A duo of juveniles who fetched high prices in the sale ring have garnered particular interest in the July 24 Sanford Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga, where both are looking to prove they are worthy of such expensive investments.
Todd Pletcher, who captured the 2006 Sanford with eventual dual grade I winner Scat Daddy, also decisively won last year’s Sanford with Ready’s Image. Pletcher is now hoping for the same good fortunes with this year’s prospect Bullion Cache.
A $320,000 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase, Bullion Cache will make his Saratoga debut in the six-furlong contest. The son of Freud , who will face six other juvenile colts in the $150,000 race, broke his maiden by 2 1/2 lengths on his second attempt at Churchill Downs June 25.
Bullion Cache is owned by Starlight Partners, a syndicate headed by Jack and Laurie Wolf and Donald and Barbara Lucarelli.
Also looking to live up to great expectations is Desert Party, who won his career debut at Arlington Park June 22 after being bought for $2.1 million by Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley Stable.
Trained by Eoin Harty, Desert Party has good bloodlines on his side, as he is a half-brother to stakes winner Elliecat (by Crafty Prospector) and a son of Street Cry, who sired 2006 champion 2-year-old colt and 2007 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Street Sense .
Not to be counted out is Dagnabit, who has already added black-type to his resume in winning the June 29 Tremont stakes at Belmont Park. Owned by his breeders Lansdon Robbins and Thomas Hansen, the undefeated son of Freud is looking to keep his record perfect in his third start.
Dagnabit is trained by Richard Dutrow, who saddled Big Brown to victory in this year’s Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Rounding out the field are Dagnabit’s stablemate Officer Ipod, Notonthesamepage, Phosphorescent, and Vineyard Haven.
$150,000 Sanford Stakes (gr. II, Race 9, 5:31 p.m.), 2-year-olds and up, six furlongs (dirt)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey, Odds
1. Officer Ipod, 119, Ramon A. Dominguez, 10-1
2. Dagnabit, 121, Cornelio Velasquez, 4-1
3. Desert Party, 119, Edgar Prado, 6-1
4. Notonthesamepage, 119, Elvis Trujillo, 6-5
5. Bullion Cache, 119, John Velazquez, 12-1
6. Vineyard Haven, 119, Javier Castellano, 5-1
7. Phosphorescent, 119, Robby Albarado, 15-1