SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Brad Cox’s decision to put blinkers back on Fandom for the first time this season paid big dividends when the lightly raced 3-year-old led at every call for a hard-fought, neck victory over the 36-1 Run Carson, the longest price on the board, Sunday at Saratoga in the $150,000 Mahony Stakes.
Fandom raced in blinkers in his only two starts for his former trainer, Wesley Ward, during his juvenile campaign in 2023, going wire to wire to register a very popular and one-sided victory in his career debut over the turf at Keeneland before finishing a tiring 11th in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Ascot in his 2-year-old finale.
Fandom was subsequently transferred to Brad Cox’s barn and competed without blinkers in his first two starts this season, rallying to win the Palisades Stakes to kick off the year before returning three months later to finish a troubled third in making his local bow in the Grade 3 Quick Call here on July 14.
With Dylan Davis aboard for the first time, Fandom broke cleanly from his inside post and was hustled along the rail to assume command in the opening furlong of the 5 1/2-furlong Mahony while stalked by Run Carson from the outset. Fandom edged clear briefly after cutting the corner into the stretch, turned back a determined bid from Apollo Ten while brushing with him through midstretch before holding safe a final try by Run Carson at the end.
Run Carson was lapped on the winner for nearly a half, dropped back a tad after fanning a bit wide off the turn, came on again under vigorous urging through the final sixteenth and just missed. Apollo Ten was reserved just off the early leaders following an alert beginning, came through between horses to challenge the leader through the furlong grounds, the two coming in contact briefly in the process, before succumbing grudgingly approaching the wire. A claim of foul by the Apollo Ten rider against the winner alleging interference in the stretch run was disallowed.
Howard Wolowitz finished an unlucky fourth after being forced to steady behind the leaders through much of the final furlong while racing along the rail. Mansa Musa, the 6-5 favorite off his second-place finish in the Quick Call, checked home a disappointing seventh while never a serious factor.
Fandom, an English-bred son of Showcasing owned by Stonestreet Stables LLC, covered the distance over a “good” and drying-out course in 1:02.87 seconds and paid $10.00.
“We added blinkers today because we wanted to get him more involved,” said Cox’s son and assistant Blake Cox, who saddled Fandom in his father’s absence. “We didn’t think he would be on the lead, but it worked out well.”
Davis picked up the ride on Fandom from Jose Ortiz, who was at Colonial Downs on Sunday, and following the scratch of his mount No Nay Mets from the Mahony.
“He broke poorly last time and got bumped,” Davis said. “I wanted a nice clean break from the one hole, he broke very well and surprised me a bit to get there (the lead). He tugged me along into the turn very nicely. Both challengers there down the stretch, I was asking for him, and he was nice and strong all the way to the wire.”
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