By Alan Carasso
Klaravich Stables' Program Trading (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) showed grit and determination that belied his relative inexperience and dug down deep to stave off a bid from tough-trip Webslinger (Constitution) to win Saturday's GI Saratoga Derby Invitational over a Mellon Turf Course left yielding by torrential rains that spelled doom to the final four races on Friday's program. Favored Far Bridge (English Channel) plugged on at one pace to be third. It was a second Saratoga Derby for Seth Klarman's operation following on from Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the COVID-delayed 2020 renewal. Like that one, Program Trading was also sourced out of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
Program Trading had been campaigned similarly to Domestic Spending, as he romped to a first-out win at Monmouth May 14 and earned the right to try a spot like this with a 2 1/4-length allowance success versus tougher at Belmont June 25. Domestic Spending graduated on Tampa debut, followed up with a Belmont allowance and was able to get stakes-tested in the GII Hall of Fame S., repositioned owing to the pandemic.
With only Mondego (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire})–a pacesetting third to Far Bridge in the GI Belmont Derby July 8–drawn to his inside, Program Trading was sent along by Flavien Prat and made the lead off the inside with a minimum of fuss, as the outposted Lion of War (GB) (Roaring Lion) rolled forward so as not to be trapped out wider than necessary. Snugly held by Prat through an opening quarter in :23.74, Program Trading switched off beautifully and covered the next couple of panels in a very comfortable :25.85. All riders seemed content with their positions, bar Javier Castellano aboard Webslinger, who raced wide and without cover early and was allowed to slide up into a contending and three-wide third as they entered the second turn.
Lion of War was first off the bridle three-eighths of a mile from home, and as he began to retreat, Webslinger and a four-deep Far Bridge were poised to pounce if the pacesetter faltered. Program Trading drifted out to the center of the course off the home corner, and Webslinger managed to put a good half-length on his rival crossing into the final furlong. But, roused left-handed by Prat, Program Trading responded gamely, re-engaged with about 70 yards to race and was home first to deny D. J. Stable a second Saratoga Derby of its own (A Thread of Blue {Hard Spun}, 2019).
“Me and Flavien [Prat] talked about if [Mondego] was going to leave out of there or not,” winning trainer Chad Brown said. “He was the only other speed horse. We were just a little faster on paper. We decided to break, stay off the rail and just see if we could nurse him along. He was passed in early stretch. For an inexperienced horse to come back on the inside, he showed a ton of heart and I think it might be even a little softer down on the inside where he was. He really overcame a lot in the stretch to show his heart and ability.”
Brown was non-committal about an appearance in the GIII Jockey Club Derby over 11 furlongs at Aqueduct Oct. 7.
“I'm not sure. I'll have to think away,” he said. “That's an awful long way to go. We're just going to enjoy this win here. He's only ran three times and he's three. I'm hoping to have this horse for many years down the road.”
Pedigree Notes:
Program Trading becomes the 119th worldwide stakes winner, 64th graded/group winner and 19th elite-level scorer for his Ballylinch Stud-based stallion. The ridgling is the sixth SW and fifth GSW in North American for Lope de Vega, three of which have been campaigned by Klaravich (Newspaperofrecord {Ire} and Faith In Humanity {Fr}).
Lope de Vega has found tremendous success with Danehill-line mares, with nine of his Group 1 winners out of mares by Danehill himself and his sons Fastnet Rock (Aus), Holy Roman Emperor (Ire), Dansili (GB) and Duke of Marmalade (Ire). Dual Australian Group 1-winner Vega Magic (Aus) has a second dam by Danewin (Aus). Like Program Trading, G1 Phoenix S. hero Lucky Vega (Ire) descends from a line by Danehill's sire Danzig through Green Desert.
Program Trading is one of two winners from two to race (seven total foals) out of a half-sister to G2 Park Hill S. winner and G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. runner-up Silk Sari (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and full-sister to Andrew Rosen's Fashion Fund (GB), who placed in the Listed Riskaverse S. at Saratoga in 2014.
Program Trading's third dam was the champion 3-year-old filly in England in 2002 for the late Gerald Leigh, highlighted by a 4 1/2-length romp in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas. Gossamer's full-brother Barathea (Ire) was champion of his generation in England and Ireland–where he won the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas in 1993–and capped his career at Churchill Downs with a three-length victory in the 1994 GI Breeders' Cup Mile before embarking on a successful stallion career of his own.
Dreamlike is the dam of the a 2-year-old filly by Starspangledbanner {Aus}), a yearling filly by Pinatubo (Ire)–by Lope de Vega's sire Shamardal–and a weanling colt by Too Darn Hot (GB).
Saturday, Saratoga
SARATOGA DERBY INVITATIONAL S.-GI, $600,000, Saratoga, 8-5, 3yo, 1 3/16mT, 1:56.63, yl.
1–PROGRAM TRADING (GB), 122, r, 3, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Dreamlike (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
2nd Dam: So Silk (GB), by Rainbow Quest
3rd Dam: Gossamer (GB), by Sadler's Wells
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. (250,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Fittocks Stud & Arrow Farm Stud (GB); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien Prat. $330,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $415,250. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Webslinger, 122, g, 3, Constitution–Arana, by Hard Spun. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($45,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP; $25,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT; $45,000 RNA 2yo '22 OBSAPR; $50,000 2yo '22 OBSOPN). O-D. J. Stable LLC; B-Kenneth L. Ramsey & Sarah K. Ramsey (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. $120,000.
3–Far Bridge, 122, c, 3, English Channel–Fitpitcher, by Kitten's Joy. 'TDN Rising Star'. O-LSU Stables; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $72,000.
Margins: HD, 1HF, 2 3/4. Odds: 3.60, 3.85, 2.05.
Also Ran: Battle of Normandy, Aspen Grove (Ire), The Franchise (Ire), Mondego (GB), Lion of War (GB).
Scratched: Truly Quality.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
PROGRAM TRADING comes back for the win in the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1) with Flavien Prat aboard for Chad Brown! #Saratoga pic.twitter.com/CZSnCFtmQf
— NYRA (🎪) (@TheNYRA) August 5, 2023
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