at Saratoga, they’ve looked like they’ve done well from that race,” Connet said.

Connet said William Buick is expected to be in from Europe to ride both 3-year-olds. Frankie Dettori rode both at Belmont.

Entries for the Saratoga Derby will be taken Wednesday. The race is expected to attract Annapolis, Classic Causeway, Emmanuel, Ethereal Road, Grand Sonata, Main Event, Royal Patronage, Stone Age, and Sy Dog.

The Saratoga Oaks, entries for which will be taken Thursday, is expected to include Canisy, Contemporary Art, McKulick, Sparkle Blue, Vergara and Walkathon.

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