Harlan's Holiday Colt Finds His 'Target' in the Hall of Fame S.

Lightly raced Takeover Target, one of Chad Brown's four chances for a second win in this race, claimed his first graded stakes victory under a well-executed ride by Irad Ortiz, Jr.

In a ground-saving fourth as Sailthehighseas (Midshipman) showed the way under moderate pressure from fellow longshot Courtier, the bay was content to sit behind splits of :24.12 and :49.13. Revved up by Ortiz after six panels in 1:13.53, Takeover Target inched up the inside, but lacked the necessary running room in midstretch. Angled out sharply to the attack four deep up the center of the course, he drew even with Courtier inside the final 100 yards and produced a searing late burst to prevail in a blanket finish. A Lot came calling to the winner's inside and took place honors from Courtier, who stayed on well to be third.
 

Friday, Saratoga Race Course
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF RACING HALL OF FAME S.-GII,
$200,000, SAR, 8-7, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:42.00, fm.
1–#@TAKEOVER TARGET, 117, c, 3, by Harlan's Holiday
1st Dam: Vanquished, by Empire Maker
2nd Dam: Critical Crew, by Dr. Blum
3rd Dam: Sounding Off, by Silent Screen
($175,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.
& William H. Lawrence; B-Dorothy A. Matz (KY);
T-Chad C. Brown; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $120,000. Lifetime
Record: 5-3-1-0, $301,200. Werk Nick Rating: A++.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.

2–A Lot, 119, c, 3, Tapit–Overly Tempting, by In
Excess (Ire). ($410,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP).
O-Amerman Racing LLC; B-Liberty Road Stables (KY);
T-William I. Mott. $40,000.

3–Courtier, 118, c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Soothing
Touch, by Touch Gold. O-Juddmonte Farms, Inc;
B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-William I. Mott.
$20,000.
Margins: HF, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 4.20, 4.50, 12.50.
Also Ran: World Approval, Startup Nation, Winter Springs (Fr), Vision Perfect,
Sailthehighseas, High Noon Rider, Gorgeous Bird, Night Prowler. Scratched:
Pleasant Outlook, Croninthebarbarian, Juan and Bina, Good Luck Gus.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

“I broke out of there and got good position, which is what I wanted to do,” Ortiz said. “I saved all the ground I could and on the last turn I looked to my right and didn't see anybody, and this horse likes to get clear in the stretch. I got out and he took off. He was very good.” He continued, “It's an amazing feeling [to win at Saratoga]. It's just a month and a half all year and the best jockeys come here. It's exciting. You have a lot of people come every day. We enjoy it.”

A winner at first asking in a Belmont grass affair last October, the sophomore made his 3-year-old bow a winning one, taking an optional claimer at that venue May 7 that produced four next-out winners. He just missed in the Pennine Ridge S. to GSW Divisidero (Kitten's Joy) May 30 and ran a flat fifth after a wide journey in the GI Belmont Derby Invitational S. last time on Independence Day.

“It just wasn't quite his trip in the Belmont Derby going a mile and quarter,” Brown said of the winner. “We got a nice cutback in distance today and a little class relief back into a Grade 2, and it did the trick for this horse. He only had one start as a 2-year-old and now he finally seems to be maturing, and Irad knows the horse well. He's the only rider that's ridden him and he gave him a great ride today. I'll see if he can get a mile and an eighth in the [GIII] Saranac [S. Sept. 5]. It's a big purse at the end of the meet. I'll have to evaluate it. I think an extra sixteenth [of a mile] would be O.K., but we'll have to just evaluate it.”

The winner's dam is a half-sister to MGISW Critical Eye (Dynaformer).