Brown giving Chancer McPatrick another try going long in Curlin Stakes

For a race restricted to horses that haven’t won a graded stakes this year, Thursday’s $135,000 Curlin Stakes certainly drew a graded-stakes worthy field. The Curlin, at 1 1/8 miles on dirt, is one of Saratoga’s local preps for the Grade 1 Travers on Aug. 23. The Curlin was first run in 2009 and only once has its winner won the Travers, when V. E. Day scored an upset in the 2014 Travers.

Chad Brown’s Chancer McPatrick is the lone Grade 1 winner in the field, taking both the Hopeful here last year followed by the Champagne at Aqueduct. Following those two starts, he ran sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Chancer McPatrick appeared to be Brown’s Kentucky Derby horse this year but failed to qualify after running second in the Tampa Bay Derby and sixth in the Blue Grass. Cut back in distance and back to one turn, Chancer McPatrick ran seventh in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens here on Belmont Day. Chancer McPatrick, 9-2 on the morning line, breaks from the rail and will get a jockey change to Irad Ortiz Jr. It’s still unclear if the son of McKinzie is better at one turn or two, but what is clear is that the late runner needs ample pace to close into.

Thursday’s pace scenario seems a bit murky but Crudo, winner of the Sir Barton two starts ago, appears to be the main speed. Co-owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, and trained by Todd Pletcher, Crudo was ambitiously placed in the Belmont following the Sir Barton, where he finished last of eight after contesting the early lead. Crudo, 6-1 on the morning line, gets regular rider John Velazquez aboard from post 6. 

Directly outside of Crudo in post 7 is So Sandy, also 6-1 on the morning line. The Cherie DeVaux trainee is the only other member of the field with some early speed, though this is a slight step up in class from his last-out allowance win at Churchill Downs. Jose Ortiz retains the mount.

Morning-line favoritism belongs to another Brown-trained runner in Strategic Focus. An up-and-comer in the division, Strategic Focus was erroneously disqualified from an allowance victory here during Belmont week. Sent off favored, Strategic Focus duel in the stretch with Malarchuk, also trained by Brown, but was deemed to have interfered with that one. Malarchuk returned to impressively win a high-level allowance here on opening week. Strategic Focus, who has some early speed but will likely stalk the pace, gets Flavien Prat aboard as the 6-5 favorite from post 3. Prat had been Chancer McPatrick’s rider and the switch to Strategic Focus may provide some hints to his ability. Brown won this race last year with Unmatched Wisdom, who ran seventh in the Travers.

Uncaged, sixth in the Peter Pan and seventh in the Belmont, was entered in this spot and Friday’s Grade 2 Amsterdam at 6 1/2 furlongs. Pletcher hadn’t decided where he’ll send his Curlin colt. Dylan Davis is booked to ride from post 8 Thursday.

Trainer Kenny McPeek has always thought highly of Hypnus and the Into Mischief colt finally got back in the winner’s circle last out in a Churchill allowance. Hypnus fell victim to some poor racing luck in several Derby prep races. Two back, he finished second to Goal Oriented who ran fourth in the Preakness and third in the Haskell. Brian Hernandez Jr. retains the mount from post 4.

Fountain Lake has just a maiden win to his record but has run well in back-to-back allowances for trainer John Ortiz, finishing second two back to Hypnus and third last out to So Sandy. Longshot Just a Fair Shake completes the field.

The Curlin goes as race 9 and tops a 10-race that begins at 1:10 p.m. Eastern. Saturday’s Grade 2 Jim Dandy drew a field of five topped by Derby and Belmont winner Sovereignty and serves as higher-level prep for the Travers.

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