Program Trading returns to action in Listed $150K Bernard Baruch

Klaravich Stables’ multiple Grade 1-winner Program Trading will make his return from a nearly 15-month layoff in Friday’s Listed $150,000 Bernard Baruch, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for older horses, at Saratoga Race Course. 

Trained by five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, Program Trading was last seen finishing a stalking fifth in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan last June here, landing 2 1/2 lengths back of Measured Time in his first off-the-board finish in seven starts. 

“He's had some issues, but he's good now,” Brown said. “He's ready to get started. I'm really pleased with how he's been training.”

The 5-year-old Lope de Vega ridgling was perfect through his first three outings, graduating on debut in May 2023 with at Monmouth Park and following with a pace-pressing optional claiming score at Belmont Park. 

His versatility was on full display with a pacesetting victory in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational in just this third start, fighting back in the lane after being headed by Webslinger at the stretch call to dig in late and get his head down first in a final time of 1:56.63 over 1 3/16 miles of yielding Spa green. 

Program Trading was handed his first loss when a 1 1/4-length second to Integration in the Grade 3 Virginia Derby, but bounced back with aplomb to notch another narrow top-level score in Del Mar’s Hollywood Derby to close out his sophomore campaign. 

Last year, he scored his third Grade 1 victory in Churchill Downs’ nine-furlong Turf Classic when eking out a head victory over Naval Power, leaving him the post-time favorite next up in the Manhattan where he was part of a three-way photo for the minor awards. His pair of efforts last year garnered field-best Beyer Speed Figures of 102 and 100, respectively. 

Brown said he is interested to see how Program Trading responds to shorter races this year. 

“He's fresh and sharp and we may want to re-invent him into running a mile, mile and a sixteenth this year, especially if he's going to be a Breeders' Cup caliber horse,” Brown concluded. 

The talented bay returned to the work tab in late June at Fair Hill before arriving in Saratoga one month later. Since then, he has done most of his training over the Oklahoma dirt training track, including a half-mile breeze in 49.92 seconds on August 22. 

Bred in England by Fittocks Stud and Arrow Farm and Stud, Program Trading was purchased for $356,551 from Book One of the 2021 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. He is out of the winning Oasis Dream mare Dreamlike, a full-sister to stakes-placed Fashion Fund and a half-sister to Silk Sari, dam of the Brown-trained graded stakes-placed Early Adopter, who finished fourth in an optional claimer on Saturday at the Spa. 

Flavien Prat has the call from post 2. 

Donegal Racing’s Donegal Momentum [post 5, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] looks to bounce back from a difficult trip in the Grade 3 Kelso on July 5 here. Trained by Tom Morley, the 4-year-old Uncle Mo colt was among the topflight through the first half of the one-mile route, but stumbled into the second turn and nearly fell. In a display of athleticism and determination, Donegal Momentum stayed on his feet and completed the course well behind the victorious Think Big. 

Prior to the Kelso, Donegal Momentum was in career form after taking the Grade 3 Poker in June for his first graded stakes victory. The 1 3/4-length score garnered a lifetime-best 96 Beyer, adding to a two-length Gio Ponti coup in October at Belmont at the Big A. The consistent dark bay boasts an 11-5-2-1 record and is closing in on $500,000 in total purse earnings. 

Donegal Momentum was a $375,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the stakes-placed Malibu Moon mare Moon Dash. 

West Point Thoroughbreds and David Ingordo’s Northern Invader [post 3, Joel Rosario] was a solid second last out in the seven-furlong Grade 2 Connaught Cup on July 20 at Woodbine for trainer Cherie DeVaux, rallying along the inside in the stretch to chase home the victorious Cruden Bay and finish 1 1/2 lengths back. He entered that race from a one-length optional-claiming win when wiring a four-horse field in May at Churchill Downs. 

“He’s doing great,” DeVaux said. “He came out of his race in Canada in good shape. He’s always right there and tries, which is all we can ask for.”

The Collected 5-year-old’s lone start at Saratoga came with a third in the Grade 3 Kelso last year as part of a campaign that was highlighted by a pacesetting allowance win in April at Keeneland. He began this year with a narrow second in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay in February to earn a career-best 98 Beyer ahead of a fourth in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile. 

Northern Invader has finished on-the-board in 11-of-15 starts, including an additional stakes win as a sophomore in the 2023 Gio Ponti, and has banked more than $450,000 in earnings. 

Spendthrift Farm’s consistent Major Dude [post 1, John Velazquez] cuts back from a pacesetting third last out in the 11-furlong Grade 2 United Nations on July 19 at Monmouth Park, fighting on gamely in the lane to be passed late and defeated two lengths by the victorious Redistricting. He seeks his first win of the year as he enters off three consecutive stakes thirds, including the Listed Opening Verse in May at Churchill Downs and the Grade 3 Poker here.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the 5-year-old Bolt d’Oro bay boasts a reliable 24-7-4-5 record with more than $1.2 million in earnings. A multiple graded stakes-winner, Major Dude notched Grade 2 wins in three consecutive years, taking the 2022 Pilgrim at Belmont at the Big A, the 2023 Penn Mile at Penn National and the 2024 Fort Lauderdale at Gulfstream Park in December. 

Courtlandt Farms’ General Jim [post 4, Kendrick Carmouche] is a dual graded stakes-winner on dirt and seeks his first turf stakes win on the heels of a rallying third in a local optional claiming mile on July 18. Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, the dual-surface winner seeks his first trip to the winner’s circle since taking the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile on dirt in May 2023 at Churchill Downs. 

Last out, General Jim made his second start off a nearly one-year layoff and was seventh-of-8 through the first half-mile under Hall of Famer John Velazquez. He showed a strong turn of foot when asked for more in the turn, and found his best stride late to come up 1 1/2 lengths shy of the victorious Big Everest. The race marked his return to turf after an off-the-board finish in a dirt sprint at Laurel Park in June, and one of six total lifetime starts over the grass that include back-to-back wins traveling 1 1/16 miles as a juvenile. 

“He’s doing really, really well,” McGaughey said. “I thought he ran good and there wasn’t any speed in there to come back to us. I thought it was good second off the layoff. He’s trained really well and obviously he only got to run the one time before, but I feel good about him going into this. This race comes up at a good time and it’s a good race.” 

The 5-year-old Into Mischief bay, whose other graded win came in Gulfstream Park’s Grade 3 Swale as a sophomore, was an $850,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the stakes-placed Curlin mare Inspired by Grace, a full-sister to Grade 1-winner Off the Tracks and a half-sister to dual graded stakes-winner Concord Point. 

Completing the field is Alex Kazdan’s stakes-winner Tabeguache [post 6, Jose Gomez] for trainer Norman Follett. He makes his first start for his connections after being claimed for $32,000 out of a win over the main track on August 6 here. 

The Bernard Baruch is slated as Race 3 on Friday’s 12-race program, which also features the Listed $150,000 Perfect Sting in Race 11. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern. 

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