Title Role points to Saratoga Derby for next start
?q=100)
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Will Stroud was in Washington, D.C., on Saturday celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of America, watching the Fourth of July Fireworks show in the nation’s capital with friends and politicians he has met through his private equity investment firm.
Stroud had plenty more to celebrate Saturday as part owner of Title Role and Kensington Lane, the winners of Saratoga’s first two Grade 1 stakes, the Belmont Derby and Belmont Oaks, respectively.
“That’s how I like to celebrate birthdays, that’s as good as it gets,” Stroud said Sunday just before taking off on a flight back to his Texas home. “It’s been a great 24 hours.”
Stroud recently bought a majority interest in Title Role, who on Saturday nosed out West End Kid in the Belmont Derby. Title Role, trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, won for the fourth time in six starts this year and fifth from eight overall. A son of Too Darn Hot, Title Role added a North American grade 1 victory to a resume six weeks after winning a Group 2 in Germany.
Stroud said Title Role will remain in Saratoga and point to the Grade 1, $750,000 Saratoga Derby at 1 3/16 miles on Aug. 8. He will run for the Crisfords for that race before ultimately being transferred to Brendan Walsh.
“Obviously, the Breeders’ Cup would be the goal, that would be nice,” Stroud said.
The Crisfords believed Title Role would be better around tracks with turns as opposed to those that run their races down a straightaway. Ed Crisford said he believes with a more off-the-pace type trip than Title Role had Saturday, he could be effective at longer distances.
Stroud is involved with Kensington Lane as a partner in Medallion Racing, which co-owns that 3-year-old filly with Agave Racing and Evan Trommer. Kensington took the lead a quarter-mile into the Belmont Oaks and pretty much dominated the race on the front end, winning by 1 3/4 lengths over Faithful Departed.
Kensington Lane, a daughter of Starspangledbanner, won for the third time in 10 starts. She had previously won a Group 3 in Ireland before finishing fifth in the Group 1 Irish Guineas.
The goal with Kensington Lane was to bring her stateside to try and win a Grade 1. If she hadn’t won Saturday, Kensington Lane would definitely have been shipped to Phil D’Amato in Southern California and pointed to the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 22. While that race is still in play, Stroud said Kensington Lane could also ship back to trainer Donnacha O’Brien in Ireland and point to the Group 1 Prix Romanet at 1 1/4 miles on Aug. 23 at Deauville and/or the Group 1 Coolmore Matron at Leopardstown on Sept .12.
The flights heading in either direction are July 11, so a decision will have to be made before then.
Meanwhile, Stroud has other horses he can run at this meet. One is the unraced 2-year-old filly Epic Fury, a half-sister to the Metropolitan Handicap winner Nysos, by Cyberknife.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.