Field of Seven for Closing Day Bernard Baruch

[Wandering Eyes]

With five of the seven entrants carrying a morning line of 5-1 or less for the 1 1/16-mile GII Bernard Baruch H. on Saratoga’s closing day, perhaps the safest bet is that Chad Brown may add to his runaway lead in the trainer standings. He’s got the favorite in here: Group 3 winner Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who made his stateside debut for new connections Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Bethlehem Stables in the Aug. 3 Fasig-Tipton Lure S. over this course and distance and just missed by a nose after a wide trip. It’s been a year since his last win in France, but he’s been running competitively and notched four strong seconds from his five starts since that victory.

The last time March to the Arch (Arch) tried 8 1/2 furlongs, he came home the victor in Churchill’s GII Wise Dan S. June 15. He’s been off the board in two starts since, but that didn’t stop him from notching a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure when fourth in the GI Fourstardave H. here Aug. 10 when he was just two heads removed from finishing second. Mark Casse trains the Live Oak homebred.

Qurbaan (Speightstown) was a former European runner who made his U.S. debut a win in last year’s Bernard Baruch and is back to defend his title. He’s consistent and regularly gets triple-digit Beyers, but while he almost always hits the board, he hasn’t actually visited the winner’s circle since the 2018 Baruch.

A blacktype turf event at the Spa is rarely complete without more than one Brown entry with Emaraaty (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Olympico (Fr) (Rajsaman {Fr}) making sure that holds true here too. The former is another Shadwell colorbearer who made the move from England with a win over this trip July 27 in an allowance/optional claimer, while the latter shares the same owners as Sacred Life. He won the May 4. GIII Fort Marcy S. in his American debut, but faced much tougher in the GI Manhattan H. and the GII Bowling Green S. and finished well back in both.

The post Field of Seven for Closing Day Bernard Baruch appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article