Rain will decide fields for Saratoga Derby, Secretariat Stakes
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Grade 1 Saratoga Derby could be impacted by weather again. But it may be the weather in Virgina that has a bigger impact on the race compared with the weather in upstate New York.
Three horses who were entered in Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Secretariat Stakes at Colonial Downs were cross-entered on Sunday for Saturday’s rescheduled Saratoga Derby. The Saratoga Derby, as well as the Grade 2 Troy Stakes, were canceled last Saturday at Saratoga due to a high moisture content in the turf courses following Friday night rain.
Heavy rain, presumably from Hurricane Debby – which made landfall Monday in Florida and was targeting a move up the East Coast – could impact the Virginia region this week.
Trikari, winner of the Grade 1 Belmont Derby at Aqueduct; First World War, winner of the Penn Mile; and Fulmineo, winner of the Boston Stakes at Colonial; were all cross-entered in the Saratoga Derby, joining five horses who were originally entered in the race. Two key players who did not enter back were White Palomino, trained by Chad Brown, and Diego Velazquez, trained by Aidan O’Brien.
Graham Motion, trainer of Trikari, said he didn’t originally enter Trikari in the Saratoga Derby because he wanted the extra week afforded by the Secretariat even though that race represented a cutback to one mile from 1 3/16 miles.
“With the weather forecast, it made sense to enter him in both races and play it by ear,” Motion said. “The timing of the [Saratoga Derby] was what bothered me the most.”
Motion said that Trikari is based at the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland and shipping to either Colonial or Saratoga takes roughly the same amount of time.
Chad Brown said he didn’t enter White Palomino back in the Saratoga Derby because he wants to run in the $2.5 million Nashville Derby on Aug. 31 at Kentucky Downs and doesn’t want to run him too close to that 1 5/16-mile race.
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