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​Wit returns from extended layoff in $150K Bernard Baruch

by Mary Eddy

Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable and Gainesway Stable’s dual graded stakes-winner Wit makes his long-awaited return in Monday’s Listed $150,000 Bernard Baruch, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for older horses, on Closing Day of the Saratoga Race Course meet. 

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Wit makes his first start in over seven months after finishing off-the-board in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational in January at Gulfstream Park. The son of Practical Joke returns to the site of two of his best career performances when taking the 2021 Grade 3 Sanford over the Spa main track by eight lengths and last year’s restricted Better Talk Now from 10 lengths off-the-pace over firm turf by 2 3/4 lengths. In addition, Wit picked up the first of three career Grade 1 placings when a good second to multiple Grade 1-winner Gunite in the 2021 Hopeful. 

“He’s good and he’s been training well,” said Pletcher. “We gave him a little break and freshened him up. It took a little while to get him ready, but here we are. It’s a challenge off the layoff, but we like the way he’s doing.”

Wit looks to build upon a solid sophomore season that included a nose triumph in the Grade 3 Bay Shore last April at Aqueduct Racetrack, two starts before finishing second to Ready to Purrform when making his turf debut in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame last August at the Spa. He followed with his aforementioned Better Talk Now score and a narrow second in the Grade 3 Bryan Station at Keeneland ahead of a third-place effort, defeated just three-quarter lengths, in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby to close out the year at Del Mar. 

The dark bay colt has posted a series of works this summer at the Spa, most recently going an easy five-eighths in 1:03 Sunday over the main track. 

“He’s got a good foundation and his gallop outs have been strong,” said Pletcher. “I expect him to run well and improve from having to run. He’s always been a physically mature horse and he was an advanced 2-year-old. He seemed to find himself again on the turf and he’s got a great disposition. He’s a straightforward, easy horse to train.”

A $575,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Wit is out of the unraced Medaglia d’Oro mare Numero d’Oro and is a half-brother to graded stakes-winner Barkley. He boasts earnings in excess of $600,000 with an 11-4-3-2 record. 

Jose Ortiz has the call from post 4. 

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown brings a pair of contenders in defending race winner Emaraaty [post 5, Flavien Prat] and multiple graded stakes-winner Public Sector [post 3, Irad Ortiz, Jr.]. 

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Michael Caruso’s Emaraaty makes his second start of the year after finishing sixth in the Grade 3 Poker on June 10 at Belmont Park. There, he tracked in fourth and improved to third at the three-quarters call, but faded in the stretch to be defeated 7 1/2 lengths by the victorious Emmanuel. 

The 8-year-old dark bay Dubawi gelding notched his first graded stakes triumph in last year’s Baruch when it held Grade 3 status, earning the wire-to-wire score by 3 1/2 lengths over multiple graded stakes-winning New York-bred millionaire City Man. Emaraaty will contest the Baruch for a third time, his other start in this event a fourth to Qurbaan in 2019. 

“He’s been doing good and he’s had a bit of a tumultuous summer in that he got sick on me,” said Brown. “I had him ready to run a couple different times, and it really set me back. It was a few minor things, all manageable, but I’m relieved to finally get him back in this race. The owners are very patient, and we know he handles Saratoga well. He’s a classy old horse.”

Klaravich Stables’ Public Sector is in search of his first win since capping an all-graded stakes three-race win streak with a neck triumph in the Grade 2 Hill Prince in October 2021 at Belmont. The 5-year-old son of Kingman put together a stellar sophomore campaign that saw him notch graded scores in the Grade 2 Hall of Fame and Grade 3 Saranac at Saratoga ahead of his Hill Prince coup and a close fourth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby. 

Despite being winless in 2022, Public Sector picked up additional Grade 3 placings when third in the Poker, the Forbidden Apple at Saratoga and the Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup at Pimlico Race Course. His lone start this year was an even fifth in the Cliff Hanger going the Baruch distance on May 27 at Monmouth Park.  

Brown said he hopes the addition of blinkers will help Public Sector find his best stride once again. 

“My thinking with him was he’s run well at Saratoga in the past, and I’m trying to recapture some of that old form when we really had high hopes for this horse,” said Brown. “I added a blinker, so we’ll see how that helps him. It seems to focus him up a little bit, he’s been running a little on and off the bridle.” 

A. Bianco Holding Limited’s Pioneering Spirit [post 2, Jose Lezcano] wheels back on nine day’s rest for trainer Linda Rice after finishing third in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer traveling 1 1/2 miles on August 26 here in his stakes debut. The 4-year-old American Pharoah gelding was haltered for $40,000 by Rice out of a runner-up effort in March and has hit the board in 6-of-7 starts since, including a four-race win streak that ended with his off-the-pace effort in the Sword Dancer. 

Completing the field is Charles Hallas’ Bring Me a Check [post 1, Tyler Gaffalione], who makes his stakes debut for trainer Pat Reynolds off six consecutive on-the-board efforts since April. The 6-year-old Fast Anna chestnut was third in a pair of optional claiming contests in July and August at the Spa and last visited the winner’s circle for a neck triumph at the same level sprinting seven furlongs in July at Belmont. He was haltered for $80,000 two starts back by Reynolds. 

FIN Stables and Sal-Lou J G Stable’s Jake Rocks has been entered for the main track-only by trainer Domenick Schettino. 

The Bernard Baruch is slated as Race 3 on Monday’s 11-race card, which co-features the Grade 1, $300,000 Hopeful in Race 10. 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/. 

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