Program Trading looks to stay unbeaten in Virginia Derby

Program Trading puts his unbeaten record on the line Saturday in the Grade 3, $600,000 Virginia Derby for 3-year-olds traveling 1 1/8 miles at Colonial Downs.

Trained by Chad Brown, Program Trading has accomplished a great deal in a short amount of time. The Lope de Vega ridgling rallied impressively to graduate first out on May 14 at Monmouth Park, then grabbed a first-level allowance on June 25 at Belmont Park. Both of those races were at 1 1/16 miles.

Brown felt that Program Trading would appreciate more distance, and he was proven correct when Program Trading wired the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby at 1 3/16 miles over yielding turf on Aug. 5.

“He was passed in early stretch,” Brown told NYRA track publicity after the Saratoga Derby. “For an inexperienced horse to come back on the inside, he showed a ton of heart, and I think it might be even a little softer down on the inside where he was.”

Brown also is represented by Activist Investing, a winner of his last two starts, including a first-level allowance on Aug. 13 at Saratoga. That race was his first race following a 301-day layoff.

Salute the Stars returns to turf after facing top company on the main track. A Candy Ride colt trained by Brad Cox, Salute the Stars captured Monmouth’s Pegasus on June 17 before finishing seventh of eight in the Grade 1 Haskell. In both the Pegasus and Haskell, Salute the Stars pulled hard and expended valuable energy in the early portion of the race.

“We’ve tried to get him to relax and work on handling the first turn a little better,” Cox said last month. “Obviously, he was able to overcome it in the Pegasus, but he stepped into deeper water last time out and it took too much out of him. I don’t really know what his issue was with that. A little smoother run in the first turn will help him at the end.”

Salute the Stars won his maiden on turf last summer at Ellis Park.

It’s safe to say that Gigante adores Colonial Downs. He captured the Kitten’s Joy last summer and pulled off a 22-1 upset last month in the Grade 2 Secretariat at one mile. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the Not This Time colt has learned to relax in the early portion of his races, and that has certainly helped his finish.

Mondego, third in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby on July 8, might not have cared for the yielding going when seventh of eight in the Saratoga Derby. He has the tactical speed to pull a good trip.

Integration, a $700,000 Quality Road yearling purchase out of Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks winner Harmonize, could be any kind for trainer Shug McGaughey. Bet down to even money for his debut here Aug. 12, he lived up to the hype with a 6 1/2-length victory. Stakes winners Freedom Trail, Dataman, and Ari Gold bring strong credentials to the race. The speedy Runaway Storm and Laurel Valley complete the field.

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