SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Carson’s Run rallied from last under a perfectly timed ride by the red-hot Dylan Davis to a three-quarter-length victory over the even-money Legend of Time Sunday at Saratoga in the twice-postponed, $600,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational.
The win was the second of the day for Davis, who guided Fandom to a wire-to-wire tally earlier on the card in the Mahony Stakes, and his first Grade 1 victory in the United States.
The 1 3/16-mile Saratoga Derby had originally been scheduled for August 3, but was postponed the first time when the turf courses were not deemed suitable for use that afternoon. The race was rescheduled for Saturday’s card, but again held over for one more day due to heavy rains that soaked the course the previous afternoon, with the ground officially listed as “good” at post time here Sunday.
Carson’s Run, who won the Grade 1 Summer Stakes with Davis aboard for trainer Christophe Clement last September at Woodbine, had made just two previous starts this season prior to the Saratoga Derby, finishing fourth in the Woodhaven to launch his 3-year-old campaign on April 27 at Aqueduct before returning to win the Tale of the Cat eight weeks later at Monmouth Park.
As expected, Izzy d’Oro set the early pace while stalked from the outset by Fulmineo, with Carson’s Run settling at the rear of the six-horse field for nearly six furlongs before edging in front of his stablemate Deterministic while racing near the inside on the second bend. Davis angled Carson’s Run out five wide to commence his bid entering the stretch, the pair finishing resolutely down the center of the course to overtake Legend of Time about fifty yards from the wire to win going away.
Legend of Time, rated within easy striking distance in the run down the backstretch, rallied four wide to join the leaders upon settling into the stretch, gained command approaching the furlong marker, held off a bid from Royal Majesty to his inside nearing midstretch but could not resist the winner’s final surge.
Deterministic, who trailed the field turning for home, rallied belatedly to finish third, another three-parts of a length behind Legend of Time and a nose in front of Royal Majesty, who flattened out a bit after looming a major threat along the inside through midstretch.
Carson’s Run is trained by Clement for the partnership of West Point Thoroughbreds and Steven Bouchey. He returned $12.40 after completing the distance in 1:55.81 seconds.
“It was a very good ride by Dylan, he knows the horse very well, he’s worked the horse many, many times over the last two months,” Clement said. “He’s a little bit peculiar, he had a very funny start at Aqueduct in the spring, we’ve been working on it. He was trailing the field, but they were moving plenty fast enough. Obviously he loved the ground and he finished well. When he’s right, he has a spectacular turn of foot, as he showed today.”
Clement said he was also proud of Deterministic’s effort in defeat.
“The other horse, he ran well, a little bit one-paced,” Clement continued. “He started to get going when the race was over. I’m very pleased with both of them.”
By virtue of his victory in the Saratoga Derby, Carson’s Run earned an automatic berth into the Group 1, AUD$5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate on October 26 at Moonee Valley Racing Club in Australia.
“I need to think about it,” Clement said when asked about a possible start in the Cox Plate for Carson’s Run. “Let’s see how he comes out of this one first.”
Flavien Prat, who rode Legend of Time, said, “I was pleased with my trip. I thought I was a winner turning for home. No excuses. He was handling the turf good.”
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