Erupt Leads Expected Saratoga Euro Trio

A trio of Europeans are slated to invade New York for Saratoga's impressive stakes action, including six Grade I races topped by the GI Travers S. While there are no across-the-pond competitors for the featured event, said contingent may prove strong in the two races in which they compete, topped by multiple Grade/Group I winner Erupt (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI Sword Dancer S., a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 4.

Niarchos Family's 5-year-old Francis-Henri Graffard-trained horse tops a deadly Euro duo for the 12-furlong turf event, but may not be the favorite come post time. The winner of October's GI Canadian International is winless in a pair of starts this season–including a fourth in the Group I Prix Ganay May 1 and ninth in the GI Grand Prix de Sant-Cloud July 2–and has only a solo victory in his previous 11 starts. Favoritism may go to Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs. John Magnier's Idaho (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who enters the $1-million race in career form for trainer Aidan O'Brien.

“He seems to have shipped well and has been training well,” Graffard said. “The ground was way too soft last time in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, but he had a very good seasonal comeback in the Prix Ganay.”

After the Canadian International, in which he defeated favored Idaho by 2 1/2 lengths, the son of top stallion Dubawi (Ire) was a lackluster 14th, beaten eight lengths, in the G1 Japan Cup. While the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud was a non-effort in which he finished 56 3/4 lengths astern, his Prix Ganay was a solid performance, losing by a length for it all behind Group I winners Cloth of Stars (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Silverwave (Fr) (Silver Frost {Ire}). Despite said defeats, his recent work has his connections confident the winner of the 2015 Group I Grand Prix de Paris will run well.

“In Japan, it snowed two days before the race and it upset his training, so he had an excuse,” Graffard said. “I think he is coming into this race very well and I hope he runs well. Last year, he really came back to himself at the end of the summer and into the fall and you saw how he performed in Canada.”

“He's doing very well,” added Alan Cooper, racing manager for the Niarchos Family. “The ground was too soft for him at Saint-Cloud last time and he seems to be back in form. We are going looking for firm ground and we feel that the conditions of this type of race suit him.”

Originally slated for the Breeders' Cup Turf last year after his Canadian conquering, Erupt was removed from consideration the week of the race. This year, he is less likely to be aimed toward the Breeders' Cup, but such is not completely off the horizon.

“We have [Sir Michael Stoute-trained Group I Coral Eclipse Stakes winner] Ulysses (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) aiming toward the Breeders' Cup Turf, but we will have a better idea after the Sword Dancer,” Cooper continued. “Erupt is obviously a horse with good form who appreciates fast ground and ships well, so hopefully he performs well on Saturday.”

Idaho, a full-brother to last year's Breeders' Cup Turf champion Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), defeated his sibling and Ballydoyle-conditioned stablemate last out when third in the Group I King George & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot behind superstar filly Enable (GB). Said effort followed an impressive victory in the Group II Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. Placed three times in Grade/Group I events, he will be looking for a breakout top-level performance at the Saratoga Springs oval.

Joining the aforementioned French and Irish, the Germans will also be taking part on Saturday at Saratoga. Stall Domstadt's Peter Schiergen-trained Ross (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) enters the GI Forego S. against a tough field expected to be topped by locally based global sprint star Mind Your Biscuits (Posse). The son of Acclamation (GB) out of an El Corredor mare has proven left-handed dirt form, having competed seven times at Meydan's American-style dirt course, including a runner-up effort in March's Group II Godolphin Mile. In said effort he out-finished top American sprinter-miler Sharp Azteca (Freud).

The 5-year-old bay horse shipped to New York Saturday, Aug. 19, and got his first feel for the local surroundings with a jog on Monday morning, along with travel-mate Erupt. He enters off a two-length allowance win over Deauville's all-weather course going 6 1/2 furlongs in a spritely 1:16.72.

“His last race was very good at Deauville and he had a break after Dubai,” Schiergen said. “I think he is in good form and he travels well. It is not an easy race, but we want to see if he can do it.”

Schiergen, who arrives Friday, is fresh off a frustrating trip to Arlington with Group I-placed filly Sarandia (Ger) (Dansili {GB}), who suffered from a wide trip, but ran on well to finish sixth by less than three lengths in the GI Beverly D. S.

“We are hoping for better luck than with Sarandia, but he is a good horse and he has speed,” Schiergen concluded. “It is easier coming from Germany and run on the turf, rather than a dirt race, but this is a test for him and he did well in Dubai.”

Idaho is expected to join his European mates Tuesday and clear quarantine in time to train Thursday morning. No rider has been assigned for Idaho as of yet, but regular pilots Stephane Pasquier (Erupt) and Andrasch Starke (Ross) are slated to make the trip. While the Travers will be drawn Tuesday evening, the remaining quintet of Grade Is will be drawn Wednesday morning.