Untamed Domain takes on Pletcher pair in With Anticipation

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Animal Kingdom gave trainer Graham Motion arguably his greatest moment in racing when he won the 2011 Kentucky Derby.

On Wednesday, Motion hopes that a son of Animal Kingdom can give him a memorable moment at this Saratoga meet when Untamed Domain runs in a highly competitive renewal of the Grade 3, $150,000 With Anticipation Stakes for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

A seemingly evenly matched field of 11 was entered for the With Anticipation, which could produce a starter or two for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 3.

Untamed Domain steadied sharply entering the far turn but rallied wide in the stretch to earn a 1 1/2-length maiden victory going 1 1/16 miles here on July 22. Prior to that, he had finished a troubled fourth in a turf sprint at Laurel on July 2.

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“Perhaps it surprised me how comfortably he won despite having not a great trip,” Motion said. “The Animal Kingdoms, you’d think they want two turns. I think it’s a surprise how well they’ve done sprinting. [Animal Kingdom] didn’t break his maiden until he went a mile and an eighth at Keeneland.”

Jose Ortiz rides Untamed Domain from post 8.

Evaluator walked out of the gate under Joel Rosario yet circled the field and won in hand at odds of 9-1 in a New York-bred maiden race on Aug. 9.

“We were expecting him to run well,” trainer Michael Dilger said. “We thought he would break better in his first race, but he’s always been a very willing horse. I told Joel he would keep giving to him during the race.”

Trumpi and Seabhac were separated by a half-length when they ran one-two in an Aug. 5 maiden race here. Trumpi led all the way, and Seabhac rallied mildly once off the rail.

Seabhac is trained by Todd Pletcher, who has won five of the first 12 runnings of this race, including the last two. Pletcher also sends out Earth, a debut winner sprinting at Gulfstream who finished third of four in the Tyro at Monmouth, another turf sprint.

Catholic Boy, trained by former Pletcher assistant Jonathan Thomas, ships in off a two-turn maiden win at Gulfstream.

KEY CONTENDERS

Untamed Domain, by Animal Kingdom
Beyers: 59-62

◗ Won last out despite not changing leads until very late.

◗ Honorable Treasure, fifth that day, came back to win a dirt maiden race by 6 1/4 lengths with a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

Seabhac, by Scat Daddy
Beyer: 65

◗ Had an inside trip, tipped off the rail, and tried to run down the loose-on-the-lead Trumpi but fell a half-length short in his debut.

“I thought he ran a winning race first time out, so we just felt like he’s a horse that’s shown quality all along, and we’ve been pointing to this race since that race,” Pletcher said. “If we had gotten up, we’d be running in there.”

Earth, by Orb
Beyers: 55-76

◗ Both his races came at 5 1/2 furlongs.

“He lost his action on the turn at Monmouth and seemed to struggle with that course a little bit,” Pletcher said of Earth’s race in the Tyro. “You would think he’d appreciate the added distance.”

Machtree, by Kitten’s Joy
Beyer: 66

◗ Sat up close to a slow pace and then showed grit to hold off Honey Dont in solid debut win here Aug. 12.