SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Dublin Fjord Stables, Racepoint Stables, Kevin Hilberth and Thomas O’Keefe’s multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire Drafted will look to pull off a shock upset in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Forego at Saratoga.
Trained by David Duggan, the 8-year-old Florida-bred son of Field Commission enters the seven-furlong sprint for older horses in the midst of a strong campaign, boasting a record of 5-3-1-0 this season.
Duggan said the Spa main track should suit the deep-closing Drafted as he takes on the reigning Champion Sprinter in Jackie’s Warrior.
“There’s not a lot of options at the moment. We could have gone to Colonial or Pimlico but both are tracks that are not conducive to his sprinting style,” Duggan said. “The next option was there going seven-eighths and only that it’s seven-eighths is the reason we’re taking it on as his numbers have a tendency to elevate a little bit.
“We know we’re taking on the best sprinter in the world, but if he stubs his toe or has a bad day, we’ll see how it goes. We’ll give it a good shot.”
Drafted made his first two starts of the year sprinting seven furlongs at Aqueduct Racetrack, winning the Grade 3 Toboggan in February and finishing a distant fifth in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap in April. He returned to form with a one-length score in the six-furlong Grade 3 Runhappy in May at Belmont Park ahead of a last-to-first rally to win the six-furlong Mr. Prospector in June at Monmouth Park.
Last out, Drafted closed from last to finish second in the six-furlong Alapocas Run on July 2 at Delaware Park.
Drafted was unable to close into modest splits of 23.17 and 46.11 in the Carter, but Duggan said he is hopeful a more contentious pace can develop Saturday when the 30-1 morning-line chance exits post 2 under returning rider Luis Rodriguez Castro.
“He’s tried Grade 1 form before and come up a little short, but there’s speed and pressure in there and it sets up a lot better for me than it does for a lot of the other horses,” Duggan said. “Am I good enough? That’s the question. He’s an old pro and we felt if there was a time to do it, it was now. If it doesn’t work, we’ll dust ourselves off and go back to the real world.”
Drafted has breezed back three times over the Belmont dirt training track, including back-to-back bullets led by a half-mile in 48 flat on August 21.
“He’s as well as he’s ever been and his confidence is high,” Duggan said. “He always works sharp in the mornings, that’s just his style.”
Drafted, who has won at five different racetracks, boasts a ledger of 29-9-3-3 for purse earnings in excess of $1 million. In 2019, the world-traveling gelding captured the Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint and Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal for former conditioner Doug Watson at Meydan Racecourse.
He made his first start for Duggan in November 2020, posting a record of 3-2-2 in 13 starts since.
“He’s taken us on a magical ride,” Duggan said. “If he runs well and does well, that would be fantastic. If he doesn’t, we’re not going to cry about it. But he’s well and he’s happy and we’re going to take a good swing at it.
“We’re all looking for signature horses and he’s ours,” Duggan added. “He’s kept us in the limelight and kept us relevant in this game, which is quite tough in New York. It’s nice to have a horse of this quality. He’s carried the banner for older horses and shown that they can compete at this level. He owes us nothing and he’s just a cool horse to be around.”
Duggan sports a perfect in-the-money record at the current Spa meet of 3-1-1-1, including a runner-up effort by Snicket in the Union Avenue on August 12.
“We’re a small stable and you have to be a little more realistic when you go to Saratoga,” Duggan said. “In saying that, we had horses that were doing well at the time and we feel like we spotted them well and got a piece of the cake every time we went up there. It doesn’t happen like that always, it will humble you fairly quickly Saratoga. I’ve been in that boat, too.”
The veteran conditioner has won three stakes at Saratoga, including an 11-1 upset in the 2008 Grade 3 Victory Ride when Porte Bonheur bested odds-on favorite Indyanne by a half-length in the six-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies.
“She was a quality filly and we knew we were going the right direction. She was a solid Grade 2/Grade 3 filly and we kept her at that level and she was great,” Duggan said. “The good ones you remember vividly and some of the hard-triers, too. But when you go to Saratoga, you like to be relevant. Some people go for the day out, but that’s not what I want. I want to be competitive. It keeps it fun when they’re running well.”
NYRA Press Office
Main photo: Drafted wins the Grade 3 Runhappy at Belmont Park on May 14th, 2022 (Chelsea Durand)
