For many fans, Saratoga’s 2-year-old racing is second only to its endless flow of prestigious stakes. Spotting a colt or filly with the potential to be a star is always a highlight.
Ferocious. NYRA Photo.
The Hopeful is co-featured on Saratoga’s closing-day card
Many impressive juveniles have debuted there this summer, and two of them will headline the final Grade I of the meeting, Monday’s $300,000, 7-furlong Hopeful Stakes.
The marquee performers in the nine-horse field are Ferocious, trained by Gustavo Delgado, and Chancer McPatrick, from the barn of future Hall of Famer Chad Brown. Both colts showed remarkable talent in their first races by overcoming rough trips to dazzle the crowd.
Ferocious, a $1.3 million yearling purchase, really did look like a million bucks while dominating by 7 3/4 lengths. Despite breaking eighth in a field of nine, he quickly moved into contention and drew away effortlessly on a muddy track, blasting through 6 furlongs in a zippy 1:09 3/5.
The son of Flatter earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 96, the highest number by any 2-year-old this year.
“After doing that first time out, it’s hard to say he’s going to improve,” said Gustavo Delgado Jr., his father’s assistant trainer. “But it’s more about getting the foundation that young horses at this time of year need.
“Everybody is excited to see him run again, and I think the extra furlong will help him because he’ll have more time to relax.”
Chancer McPatrick’s debut was noteworthy for his ability to go last to first, which first-time starters rarely can pull off. He was shuffled back to last at the start before gradually advancing on the turn. He surged seven-wide from the top of the stretch and won by a length in 1:17.99 for 6 1/2 furlongs.
“He found himself in a very challenging position early,” Brown said, “and I was quite impressed with the way he overcame it. Flavien (Prat) went to Plan B and was very patient and the horse came through.
“It’s his talent that really prevailed.”
Another one to watch is Mentee, who missed the Sanford July 13 because of a fever after leading throughout his debut at 5 furlongs June 15 at Aqueduct.
“He’s come back with three very good breezes, so hopefully missing that time hasn’t compromised him,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “It certainly seems like it hasn’t.”
Tough Catch and Incentive Play also return after winning debuts, with Tough Catch going wire to wire and Incentive Play, also trained by Brown, coming from eighth early to score by 2 1/2.
The rest of the field: Sanford Stakes runner-up Studlydoright, Smoken Wicked, the maiden Innovator and first-timer Mr. Mendelslew.
Post time for Monday’s Hopeful, race 10 of 12, is 5:43 p.m. ET.
For those who bet horse racing …
The picks: 1 Ferocious 2 Chancer McPatrick 3 Mentee
The field for the $300,000 Hopeful Stakes (G1), from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, odds:
1 Mr. Mendelslew (Jose Gomez, Carlos Mancilla), 50-1
2 Ferocious (Javier Castellano, Gustavo Delgado), 8-5
3 Innovator (Manny Franco, D. Wayne Lukas), 15-1
4 Tough Catch (Luis Saez, Dallas Stewart), 8-1
5 Smoken Wicked (Tyler Gaffalione, Dallas Stewart), 15-1
6 Studlydoright (Xavier Perez, John Robb), 12-1
7 Mentee (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher), 5-1
8 Chancer McPatrick (Flavien Prat, Chad Brown), 5-2
9 Incentive Pay (Joel Rosario, Chad Brown), 8-1