Bring Theband Home on cruise control. (Susie Raisher)
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Live Oak Plantation’s Florida-homebred Bring Theband Home improved his local record to 4-for-4 when making the grade in Sunday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Troy, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for 3-year-olds and up, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the 5-year-old Into Mischief gelding wired the Listed Harvey Pack last out by 4 1/4 lengths in a final time of 59.90 seconds over course and distance on July 4, just one-tenth off the track and North American record of 59.80 set by Cogburn in last year’s local Grade 1 Jaipur.
On Sunday, Bring Theband Home impressed once again with a winning time of 1:00.38, disproving any thoughts of a bounce off his career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure and asserting himself as a major player in future turf sprints. His lone previous graded attempt was an eighth in the Grade 2 Nearctic in October at Woodbine Racetrack.
Casse said the bay’s clear goal has become the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on November 1 at Del Mar.
“Another one or two races probably and we’ll try to get there,” said Casse. “He’s got enough now to get in. I think he likes it [the turf] the harder the better. He went one-tenth off the world record, so you know it was pretty hard. I think this turf still has a little give in it right now, just a little.”
Piloted by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, who was winless since last riding this horse in the Harvey Pack, Bring Theband Home exited post 3 and was bumped by Twenty Six Black to his inside, but still made the lead and set an opening quarter-mile in 21.38 seconds on the firm turf.
“Fast horse, he’s able to relax in the lead – he’s not a run-off horse,” Castellano said. “I like that, and he always listens to the jockey. When I asked him, he took off again. Lucky to be around those horses.”
Entering the turn, Bring Theband Home was stalked by Let My People Go with Alogon just outside of him and Determined Kingdom saving ground in fourth position. After a sharp half-mile in 43.39, Castellano shook the reins and his charge immediately separated himself from the field once straightened for home.
Bring Theband Home, with a four-length advantage at the stretch call, was never in doubt, but New York-bred Twenty Six Black did cut his winning margin to 1 1/2 lengths with a belated run from 6th-of-7.
Determined Kingdom finished one length back in third, with Alogon completing the superfecta. Senbei and Let My People Go rounded out the order of finish. Our Shot trailed throughout and was eased home, while main track-only entrant Full Moon Madness was scratched.
Castellano was relieved to be in the win column at the summer meet.
“Things didn’t go right in the beginning… almost a month I didn’t win races and that’s the first time that’s happened in my career in 29 years,” said Castellano. “I never faced a challenge like that, but I’ve been strong, competitive, working hard every single day, mentally try to reset a little bit, and be competitive.
“[I’m] lucky and fortunate to be here and compete with the best riders in the country, and the opportunity to ride horses like Bring Theband Home,” Castellano added.
Live Oak’s Charlotte Weber was pleased with the performance from horse, jockey and trainer.
“It means the world to me, especially with Javier,” said Weber. “He’s my neighbor up here in Saratoga and a friend. This makes history for both of us, together. Mark is a terrific trainer. I haven’t been disappointed. I have had a good meet so far, so I’m not complaining. I want to keep rolling through the year. This horse is getting better as he’s getting older. He’s getting smarter.”
Trainer Horacio De Paz was encouraged by Twenty Six Black earning a graded placing under Flavien Prat. The 5-year-old War Dancer gelding entered from three stakes fourths, most recently when unthreatening to returning rival Senbei in the state-bred six-furlong Ashley T. Cole on June 28 at Belmont at the Big A.
“He’s honest. It was a good effort on his part this time. He just ran flat last time,” said De Paz. “Prat just rode his race – he thought they’d go quick up front, and the horse seems to come from behind pretty well on the outside. It was a good trip. Solid group, now he’s got to step it up himself. It was good to see that today.”
Bring Theband Home is out of the Street Cry mare Tizatude, a half-sister to Grade 1-winning millionaire Paynter, sire of 2021 Horse of the Year Knicks Go. His second dam, Tizso, is a full-sister to Hall of Famer Tiznow.
Bring Theband Home banked $165,000 in victory while improving his record to 13-6-3-1 and returning $3.30 for a $2 win bet as the favorite.
Live racing resumes Wednesday with a nine-race program that features the Listed $150,000 Birdstone in Race 7. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
