Program Trading takes Saratoga Derby despite inexperience
?q=100)
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — To ask a horse to win a Grade 1 stakes in just his third career start, over a yielding course he’s never experienced before, and to do so after relinquishing the lead to a far more seasoned and accomplished rival a furlong from the wire, is asking an awful lot.
But that’s exactly what Program Trading accomplished Saturday at Saratoga, reasserting himself in deep stretch to remain undefeated with a gut-wrenching head decision over Webslinger in the $600,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational.
Trainer Chad Brown showed enough confidence in Program Trading to try him in the Saratoga Derby with just two previous starts on his résumé, a five-length maiden win when making his career debut May 14 at Monmouth Park and a popular 2 1/4-length allowance victory just five weeks later at Belmont Park.
With Flavien Prat aboard, Program Trading took advantage of his inside post and a relatively paceless field to quickly take command, showing the way from near the rail, while stalked from the outset by the slow starting Lion of War. Program Trading disposed of his early pursuer midway on the second turn but was quickly confronted at that point by Webslinger, who stuck his head in front from out near the center of the course upon settling into the stretch. But Program Trading was resolute, fighting back under vigorous handling near the inside to regain the advantage in the shadow of the wire.
Webslinger, fourth while beaten just 1 1/2 lengths by Far Bridge after a bit of an eventful trip in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby four weeks earlier, raced wide about five lengths off the lead in the run down the backstretch. He advanced gradually under jockey Javier Castellano to eventually gain control in early stretch but could not last while finishing 1 1/2 lengths in front of 2-1 favorite Webslinger, who loomed menacingly behind the top pair through midstretch but lacked the necessary late response.
Program Trading (95 Beyer Speed Figure) covered 1 3/16 miles over a yielding course in 1:56.63 seconds and paid $9.20 as the second choice in a field of eight 3-year-olds.
“It was really a special performance, this horse really dug in and showed a lot of heart to do that in only his third start moving up to a major race like this,” said Brown, who trains Program Trading for owner Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables. “We always thought he had ability and he may have had the advantage of fresh legs so to speak because the horses who were behind him had long seasons. But he did have some inexperience he had to overcome.”
Brown acknowledged that patience has proved a virtue as far as Program Trading is concerned.
“Sometimes these horses are not meant to be 2-year-olds and they get their careers started later and if you’re patient you get rewarded,” Brown said. “We [Brown and Prat] talked about if the one [Mondego] was going to leave or not and we decided just to break, stay off the rail and nurse him along. He was passed in early stretch and for an inexperienced horse to come back on the inside, which might have even been the softest part of the track where he was, he really overcame a lot in the stretch to show his heart and ability.”
Trainer Mark Casse said he was proud of Webslinger in defeat.
“They [Webslinger and Program Trading] both ran their guts out,” said Casse. “Sometimes you win them, sometimes you lose them. I’m proud of him. He tried. He tries every time.”
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.