American Patriot Set for Show of Strength in G2 Commonwealth Derby; Commonwealth One of Three Graded Races, Eight Stakes Worth $850,000
American Patriot Set for Show of Strength in G2 Commonwealth Derby; Commonwealth One of Three Graded Races, Eight Stakes Worth $850,000
Commonwealth One of Three Graded Races, Eight Stakes Worth $850,000
First Race Post 1:10 P.M.
LAUREL, MD – Beaten by less than a length in a Grade 1 stakes in his most recent start, WinStar Farm’s American Patriot will be viewed as the horse to beat in Saturday’s $200,000 Commonwealth Derby (G2) at Laurel Park.
The Todd Pletcher-trained 3-year-old colt has been installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in a field of 10 entered in the 1 1/8-mile turf race for 3-year-olds on the strength of his third-place finish in the Secretariat (G1) at Arlington Park Aug. 13. Yet, WinStar’s president, CEO and racing manager Elliott Walden expects the son of War Front to demonstrate even more strength in the Commonwealth Derby, which will co-feature an eight-stakes program with the $200,000 Commonwealth Turf Cup (G2) and the $150,000 Commonwealth Oaks (G3).
“I didn’t think the Secretariat was his best race, so I think he’ll even improve. I didn’t really feel like he ran his best race. He was running for the third time in seven weeks and I think he was a little flat, even though he ran very creditably to be on the board,” Walden said. “I just felt like he didn’t show up like he could have. I think there’s even more improvement there.”
American Patriot, who closed from fifth to third in the Secretariat, has given trainer Todd Pletcher reason to believe that his best is yet to come.
“He has trained well since a difficult trip in the Secretariat,” Pletcher said. “He seems to be improving with each start. We’re hoping for a good effort.”
American Patriot broke his maiden in his third career start, surging from 12th and last to register a head victory at Keeneland in April, but the Kentucky-bred colt was no factor after a slow start in the American Turf (G2) at Churchill Downs in May. He rebounded to win an optional claiming allowance at Belmont Park with the addition of blinkers June 25 and earned a trip to Arlington Park by winning the Kent (G3) at Delaware Park July 16.
“He has developed well. He’s always shown a lot of talent. His only bad race was when we threw him to the wolves after he broke his maiden,” Walden said. “We we took a step back from that and ran him in the allowance and then we ran him in the Kent.”
Walden said the WinStar homebred has the look of a major stakes winner.
“He’s a 10. He’s beautiful. He’s bigger than most of the War Fronts that I’ve seen. He’s out of a mare by Tiznow,” Walden said. “He has the best of both worlds. He has the class of War Front with the stature of Tiznow.”
