Twenty Six Black ends skid with solid Disco Partner triumph

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Twenty Six Black appears to have come back better than ever as a 5-year-old this season. The New York-bred registered his first stakes victory and did so in style when drawing off to a convincing 2 1/4-length decision over Bold Journey on Sunday at Saratoga in the $135,000 Disco Partner.

Twenty Six Black came into the Disco Partner winless in three starts this season, but off the most impressive performance of his career, a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Troy behind the red-hot Bring Theband Home, for which he earned a lifetime-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure here on August 3. And he was equally as impressive, if not better, while getting a little class relief in the 5 1/2-furlong Disco Partner.

With Flavien Prat back aboard for a second straight time, Twenty Six Black broke well and settled into a perfect stalking position behind the pacesetting Outlaw Kid while well held in the run down the backstretch. Twenty Six Black angled four wide into the stretch, then responded when put to urging to readily overtake the leader near midstretch, gradually edging well clear under vigorous handling to the end.

Bold Journey finished strongly down the center of the course to be second-best, a head in front of Outlaw Kid, who finished a tiring third. Step Forward, Big Invasion, Dancing Buck and Eamonn rounded out the order of finish.

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Twenty Six Black, a son of War Dancer, is trained by Horacio De Paz for his breeder, Roger Cimbora Jr. He covered the distance over a firm course in 1:01.43 and paid $4.60.

“He got out of his conditions late last season and being at the end of the year it kind of got to him a little bit,” De Paz said. “He’s definitely jumped up and has taken a step forward, as he should as an older horse. The mare (Brazo de Oro) throws nothing but runners and they continue to get better as they get older. The trip worked out perfectly. Flavien didn’t think the pace was going to be too fast, so he sat close. He knows him better now and has full faith in him.”

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