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Carl Spackler scores easy ace in G3 Saranac

by Ryan Martin

Carl Spackler, trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown for e Five Racing Thoroughbreds, backed up his heavy 1-5 favoritism and doubled up on Saratoga Race Course graded stakes scores in Friday’s 116th running of the Grade 3, $175,000 Saranac for sophomores traveling 1 1/16 miles over the inner turf.

Carl Spackler, an Irish-bred chestnut by Lope de Vega, captured the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame just three weeks ago over good going at the Spa, defeating fellow Brown trainee Appraise by 2 1/4 lengths.

Leaving from post 2 under Tyler Gaffalione, Carl Spackler left in good order, but Taking Candy broke sharpest of all to his inside and assumed command into the first turn. Carl Spackler was one length behind in second through an opening quarter-mile in 23.58 seconds over the good going. It was a gap of four lengths back to Lost Ark in third, followed by Mendelssohns March and Yacowlef trailing the field.

Carl Spackler briefly matched strides with Taking Candy down the backside but took back to his initial stalking position through a half-mile in 48.56. The field grew more compact nearing the far turn with Taking Candy still controlling the tempo through three-quarters in 1:12.56 as Gaffalione lightly coaxed a loaded Carl Spackler. An all-out Taking Candy fought Carl Spackler valiantly in upper stretch, but there were no yips or shanks for Carl Spackler, who strolled home an in-hand 3 1/2-length winner in a final time of 1:42.23.

Taking Candy held second three-quarters of a length ahead of third-place finisher Lost Ark, a half-brother to 2022 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Nest. Mendelssohns March and Yacowlef completed the order of finish. Activist Investing, Freedom Trail, and main track only entrant Gilmore were scratched.

Named after a main character portrayed by Bill Murray in the film Caddyshack, Carl Spackler now boasts a 5-3-1-0 record with his lone off-the-board effort taking place when eighth as the lukewarm favorite in the Grade 2 American Turf on May 6 at Churchill Downs. A runner-up in his January 21 debut at Gulfstream Park to eventual Grade 1 winner Far Bridge, Carl Spackler was a sharp 8 3/4-length winner one month later at the same oval.

Carl Spackler utilized new tactics in the Saranac when sitting right off the pace as opposed to making up 6 1/2 lengths in the Hall of Fame with Gaffalione aboard for the first time.

“That day I wanted to be a little more forwardly placed, but we had a little hiccup out of the gate,” Gaffalione said of the Hall of Fame effort. “What I loved is that he relaxed back there and showed a real nice turn of foot that day, and that gave me confidence moving forward that I can place him wherever I need to. He's very talented.

“He was traveling well within himself,” Gaffalione added, regarding the Saranac. “I just wanted to try and get him to shut off. We have bigger things down the road, so didn't want to do too much today.”

Brown, who captured his third Saranac, said he expected to see his horse on the lead given the compact field.

“Once we had a target, I felt pretty good. I thought we would be on the lead actually, but Tyler knows this horse so well and, with all his horses, he comes well prepared,” said Brown, who saddled previous Saranac winners Public Sector [2021] and Raging Bull [2018]. “These short fields with a short price can be tricky sometimes, and I just said, ‘Look, ride it loose and if you go to the lead, which I expect, fine. If someone really wants to go, it’s even better,’ because with a target, it worked out perfect.”

Brown mentioned the possibility of tackling older horses with Carl Spackler, who could make his next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Coolmore Turf Mile on October 7 at Keeneland, which was won last year by Saranac victor Annapolis.

“I’m looking at what I want to do with him in early October at Keeneland, and I just thought it was too big of a gap because we’re going to possibly go after the Coolmore Mile, which will be a tall order,” Brown said. “I wasn’t crazy about the eight weeks [off] for this horse, so I ran it by Bob [Edwards, owner of e Five Racing Thoroughbreds] and he said, ‘Whatever you feel is right for the conditioning and development of the horse.’ It all worked out.

“I love a little cutback into a mile in a bigger field with some pace,” Brown continued. “Again, tall order, [but] he’ll get a little bit of a weight break being a 3-year-old, and as long as he’s healthy and doing well, that’s where he’ll run.”

Bred in Ireland by Edwards’ Fifth Avenue Bloodstock, Carl Spackler is out of the Brown-trained and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds-campaigned graded stakes-winning More Than Ready mare Zindaya, who is a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Western Aristocrat.

“It’s very rewarding and I trained this horse’s mother for the Edwards family – it was one of our first big winners together, and to see her handsome colt that she threw out here winning two stakes at the same meet at Saratoga is hard to do, I know that very well,” Brown said.

Carl Spackler, who returned $2.50 for a $2 win wager, banked $96,250 in victory which enhanced his lifetime earnings to $432,250.

Live racing resumes Saturday at Saratoga with a 12-race card featuring the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup in Race 11 – a “Win And You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic, the Grade 2, $500,000 Flower Bowl – a “Win And You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, the Grade 2, $250,000 Prioress and the listed $150,000 Harvey Pack. First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern.         

Saratoga Live will present live coverage and analysis of the Saratoga Race Course summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/. 

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.