Like many grass stakes held in New York, trainer Chad Brown has dominated the $1 million Manhattan (G1). He’s won the race nine of the last 12 years, including with Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar (2019) and fellow turf champion Flintshire (2016).
The distance and location of the Manhattan will be different this year and next, but Brown’s domination might very well continue when Program Trading and I’m Very Busy will be among nine lining up for Saturday’s renewal over 1 3/16 miles at Saratoga.
Program Trading is not the kind to win by much, but win he does. The four-year-old has come out on top in five of six starts, including photo finish scores in the Hollywood Derby (G1) and Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1) in his last two. He also owns a course-and-distance win in the Saratoga Derby (G1) last August.
I’m Very Busy has been a less-prolific visitor to the winner’s circle, but was favored in the Turf Classic at Churchill Downs over his stablemate following a breakout win in the Muniz Memorial (G2) in March. In the event, I’m Very Busy was unsettled in the preliminaries and did not fire.
“This horse did not give a good appearance of himself in the paddock or in the starting gate at Churchill,” Brown said. “I think he blew his race. He will paddock school here and has been in the gate, so hopefully he’ll be fine this time. He hasn’t really been a [nervous] type, but Churchill Downs on Derby Day is not for every horse.”
Trainer Charlie Appleby will also be double-loaded in the Manhattan with the Godolphin-owned Nations Pride and Measured Time. Nations Pride is also a former Saratoga Derby winner, but has endured a mixed record over the past couple of seasons. He was most recently third as the odds-on choice in the Man o’ War (G1) at Aqueduct. The Manhattan will mark the U.S. debut for Measured Time, a son of Frankel who captured the Jebel Hatta (G1) at Meydan in January prior to running fourth in the Dubai Turf (G1) in late March.
Another making his U.S. debut is Al Riffa, who captured the National (G1) in Ireland as a juvenile in 2022. He’s raced only three times since, most recently finishing a half-length fourth in the Prix Ganay (G1) at Longchamp.
Far Bridge, last year’s Belmont Derby (G1) winner, failed to land a blow in Churchill’s Turf Classic, finishing four lengths behind Program Trading. Kertez similarly turned in a midpack finish in the Man o’ War last time after landing the Pan American (G2) in his U.S. debut, and will reportedly only run if the course conditions are on the yielding or soft side. Ohana Honor edged Nations Pride for second in the Man o’ War last out, while pace player Strong Quality will look to improve on his fifth in the 2023 Manhattan, contested over 1 1/4 miles at Belmont.
A fascinating edition of the $350,000 Poker (G3) for older horses over one mile on the turf sees the three main contenders in the field of eight all drawn inside.
Brown has a strong chance of winning this, too, with Carl Spackler, a dual graded winner over the course last summer in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2) and Saranac (G3). The son of Lope de Vega was along in time to take his season debut, the May 2 Opening Verse S. at Churchill, by a head over Talk of the Nation.
The venerable eight-year-old Casa Creed thrives at Saratoga, where he’s won five times, including back-to-back renewals of the Fourstardave H. (G1). Adding more intrigue is Godolphin homebred Mysterious Night. Although a below-par seventh in the Hall of Fame last summer, the Appleby trainee won the Summer (G1) at Woodbine at two as well as a Group 2 sprint at Meydan over the winter.
The $1 million Jaipur (G1), won twice previously by the aforementioned Casa Creed, will be run at a reduced distance of 5 1/2 furlongs this year and next, owing to Saratoga’s Mellon Turf configuration. The overflow field includes 12 in the main body and four also-eligibles.
Cogburn, coming off a dazzling score in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G2) over Filo Di Arianna and Mischief Magic, might be the horse to beat. He has valuable course-and-distance experience, having beaten Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winners Nobals and Caravel in the Troy (G3) last summer.
Other notables include Arzak, a dual graded winner at Keeneland; Grade 2 scorer Big Invasion, a close second in both the Jaipur and Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint last term; and the three-year-old filly Star of Mystery, who overcame relative inexperience when a close second against older males in the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) at Meydan in March.
