Saratoga's GIII Saranac S. is one of the few turf stakes Chad Brown has yet to conquer, but that is likely to change Saturday when he saddles three strong contenders in this year's renewal. Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Camelot Kitten (Kitten's Joy) get the morning-line nod with a trio of graded wins already under his belt in the GII American Turf S., GIII Pennine Ridge S. and most recently the GII Hall of Fame S. here Aug. 5. Between those last two efforts, the bay checked in fourth in the July 9 GI Belmont Derby. Stablemate Ray's The Bar (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) finished second in a pair of first-level allowances at Belmont May 12 and June 25, but rebounded to score a decisive victory going 1 3/16 miles over this course last time July 30. Rounding out the Brown trio is Call Provision (Lemon Drop Kid), who also enters off a convincing local allowance score against NY-breds Aug. 11.
Leah Gyarmatia sends out an interesting runner in Treadway Racing Stable's Strike Midnight (Smart Strike). Capturing a one-mile optional claimer downstate June 3, the dark bay checked in second in the Manila S. there July 4 and was a close third last time in the Hall of Fame.
“With each race, he seems to be getting better and better, and acting more professional,” Gyarmati said. “I think maturity is part of it. But I think it's also experience, more than anything. We gave him some time off, after turf racing ended last year, and then we had to start all over again.”
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