From the Spa: August 2 Midlantic-breds in Saratoga stakes

I Spent It wins the 2014 Saratoga Special. Photo by NYRA/Adam Coglianese.

by Joseph Aiello

“From the Spa” returns to keep you up-to-date on horses bred in the mid-Atlantic racing in Saratoga stakes 

Friday, August 2nd features three consecutive stakes races at the Spa, the middle of which is the $100,000 Alydar Stakes for four year olds and upward. It is the eighth race on the card with a post time of 5:15 pm run at one mile and one eighth on the dirt. The Alydar Stakes is named after the hall of fame horse Alydar, who finished second to Affirmed in every triple crown race in 1978, only to exact his revenge in the Travers Stakes later that year at Saratoga, where he finished first ahead of Affirmed by dq as a result of interference in the far turn. Even after he was interfered with and forced to drop back, Alydar showed great fight in what would be his final race, making his way back into second position and nearly closing in the stretch. This same persistence can be seen in our Mid-Atlantic entry in this race, Golden Brown, who takes his second shot at a Saratoga stakes after finishing fifth in a tough Grade III Saranac Stakes last year. While he brushed the gate after breaking and didn’t get the easiest of trips, Golden Brown continued to fight on, showing that even in difficult circumstances he had every desire to win, much like Alydar. Here’s a look at our entry.

Golden Brown is a dark brown four year old gelding who breaks from the four post with long morning line odds of 20/1. These odds aren’t reflective of his form, however, as he seems to be racing better than ever, having won all three tries in 2019. All of those wins came at Monmouth Park, his home track in New Jersey, where he was bred by Esther de Jong. While plenty of positives can be seen from those victories at Monmouth, the most recent two came on the turf, which seems to be his preferred surface. This makes the switch back to the dirt by trainer Patrick McBurney seem questionable, but Golden Brown has shown the ability to win on both surfaces, and should give owners ABL Stable, D. Bossone, P. Donnelly, and J. Schnoor Jr. a very good chance in an even nine horse field. Golden Brown will be ridden by Jose Lezcano and is by Offlee Wild – Suzee Sunrise, by Chester House.