Carl Spackler impressive in the Hall of Fame (Chelsea Durand)
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Trainer Chad Brown said e Five Thoroughbred Racing Thoroughbreds’ Carl Spackler could target the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar as a long-term goal following an impressive victory in a re-scheduled edition of Friday’s Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame at Saratoga Race Course.
The chestnut Lope de Vega sophomore entered the one-mile Hall of Fame from a three-month layoff, having last raced when eighth in his stakes debut in the Grade 2 American Turf on May 6 at Churchill Downs. Brown said Carl Spackler was not looking well after returning to Belmont Park, but the four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer brought the talented colt back to good condition, taking the Hall of Fame by 2 1/4 lengths over stablemate Appraise. Carl Spackler earned a career-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure for the triumph over the good inner turf course.
“Tricky schedule for 3-year-old colts, but I’m not sure yet,” said Brown when asked about where his newly minted graded stakes winner would run next. “I’ve got my eyes on the Hollywood Derby late in the year for that horse, but I’m not sure if I would run him once between now and then.”
Should Carl Spackler make the trek to the West Coast, he could be joined by fellow Brown trainee Program Trading, who was a hard-fought winner of the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational on August 5 for owner Klaravich Stables. Brown mentioned the Hollywood Derby as a possibility for the fellow Lope de Vega sophomore following the Saratoga Derby.
Bred in Ireland by Fifth Avenue Bloodstock, Carl Spackler is out of the Brown-trained and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds campaigned graded stakes-winning More Than Ready mare Zindaya, who is a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Western Aristocrat.
One race after the Hall of Fame, Michael Caruso and Michael Dubb’s New York-bred Dr Ardito got back to the win column with a devastating late rally in the $125,000 Evan Shipman Handicap going one mile through the Wilson Chute. This was the 5-year-old gray son of Liam’s Map’s first stakes win since capturing the February 20 Haynesfield at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Brown mentioned that Dr Ardito would likely remain against fellow New York-breds.
“I think so, I’ll talk to [co-owner] Michael Dubb about that,” Brown said.
Bred in the Empire State by Fred W. Hertrich, III and John D. Fielding, Dr Ardito is out of the Indian Charlie mare Delightfully So, who produced winners Navistar and Delight of the Nile.
