Roderick will scratch for Saratoga Special, run at Del Mar instead
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Friday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Saratoga Special drew a solid field of 11 2-year-olds when entries were taken Sunday. On Monday, the field was reduced to 10 as trainer Wesley Ward opted to send Roderick to Del Mar for Saturday’s Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes.
Roderick, an 8 1/4-length debut winner June 21 at Belmont, drew the outside post in an 11-horse field in the Saratoga Special. He drew post 4 of 7 in the Best Pal.
Ward said he wasn’t concerned as much with the post in the Saratoga Special as the competition, which includes Bashford Manor winner Cazadero and impressive debut winners Jackie’s Warrior and Therideofalifetime.
The Best Pal drew six maiden winners and a maiden.
“The field looks a lot more contentious here than there, and we’re looking to get to the Hopeful” – a Grade 1 race on Sept. 7 at Saratoga– “in the best way that we possibly can,” Ward said Monday at Saratoga. “If we get there [Del Mar] and we get a win, we can get him back to Keeneland and get him [ready] for the Hopeful.”
In addition to Cazadero, Jackie’s Warrior, and Therideofalifetime, the Saratoga Special also drew Papetu, who won two 5 1/2-furlong races at Gulfstream Park for Antonio Sano, and Momos, who won his debut here by 6 1/2 lengths on July 18.