Qurbaan wins Bernard Baruch in three-horse photo

SARATOGA SPRINGS N.Y. - After several futile attempts to get Qurbaan into an allowance race during the Saratoga meet, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin was left with only one option: Bring Qurbaan back off an 11-month layoff in Monday’s Grade 2 Bernard Baruch. It was an ironic turn of events that led to the 13-1 chance winning a three-horse photo over Forge and Projected to upset the co-feature on closing day of the 2018 meeting.

The well-travelled Qurbaan was making his U.S. debut in the 1 1/6-mile Bernard Baruch, having been idle since finishing fifth last October against Group 3 opposition in France. He joined McLaughlin’s barn two months ago and was racing on Lasix for the first time in the $250,500 Bernard Baruch.

With Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, Qurbaan settled off the pace of the odds-on Voodoo Song, who set modest splits of 24.13 and 47.89 for the opening half-mile. Qurbaan advanced outside horses on the final turn, continued willingly down the center of the course and stuck his nose in front at the wire. Forged split rivals with his final bid and just missed, finishing another nose in front of Projected, who held the lead through much of the stretch after overtaking Voodoo Song leaving the turn.

Voodoo Song, who entered the Bernard Baruch perfect in five starts at Saratoga and exiting a victory in the Grade 1 Fourstardave earlier in the meet, was not at his best Monday, relinquishing the lead readily at the head of the lane before gradually weakening to finish last in a field of just five older turf specialists.

Qurbaan is a 5-year-old son of Speightstown owned by Shadwell Stable. He covered the distance over a firm course in 1:40 and paid $28.00.

“We were trying to run him in allowance races that didn’t go for a while, so we didn’t have many other options but to go in the stakes,” McLaughlin said. “He’s a stakes horse, obviously; he’s won five races around the world. We’re happy to have him in the barn, he ran a great race, and Irad rode him well.”

As for what might be next for Qurbaan, the answer came as no surprise.

“Obviously, being that Shadwell sponsors the Shadwell Mile (at Keeneland) we might have to try that,” McLaughlin said with a smile. “And I’m happy we have something to go there.”