By Tim Wilkin
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — In his 35 years as a horse trainer, Brett Creighton has never once entered a horse in a Grade I race.
There's a reason for that.
“I just never had the opportunity I guess,” the 62-year-old Creighton said in a matter-of-fact way through an easy Arkansas drawl as he stood on the backstretch at Saratoga Race Course.
That all changes on Saturday when Creighton saddles Frost Free (Frosted), the best horse he's ever had, in the GI Woody Stephens S. at Saratoga, part of the blockbuster GI Belmont S. card that features nine stakes races–six of them GIs–worth $6.55 million.
A field of 10 has been entered for the seven-furlong race, named for the legendary trainer who won five consecutive G1 Belmont S. from 1982-86.
Creighton, a former rodeo rider in his youth in Arkansas, has been training since 1989. According to Equibase, he has 1,346 career starts and 138 wins. This year, he has four wins in 22 starts, two by Frost Free.
Before Frost Free came along, Creighton had minor success with a horse named Humble Smarty, who had 19 wins in 90 starts. He ran from 2006-14 and Creighton was the trainer for most of them. Best finish? He won several black-type races.
Brett Creighton | Sarah Andrew
In his last start, Frost Free won the GIII Chick Lang S. at Pimlico as the 9-5 favorite. That was the first graded stakes race Creighton ever won. When it happened, there was no wild victory dance in the winner's circle, no crazy celebration.
That's not what Creighton is all about.
“At the time, it was just another normal day,” Creighton said. “I mean, don't get me wrong, it was all good. It just hadn't sunk in.”
“He is all about the horse,” Danny Keene, whose Keene Thoroughbreds LLC own Frost Free, said by phone from Arkansas. “I guarantee you he is as honest and trustworthy as they come. When it comes to the horses, he is like an old mother hen. If they get a little blemish on them, he goes worrying about them.”
The 79-year-old Keene purchased Frost Free for $100,000 at the Texas Thoroughbred Association's 2-year-old in training sale in April of 2023. In eight career starts, he has three wins, a second and two thirds.
Keene bought Friendswood Farm, a training center in Hot Springs, Ark. about eight years ago. That's where he met Creighton, who was working there.
He decided to give him a chance to train some horses for him and the two have been together ever since.
Creighton drove the van from Baltimore to Saratoga Springs soon after the Chick Lang. He and a groom have been here just short of two weeks. After winning that race going gate-to-wire, the decision was made to try the Woody Stephens. Jose Ortiz will ride.
“Mr. Keene said 'let's go,' so here we are,” Creighton said. “He pays the bills. This horse has been doing really well. He's fast. He deserves a shot.”
Frost Free raised some eyebrows when he worked a bullet four furlongs in 47 seconds (1/24) on Sunday. Creighton said he was looking for a 49, and had some concern, but the horse put those to rest. Creighton said Frost Free bounced out of the work like it never happened.
In the Woody Stephens, Frost Free is 15-1 on the morning line and will trying seven furlongs for the first time.
Keene, who began investing in Thoroughbreds about 14 years ago, has three graded stakes wins on his resume. The other two belong to Texas Chrome, who won the GIII Super Derby and GIII Oklahoma Derby in 2016.
If he is going to get that first GI, he knows he'll have to beat some tough foes in the Woody Stephens.
“There are some awful good horses in there from all over the country,” Keene said. “You never know.”
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will run the 7-2 morning-line favorite in Prince of Monaco (Speightstown), who is making his first start since a fifth-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Flavien Prat will ride.
Book'em Danno (Bucchero), trained by Derek Ryan and to be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., is the 9-2 second choice on the morning line. When last seen, he was second, beaten a head by GI Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) in the GIII Saudi Derby.
Imagination | Sarah Andrew
Three colts are coming into the race with 6-1 odds: Valentine Candy (Justify), trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, with jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.; Nash (Medaglia d'Oro) from trainer Brad Cox, who finished second with jockey Florent Geroux to GI Preakness S. winner Seize the Grey (Arrogate) in the GII Pat Day Mile; and that race's third-place-finisher Vlahos (Kantharos) for Doug O'Neill and jockey Edwin Maldonado.
Imagination (Into Mischief), last seen fading to seventh in the Preakness, returns for Baffert and jockey Frankie Dettori and is 10-1 on the morning line.
Trainer Chad Brown will saddle Reasoned Analysis (Upstart), who makes his first start since winning the Bay Shore S. at Aqueduct on April 6. He is 15-1 on the morning line and will be ridden by Eric Cancel. Also at 15-1 is Nutella Fella (Runhappy), who is back after recovering from a left-hind injury which has kept him inactive since winning the GI Hopeful S. for trainer Gary Contessa and jockey Junior Alvarado at 54-1.
Trainer William Walden has Barksdale (Street Sense), a winner of two of three this year, who is making his graded stakes debut. Tyler Gaffalione rides the 20-1 shot.
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