SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In between two very appealing graded stakes on Saturday’s Saratoga card is what appears to be an intriguing maiden race for 2-year-olds featuring debut runners from the barn of Chad Brown, Todd Pletcher, Brad Cox, and Bill Mott. The 6 1/2-furlong race, which goes as the seventh, drew a field of 11 but is limited to 10 starters. Chancer McPatrick, a son of first-year sire McKinzie, sold for $725,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales auction in April. He shows a series of solid works for Brown, who has already sent out two debut winners at the meet. Brown said progeny of McKinzie that he has are more likely going to be two-turn horses, but this one has come to hand early enough where he feels good about getting him started now. “He got ready to debut faster than I thought,” Brown said. “He looks like a two-turn prospect down the road for sure but he has enough experience where I can get him started. With my 2-year-olds I’ve taken the approach to get them prepared with a few works under them where they’re moving forward, acting sharp, and advancing every week and get them to the races if the weather is clear and they’re healthy. “I’m not going to tighten the screws to feel any pressure to win first time out,” Brown added. “If they’re good enough, they’re good enough to do it. If not, they’re going to build off it - at least that’s my approach.” :: Gain a competitive edge at Saratoga with DRF's premier handicapping data — purchase our meet packages today and bet with confidence. Pletcher sends out Noble Confessor, a son of Quality Road who is bred and owned by Vinnie and Teresa Viola’s St. Elias Stable. He too shows a healthy work tab, including two sharp drills from the gate. Pletcher said Noble Confessor could have run last week in a six-furlong race but that it was decided to give him one more work. “I think he’s a two-turn horse at the end of the day but he’s been pretty good from the gate,” Pletcher said. Invictus, trained by Cox, is by Into Mischief and the first foal out of the Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress. He brought $1.2 million at auction. “I like him, he seems to be quick,” Cox said. Mott has two in here, including the first-time starter Tharhom, who sold for $650,000 at the OBS 2-year-olds in training auction. His sire, Global Campaign, stands for $12,500. “He looks like he wants to go a little further, but he looks ready to get started,” Mott said. Mott also sends out T Kraft, who finished sixth behind Mentee in his debut at Aqueduct on June 15. “He needs to show more,” Mott said. Mentee unlikely for Saratoga Special Mentee, who was forced to scratch from the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes on July 13 with a fever, will not make the Grade 2 Saratoga Special on Aug. 10, Pletcher said. “He ended up missing a few more days than I was hoping to, I think I’m going to miss the Saratoga Special and the question will become if we felt like he trained well enough to go right into the Hopeful or opt for something different,” Pletcher said. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.