By Ben Massam
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY–Without question, one of the most significant developments in the opening weeks of the Saratoga meet has been Kiaran McLaughlin's white-hot start, winning with seven of his first 16 starters as of Wednesday morning. While the impressive statistics are not entirely surprising given the barn's high-powered reputation, McLaughlin attributes that early success to a number of factors.
Particularly of note is the fact that five of those seven winners are stabled at Sheikh Mohammed's Darley at Greentree Training Center, situated adjacently southeast of the Saratoga Race Course property. Acquired by Darley in January 2008 and subsequently renovated to include new barns and a one-mile Polytrack training surface, the Greentree property is currently the seasonal base for McLaughlin's trainees owned by Sheikh Mohammed.
“Greentree is beautiful,” reflected McLaughlin, sitting Wednesday morning in his golf cart at the edge of the Saratoga backside, just in view of the entrance to the open fields of the private training center. “We're very fortunate to be training there and have those quality horses. It's been unusual this year because a lot of times it's great when it's raining and [the Saratoga main] track is sloppy, but it hasn't been that way, except for the last few days. It's a nice group of horses living there, and we just got off to a great start because of many different things. The races [we entered] went, and everything went right for us.”
McLaughlin also explained that Greentree allows him the freedom to train horses in a different manner than he would if his stable was limited to the confines of a conventional racetrack barn area. In addition to the availability of amenities such as an equine spa, the 55-year-old trainer said that training in a clockwise direction likely leads to healthier runners.
“We train right-handed, which is a big plus,” McLaughlin explained. “We feel that because you're always going left-handed, injuries are left front, right hind. So going the other way kind of balances them out, or helps prevent injuries. We're happy to train that way.”
As for the coming weekend, McLaughlin seeks to add a few more wins to the Greentree-based total at the highest level. Frosted (Tapit), coming off a monstrous career-best win in the GI Met Mile June 11 [video], has been installed as the 3-5 favorite for Saturday's GI Whitney H., while the 3-year-old filly Kareena (Medaglia d'Oro), who recently captured Belmont's June 10 Jersey Girl S. [video], will make her Grade I debut in the Test S. earlier in the card. Both Godolphin colorbearers have since breezed four times on the same schedule over Greentree's synthetic track.
“They're doing great,” McLaughlin said. “They both have been working weekly, right-handed, at Greentree. Frosted drew well for us [post four] in a field of six, and [there aren't] many more in Kareena's race. She's doing fabulous. It's a big step up for her, but we think she's up to it. Seven furlongs should be perfect for her.”
In a full-circle twist that Saratoga historians can surely appreciate, Frosted will travel over for the 89th running of the Whitney from the Greentree property, which was given its current name and owned by the famed Whitney family from 1930 until 2000.
In addition to his Grade I duo, McLaughlin will also saddle Robillard (Distorted Humor) in Saturday's restricted De La Rose S. for filly and mare turfers. Winner of a June 23 optional claimer over the Belmont lawn, the chestnut is graded stakes-placed by virtue of a third-place effort in the GII Sheepshead Bay S. in May. While the De La Rose often draws a large, competitive field, McLaughlin said he feels Robillard belongs at the stakes level. The 4-year-old completed her preparations for Saturday's tilt with a sharp four-furlong breeze in :47.80 at Greentree July 29.
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