Sunday, Saratoga
ALFRED G. VANDERBILT H.-GI, $400,000, SAR, 8-5, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:09 2/5, my.
1--@POSEIDON'S WARRIOR, 114, c, 4, by Speightstown
             1st Dam: Poised to Pounce, by Smarten
             2nd Dam: Lady Lyndy, by Bold Favorite
             3rd Dam: Counterflight, by Count of Honor
($90,000 2yo '10 FTMMAY). O-Swilcan Stable LLC; B-Dark Hollow Farm & William P Beatson (MD); T-Robert E Reid Jr; J-Irad Ortiz Jr; $240,000. Lifetime Record: 17-7-2-2, $634,337. *1/2 to Quick 'n Smart (Polish Numbers), MSW, $160,020; and Play Bingo (Polish Numbers), MSW, $455,240; and Rhythmn Master (Two Punch), MSP, $279,370. Werk Nick Rating: A++ (1SW). Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.



2--Justin Phillip, 115, c, 4, First Samurai--Ava Knowsthecode, by Cryptoclearance. ($400,000 yrl '09 KEESEP). O-Zayat Stables LLC; B-Oakbrook Farm (KY); T-Steven M Asmussen; $80,000.


3--Emcee, 115, c, 4, Unbridled's Song--Surf Club, by Ocean Crest. O-Godolphin Racing LLC; B-Darley (KY); T-Kiaran P McLaughlin; $40,000.
Margins: NK, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 36.25, 6.00, 2.40.
Also Ran: Hamazing Destiny, Rothko, Jersey Town, Sloane Ranger, Shackleford. Click for the brisnet.com chart, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Taylor Made Sales.
Poseidon's Warrior had run some big races, but never against the likes of these. He came into last year's
   GI King's Bishop S. here off back-to-back romps in Pennsylvania, but didn't factor in that extra-tough heat. The dark bay bounced back when he returned to the Midlantic region, however, and finished off the rest of 2011 with a 4-2-1-1 record, including back-to-back
101 Beyer Speed Figure-earning performances in minor stakes events at Delaware in October and Penn National in November. Eighth of eight in his turf and 4-year-old bow in Parx's Parx Dash H. June 17, the seeming no-hoper was coming off a fifth-place run in Monmouth's Mr. Prospector S. July 8. Justin Phillip was 4-5 that day, but settled for fifth, a length and a nose in front of Poseidon's Warrior.
   Quickest from the gate as he sought to follow in the footsteps of his sire (by Gone West), who took this event when it was a Grade II in 2004, Poseidon's Warrior dropped back to stalk in third as Emcee was hard-sent from the rail to post an opening quarter in :21.99 with Rothko (Arch) in his hip pocket. The longshot re-engaged the top two while three-wide leaving the turn, but they both dug in in upper stretch as Poseidon's Warrior began to drift out a bit. Justin Phillip joined the fray even farther out on the track and appeared as if he'd go by them all, but Poseidon's Warrior kept plugging away to find the line first.
   "This is my first Grade I win," revealed conditioner Butch Reid. "I won a Breeders' Cup race last year [with Afleet Again (Afleet Alex) in the Breeders' Cup Marathon], but that was a Grade II." He added, "I told the jock to ride him out of the gate if he wanted because sometimes in New York they'll give you the lead, but when he saw the others go out he did the right thing and laid back off them and let him settle." The winner could return for the GI Forego S. here Sept. 1. "He's earned the [right] to stay here the rest of the month," said Reid.