A Grade 1 winner as a 2-year-old and rejuvenated in a stakes win at Monmouth Park in June, Carson’s Run is back at the highest level on Sunday in the twice rescheduled in the $600,000 Saratoga Derby (G1).
Carson’s Run and Dylan Davis take on seven rivals, stretching out to a mile and three-sixteenths. The chestnut colt blazed through the stretch to win going away in the Tale of the Cat Stakes going away on June 23 at Monmouth Park. Carson’s Run broke his maiden on the Saratoga grass last summer.
Dale Romans 2-year-old Keep It Easy kicks off the weekend stakes action in Saturday’s Saratoga Special (G2). Co-owned with Vinnie Viola’s St. Elias Stables, the Hard Spun colt broke his maiden impressively on June 27 at Churchill.
On Sunday, French-bred Lady Mia returns to the Jersey Shore, searching for black type in the Incredible Revenge Stakes. Imported from Europe, the now 4-year-old filly trained by Christophe Clement owns a win and a second from two starts this year.
Another horse who crossed the Atlantic Ocean, Stretch Ride makes his seasonal bow in Sunday’s Ellis Park Derby. Trained by Dale Romans, he is two for three, most recently finishing third in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) in November at Churchill Downs.
About 45 minutes before Carson’s Run goes postward in the Saratoga Derby, Integration seeks grade-one glory in the $1,000,000 Arlington Million (G1T) at Colonial Downs. A four-time winner and earner of nearly 700k, Integration won the local prep for the million on July 13. Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey,
