Returning Constitution Colt Meets Brown Pair in Saranac

Impressive through his first two races before disappointing in his third try, Repole Stable's Never Surprised (Constitution) will return off a seven-plus month layoff to face a formidable pair of Chad Brown rivals and three other challengers in Saturday's GIII Saranac S. at Saratoga.

Debuting over six furlongs on the Aqueduct grass last November, Never Surprise stalked the pace, pounced at the quarter pole and drew clear in the lane for a 3 1/2-length success, earning a strong 89 Beyer. He bettered that number by one point when going wire to wire making his two-turn bow in the Central Park S. there 20 days later, besting future stakes winners Scarlett Sky (Sky Mesa) and Hard Love (Kitten's Joy). Wrangled back off the pace as a 3-10 favorite in the GIII Kitten's Joy S. Jan. 30 at Gulfstream, he settled for second, recording just a 69 Beyer.

Leading the Brown duo is Klaravich Stables' Public Sector (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Breaking his maiden impressively on debut over this course last summer, he was second when attempting to close into a dawdling pace set by next-out GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf upsetter Fire At Will (Declaration of War) as an odds-on favorite in the GII Pilgrim S. Just missing by a head when again hindered by a slow tempo in the Manila S. two back July 4 at Belmont, the bay picked up his first stakes success when annexing the GII Hall of Fame S. going a mile here Aug. 6. He's flanked by barnmate Founder (Upstart). Bought for $600,000 at OBS March, the ridgling scored at first asking sprinting on the local dirt last August, but failed to connect in his next five outings before rallying from last to first to capture the Tale of the Cat S. last out on the Monmouth turf July 31.