The three-year-old Domestic Product and the four-year-old Mullikin posted nearly identical times for seven furlongs when notching Grade 1 wins at Saratoga on Saturday. Jockey Flavien Prat was aboard for both mounts.
Domestic Product made up an eight-length deficit and was up to deny 2-1 favorite Prince of Monaco by a neck in the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) for three-year-olds. Finishing a length behind in third was Book’em Danno.
The remainder of the field finished well behind, led by Timberlake. Next under the wire were Reynolds Channel, pacesetter World Record, Jefferson Street, Vettriano, Speak Easy, Otto the Conqueror, and Little Ni.
A homebred campaigned by Seth Klarman, Domestic Product returned $11 after completing the course in 1:21.71 over a fast track.
Domestic Product who was on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail earlier this year after finishing second in the Holy Bull (G3) and first in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3), has undoubtedly found his niche around one turn. After finishing 13th in the Churchill Downs classic and second in the 1 1/16-mile Pegasus S. at Monmouth Park, Domestic Product has now won two straight, beginning with a 7 1/2-length triumph in the one-mile Dwyer (G3) at Aqueduct.
“Right after the Derby I started to work backward from this race and I told Seth that we were going to try to do the same thing we did with his sire and cut him back on Travers Day, and it worked,” said trainer Chad Brown, referring to 2017 Jerkens winner Practical Joke. Brown also trained 2022 Jerkens winner Jack Christopher.
Brown was non-committal about a fall target for Domestic Product, who might find a race like the six-furlong Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Del Mar a bit on the sharp side.
“I’m really just going to take a step back. He’s had a long year,” Brown said. “These are horses that were on the Derby trail and are still breezing and running. They’ve done a lot of work, and this is a young horse, so I don’t feel any pressure to run him at all, but I’ll talk to Seth to see what we want to do together.”
A Kentucky-bred, Domestic Product was reared by Goods and Services, a daughter of Paynter. He has now won four of nine starts and more than $729,000.
In contrast to Domestic Product, Mullikin will likely be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint after making all in the $500,000 Forego (G1) for older horses. Brushing off the pace-pressing Angkor turning for home, Mullikin pulled away through the stretch to win by an emphatic 5 3/4 lengths. His final time was 1:21.75.
The Forego was the Violence colt’s fourth win in as many starts this season and his second in a stakes following a 1 1/2-length decision in the July 6 John A. Nerud (G2) at Aqueduct.
“I thought last time was good, but today was something else,” Prat said. “He’s got a great attitude, and he seems like he’s enjoying himself. He’s going in the right direction.”
Favored against six rivals at odds of approximately 8-5, Mullikin returned $5.30. Gun Pilot finished second, 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Angkor. Cagliostro was fourth after stumbling at the start and was followed by Full Screen, Baby Yoda, and Twisted Ride.
The Forego was the first Grade 1 win for Rudy Brisset, who trains Mullikin for WinStar Farm and Siena Farm. Mullikin was sold for $500,000 as a Keeneland September yearling and has now bankrolled more than $673,000 after winning five of his first nine starts.
Bred in Kentucky by Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding, Mullikin was produced by the Grade 3-placed Tulira’s Star, a Congrats half-sister to Grade 3 winner Mountain General.
