A well-stocked field is expected to contest Friday's Bernard Baruch Handicap (gr. IIT) at Saratoga. Bill Mott, who saddled Hap to win the 2000 and 2001 editions of the race, will bring another Allen Paulson-bred son of Theatrical, Del Mar Show. This one certainly has ability--he has eight wins in 16 starts and five stakes victories--but Mott isn't ready to put the two on an even keel as far as ability.
"Hap is a tick better right now," Mott said. "He had a little more talent. But Del Mar Show has come a long way. There's still a lot of racing left this year. He keeps showing me more every time he runs."
In his last start Del Mar Show won the June 22 New Hampshire Sweepstakes Handicap (gr. III) by 1 3/4 lengths over Mus-If. That race, like the Bernard Baruch, was a nine-furlong event.
Another horse expected for the Bernard Baruch is Arthur Appleton's homebred Forbidden Apple. In early June he was second to Beat Hollow in the 10-furlong Manhattan Stakes (gr. IT), but this son of Pleasant Colony has an affinity for New York racing. All four of his graded stakes victories have been at Belmont.
"We know he loves Belmont Park," said trainer Christophe Clement. "He hasn't raced at Saratoga in a long time. That concerns me. I don't know how he's going to handle it."
Trainer Robert Frankel has shipped and settled his group of runners for the Saratoga meet. The California-based trainer brought Amerman Racing Stable's No Slip for the Bernard Baruch. The horse has not raced since March, but he was victorious in that effort, the Golden Gate Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIT).
The Field for Friday's Grade 2 Bernard Baruch for 3-year-olds and up going nine furlongs on the turf:
PP, horse, trainer, jockey, weight
1. Volponi, Phil Johnson, Shaun Bridgmohan, 116
2. Baptize, H. James Bond, Pat Day, 116
3. Navesink, Alan Goldberg, Edgar Prado, 115
4. Forbidden Apple, Christophe Clement, Jose Santos, 121
5. Full Flow, John Kimmel, Jorge Chavez, 113
6. No Slip, Bobby Frankel, Richard Migliore, 117
7. Del Mar Show, Bill Mott, Jerry Bailey, 120
*8. Abreeze, Kiaran McLaughlin, No Rider, 112
*9. El Gran Papa, Bobby Frankel, No Rider, 119
*10. Snake Mountain, James Jerkens, Robbie Davis, 119
mto: Main Track Only.
