Crudo and Uncaged return in Listed $135K Curlin presented by Casamigos

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher is set to run his pair of Belmont Stakes-alums Crudo and Uncaged in Thursday's Listed $135,000 Curlin presented by Casamigos, a nine-furlong test for sophomores who have not won a graded stake at one mile or over in 2025, at Saratoga Race Course. 

Both colts last ran in the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 7 here, where the top-three finishers of the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby Sovereignty, Journalism and Baeza once again finished in that order. 

“This race should be kind of a step back in class,” Pletcher said. “Hopefully, with a little more experience, they both continue to improve.”

Bobby Flay and James Ventura’s Crudo [post 6, John Velazquez] was a pacesetting 7 1/2-length winner over returning rival Just a Fair Shake in the 1 1/16-mile restricted Sir Barton on Preakness Day May 17 at Pimlico. The Justify bay returned in the Belmont Stakes and pressed Rodriguez through a half-mile in 47.60 seconds, before tiring to finish last-of-8. 

“He was running back a little quick,” said Pletcher. “He was not as seasoned as those horses. We were hoping maybe if Rodriguez wasn’t in there, we might’ve gotten a favorable pace scenario. It just didn’t work out on the day.” 

Crudo, boasting a 4-2-0-0 record, showed his raw talent when wiring an about seven-furlong maiden second-out in April at Keeneland. He drew off to win by 7 1/4 lengths after a debut fourth sprinting six furlongs in February at Gulfstream Park. 

A $350,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, Crudo is a half-brother to Grade 1-winner Sippican Harbor out of the Deputy Minister mare Blossomed, a half-sister to Grade 3-winner Cinemine and stakes-winner Flick. 

Repole Stable and breeder WinStar Farm’s Uncaged [post 8, Dylan Davis] finished seventh in the Belmont Stakes, but did improve up the inside in the far turn to be within striking distance of the leaders until he weakened. 

“I thought he actually put in a decent run,” Pletcher said. “In the middle of the turn, it looked like he was in contention. Unfortunately, he just couldn’t finish from there.” 

The bay, by Hall of Fame namesake of this race Curlin and out of the Grade 3-winning Pioneerof the Nile mare Dark Nile, previously ran sixth in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Peter Pan on May 10 at Belmont at the Big A. 

Uncaged’s 5-2-0-0 record with $125,450 in earnings features a debut graduation sprinting six furlongs in August here and a one-turn mile optional claiming score in April at Aqueduct Racetrack– both over muddy and sealed footing. 

Five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown also sends out a formidable pair with dual Grade 1-winner Chancer McPatrick and the promising Strategic Focus, as he seeks a title defense following Unmatched Wisdom’s victory in this event last year.

Flanagan Racing’s Chancer McPatrick [post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] stretches back out around two turns after a seventh in the local seven-furlong Grade 1, $500,000 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun on Belmont Stakes Day. There, the McKinzie bay traveled 9th-of-10 early and never threatened over the muddy track while making his first sprint start since a win in the Grade 1 Hopeful in September at the Spa. 

Brown nominated Chancer McPatrick to next Friday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam presented by Albany Med Health System, but believed it was too short at 6 1/2 furlongs.

“Well, it is not ideal, but I thought that the Amsterdam was going to be too short at six and a half furlongs, so here we are,” said Brown. 

Chancer McPatrick, who also captured the one-turn mile Grade 1 Champagne in October at Belmont at the Big A, was second in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby in March at its namesake oval to kick off his campaign with blinkers on. 

He was next sixth in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Blue Grass in April at Keeneland ahead of his Woody Stephens performance with blinkers coming off [note that he dead-heated for his finishing positioning in the Blue Grass and Woody Stephens]. 

Chancer McPatrick, now 7-3-1-0 with $623,625 in earnings, was a $725,000 purchase at the 2024 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and is out of the winning Bernardini mare Bernadreamy. His second dam is Grade 1-winner Dream Empress.

Chancer McPatrick has been assigned a field-high 124 pounds. Crudo will carry 122 pounds, with the rest of the field assigned 120 pounds. 

Klaravich Stables’ Strategic Focus [post 3, Flavien Prat] crossed the wire three-quarter-lengths in front of 4-year-old stablemate Malarchuk in a nine-furlong optional claimer on June 6 here, but was disqualified to second after he shied in during the stretch drive under Dylan Davis. 

The Gun Runner chestnut earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure, and bolstering that form was Malarchuk returning to win a salty optional claimer on July 12 here that earned the same number. 

“The fact that Malarchuk came back and won, and ran another big number, certainly flatters his form,” Brown said. 

Strategic Focus improved upon his debut 91 Beyer when defeating elders including 1 1/4-length runner-up and next-out winner Hop Sing going a one-turn mile in April at Aqueduct Racetrack.

“This horse continues to be impressive,” said Brown. “I really see him maturing. It is unfortunate that he got DQ-ed last time. He should be 2-for-2 really, but the horse is training well. He looks super.” 

Strategic Focus, a $500,000 purchase at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is a full-brother to the Brown-trained stakes-winner Headline Numbers out of the Curlin mare Curlin’s Mistress, a full-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner Curlin’s Approval.

Brown has won this event with Street Life [2012], Connect [2016], Highest Honors [2019], Artorius [2022] and Unmatched Wisdom [2024]. 

Additionally, Pletcher has been victorious with Turbo Compressor [2011], Outplay [2017] and Dynamic One [2021], which means the aforementioned conditioners have taken 8-of-15 prior runnings of the Curlin.

Wathnan Racing’s Hypnus [post 4, Brian Hernandez, Jr.] was off-the-board in three graded attempts earlier this year but has shown promising form of late. Trained by Kenny McPeek, the Into Mischief bay added blinkers to run fourth in the Grade 3 Lexington in April at Keeneland ahead of a pair of 1 1/16-mile optional claiming starts at Churchill Downs. 

In the first, Hypnus was a three-quarter-length second in May to the well-regarded Goal Oriented, who is entered in Saturday’s Grade 1 NYRA Bets Haskell at Monmouth Park. Hypnus returned to win at the same level by one length last out on June 1.

“This is a horse that seems to be on the improve. His last win was real professional and this is a good next step for him,” said McPeek. “The distance won’t be a problem. He tends to be a horse that can get a little stud-ish in the paddock, but other than that, he’s a wonderful horse to be around.”

Bred in Kentucky by Phoenix Thoroughbreds, Hypnus is out of the Grade 1-winning Uncle Mo mare Dream Tree, winner of the 2018 Grade 2 Prioress at the Spa. 

Rounding out the field is multiple stakes-placed Just a Fair Shake [post 5, Kendrick Carmouche] for trainer Daniel McKenzie; two-time winner So Sandy [post 7, Jose Ortiz] for conditioner Cherie DeVaux; and maiden winner Fountain Lake [post 2, Luis Saez] for trainer John Ortiz. 

The Curlin is slated as Race 9 on Thursday’s 10-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern. 

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