A. P. Indian sets Forego record
Gelding wins second straight Grade 1 at Spa
SARATOGA SPRINGS >> The winner of three straight stakes races, including the Grade 1 Vanderbilt last time out, A. P. Indian was the public’s choice to make it four in a row in the Grade 1 Forego. He didn’t disappoint. The 6-year-old Indian Charlie gelding stalked an early fractions of 22.83 and 45.35 set by Chief Lion, then exploded down the stretch to win the $700,000 race by 2 1/2 lengths.
His final time over a fast main track at Saratoga Race Course was 1:20.99 — a new stakes record.
“Everything went perfect,” trainer Arnaud Delacour said. “(Jockey Joe Bravo) asked him to break, he broke well. He always runs better when he has a target. He could sit quietly until the quarter pole. After that the rest is history.”
Later on in the day, Arrogate set a course record in his Travers win on the main track.
“All I had to do is get him into the race and he took me the rest of the way,” Bravo said.
Tamarkuz rallied late to finish second followed by Stallwalkin’ Dude — who entered off a win in the Tale of the Cat at Saratoga. Longshot Dannie’s Deceiver was fourth and second-choice Catalina Red placed fifth.
The victory pushed A. P. Indian’s career mark to 10-4-0 in 16 races and breached the $1 million mark in earnings with $1,112,434. He was bred in Kentucky by owner Green Lantern Stables, where he spent the winter preparing for his 2016 campaign. The grandson of A. P. Indy (out of Ender’s Sister) was runner up at the Decathalon at Monmouth in May before winning a stakes race each ensuing month, the last two graded races on the New York circuit. His win in the Grade 3 Belmont Sprint July 9 was a turning point, according to his trainer.
“It looked like he understood something there,” Delacour said. “Ever since he’s been improving.
“The fact that he won two stakes this year already going seven-eighths (was important). He has enough tactical speed to go six and enough stamina to keep going at seven. It’s quite amazing.”
The victory qualified A. P. Indian for a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint Division. Whether he will run in-between now is still up in the air.
“He’s having a lot of fun doing what he does,” Delacour said. “I’ll have to talk to the owner. (The horse) needs to bring us there. I need to make sure he’s still going well and happy. Maybe at Belmont, maybe Keeneland as well.”
A. P. Indian paid $4.20 to win. The exacta was $98.