A Thread of Blue uses speed to sew up Saratoga Derby

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- There were three races the connections of A Thread of Blue were considering for their 3-year-old. Two were at a mile and one of those was a Grade 1. But only one of the three had a $1 million purse.

The allure of the $1 million pot, plus the belief A Thread of Blue could potentially be lone speed in the race, led trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and owners Jonathan and Leonard Green to select Sunday’s Saratoga Derby Invitational, at 1 3/16 miles, over last Friday’s Grade 2 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame here and next Saturday’s Grade 1 Secretariat at Arlington Park.

The way McLaughlin saw the race on paper was exactly how it played out over the Mellon turf course as A Thread of Blue, under Luis Saez, got to the front rather easily and led his 10 rivals on a futile chase as he won the inaugural Saratoga Derby by one length over Digital Age. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Cape of Good Hope in third.

Social Paranoia finished fourth, followed in order by Belmont Derby winner Henley’s Joy, Rockemperor, Kadar, Mohawk, Flying Scotsman, Seismic Wave, and Eons.

When McLaughlin and the Greens discussed their options for A Thread of Blue, they kept coming back to the Saratoga Derby because they felt the early pace would be easier and thus heighten the colt’s chances to carry his speed 1 3/16 miles. He had previously won three races at Gulfstream Park including the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes.

McLaughlin also liked the idea of not having to ship to Arlington, noting that the horse didn’t handle a ship to Penn National for the Grade 2 Penn Mile too well.

Sunday, breaking from post 3 in the 11-horse field, Saez hustled A Thread of Blue to the front and was able to open up a length lead through a quarter in 23.62 seconds and a half-mile in 48.54. Flying Scotsman, breaking from the outside post under Ricardo Santana Jr., was content to stalk from second with Social Paranoia tucked along the inside in third.

A Thread of Blue remained clear through six furlongs in 1:12.32 and a mile in 1:35.43 while still not feeling much pressure.

“I don’t see that much speed, only [Flying Scotsman], but big race, you never know, man,” Saez said. “We were lucky. We were pretty easy in front and when we came to the stretch we had plenty of horse.”

A Thread of Blue, a son of Hard Spun, covered the 1 3/16 miles over firm turf in 1:52.02 and returned $28.40 to win.

“That worked out great, just like it looked like on paper it could work out,” McLaughlin said. “Uncontested lead is big and he’s a very talented horse. He likes it firm obviously, winning three in Florida.”

Digital Age, behind horses down the backside, got into the clear turning for home and tried to make a run at A Thread of Blue who had plenty left.

Irad Ortiz Jr. the rider of Digital Age, felt the slow pace compromised his colt’s chances.

“The second part of the race, when they slowed down the pace, that’s when I think he got beat,” Ortiz said.

The Saratoga Derby was the second leg of the New York Racing Association’s Turf Trinity, which began with the $1 million Belmont Derby at 1 1/4 miles on July 6 and concludes with the $1 million Jockey Club Derby on Sept. 7. That race is at 1 1/2 miles and may be farther than McLaughlin wants to run A Thread of Blue. A potential start could be the Grade 2, $400,000 Hill Prince going 1 1/8 miles at Belmont on Oct. 5.