Carl Spackler came through once again, taking the lead at the top of stretch and cruising to a 3 ½-length victory in the $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap (G1) at Saratoga Race Course on Sunday.
Carl Spackler. NYRA Photo
Sent off as the second betting choice at 2-1 in a field of six, the 4-year-old colt trained by Chad Brown has now won five of last six starts, with a 4-for-5 record at the Spa.
The victory in the 1-mile race earned Carl Spackler – named for the caddie played by Bill Murray in the movie “Caddyshack,” an all-fees paid automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 2.
Two other Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” challenge series races were held Sunday:
Charyn wins in France
At Deauville, France, Ireland-bred Charyn won the Prix Du Hara de Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois but had already earned an all-fees paid spot in the BC Mile with a victory in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) at Ascot Racecourse on June 18.
Favorites Moira, Nations Pride big winners at Colonial Downs
At Colonial Downs in New Kent, Virginia, the rain-delayed Beverly D went to 7-10 favorite Moira, who earned an all-fees paid spot in the BC Filly & Mare Turf (G1). In the Arlington Million (G1), even-money favorite Nations Pride won by 1 ¾ lengths for trainer Charlie Appleby.
Carson’s Run rallies for Saratoga Derby victory
Also at the Spa on Sunday, jockey Dylan Davis timed his stretch run perfectly as Carson’s Run ($12.40) defeated favorite Legend of Time by three-quarters of a length in the $600,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1) – the rider’s first Grade 1 win at the Spa.
Spa Stakes Recaps
Fourstardave Handicap
Carl Spackler ($6.10), ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, raced comfortably behind the leader Strong Quality, moved to the lead coming out of the final turn and covered the mile in 1:36.63.
More Than Looks closed for second, with 3-2 favorite Ottoman Fleet third.
“The six (Ottoman Fleet) didn’t show much speed,’’ Gaffalione said. I think he stumbled coming out of there. Everything kind of went to plan, though. The one (Strong Quality) set a nice tempo and my horse relaxed beautifully. When I called on him, he really finished up. He got a hold of the turf great.”
Brown, who has won just about every turf race on the planet, won the Fourstardave for the first time. “I haven’t won it because it is a hard race to win, so that makes it even more special. It’s a very challenging race to win.”
Saratoga Derby Invitational
Trained by Christophe Clement, the 3-year-old Carson’s Run improved to 2-for-3 in 2024 and covered the 1 3/16 miles over good turf in 1:55.81.
“Great race, very good ride from Dylan,’’ Clement said. “He knows the horse very well. He was trailing the field, but they were going plenty fast enough. Obviously, he loved the ground, and he finished well. When he is right, he has spectacular turn of foot like he showed today.”
The win also earned Carson’s Run an automatic berth in the Cox Plate in Australia on Oct. 28. Clement said Carson’s Run, and his third-place finisher Deterministic would be nominated to the Nashville Derby at Kentucky Downs three weeks from now, and a decision on the Cox Plate will be made later.