GI Hopeful Stakes

If it stays like this, a single maiden winner might settle it. Because all that separates McKinzie ($2,294,679) from current leader Tiz the Law ($2,339,575) in the freshman table is $44,896. But wait, there's more. McKinzie isn't even second. Between the pair lurks Vekoma ($2,306,457), ensuring a desperate three-way contest for the prized laurels of champion first-season sire. It's even closer than this time last year, when four stallions were divided by barely $200,000. In the end, Mitole actually extended his lead down the stretch. But the fact that the...

In what turned out to be the battle of the TDN Rising Stars, it was Chancer McPatrick (McKInzie) who, despite a problematic start, came on late to outgun Ferocious (Flatter) in Saratoga's closing day marquee juvenile test, the GI Hopeful Stakes. "When it's meant to be, it's meant to be," said rider Flavien Prat, who was winning his seventh Grade I race of the meet. "The break was pretty bad and I never thought from there I could regroup. He did it and he showed that he's very talented." The...