DISTANCE NO PROBLEM FOR A THREAD OF BLUE IN SARATOGA DERBY

A Thread of Blue, dismissed at 13-1 by bettors, had put together a respectable record in graded turf stakes, with a win in the Palm Beach (G3), a close second in the American Turf (G3) and a fourth on yielding turf in the Penn Mile (G2).

The 3-year-old Hard Spun colt had never gone beyond 1 1/16 miles, however, and in Sunday’s $1 million Saratoga Derby he would be asked to go an eighth of a mile further. As it turned out, distance was not a problem. Leading from the opening jumps, A Thread of Blue went all the way under Luis Saez, leading at every call en route to a one-length win over Digital Age.

It was another 1¼ lengths back to Cape of Good Hope in third. He was followed by Social Paranoia, Henley’s Joy, Rockemperor (the 5-2 favorite), Kadar, Mohawk, Flying Scotsman, Seismic Wave and Eons. The running time over a “firm” Mellon turf course was course record-threatening 1:52.02.

“Just like it looked it could work out on paper,” said winning trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. “An uncontested lead is big. We gave him a little more time going into this, but he’s been training unbelievable, and it just worked out great.

“[The 1 3/16-mile distance] was a concern, but not really,” McLaughlin continued. “He’s a very talented horse, and we

thought he could get the distance.”

Flying Scotsman and Social Paranoia applied minimum pressure on A Thread of Blue down the backstretch, with the latter wheeling into the final turn with a twolength advantage. The margin was the same straightening out, and within a few strides it was clear that A Thread of Blue still had plenty of run in him. With Saez applying strong encouragement, the Leonard C. Green runner was on top by two lengths at the eighth pole and had no trouble turning back his pursuers.

“We were lucky that it was pretty easy up front,” said Saez. “When I came into the stretch, I knew I had plenty of horse. I saw them coming, but he responded pretty well.”

A Thread of Blue is now 4-of-5 on firm turf, beaten

SPENCER TULIS/THE PINK SHEET Jockey Luis Saez celebrates aboard A Thread of Blue after winning the first-ever running of The Saratoga Derby Invitational at Saratoga Race Course Sunday afternoon.

Jockey Luis Saez aboard A Thread of Blue near the winner’s circle at Saratoga Race Course Sunday after winning the first-ever running of The Saratoga Derby Invitational.

SETH WENIG - THE ASSOCIATED PRESS In this July 25, 2019 file photo New York Jets’ Trevon Sanders leaves the field after a practice at the NFL football team’s training camp in Florham Park, N.J. Sanders spent some time off from crushing ballcarriers on the football field to crunch numbers for the city budget. Lengthy meetings with local leaders, spirited conversations and hearty handshakes _ lots of them _ were all in a day’s work for Hizzoner. The New York Jets rookie defensive lineman was honored in February as the Mayor for the Day in his hometown of North Charleston, South Carolina, trading in his jersey for a spiffy jacket and tie.