'Indian' Attempts Vanderbilt Title Defense

Green Lantern Stables A.P. Indian (Indian Charlie) looks to capture his second straight renewal of Saratoga's GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt Saturday. Victorious in the GIII Belmont Sprint Championship prior to his Vanderbilt score last term, the gelding also won this venue's GI Forego S. and Keeneland's GII Phoenix S. last term prior to a fourth-place finish behind champion Drefong (Gio Ponti) in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint Nov. 5. Second as the favorite in the GIII Commonwealth S. in Lexington Apr. 8, the bay checked in second again last time in the May 20 GIII Maryland Sprint S. behind the progressive Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect), who flew in from Kentucky for this test, but was withdrawn from consideration after injuring his foot on the plane.

“He came back with a little of pressure in his ankle after a breeze leading up to the Belmont Sprint Championship so we decided to skip the race and freshen him up a little bit,” trainer Arnaud Delacour told the NYRA notes team. “He's been good ever since. He's in good spirits and we're looking forward to running him.”

Limousine Liberal (Successful Appeal) enters this test on a three-race win streak for trainer Ben Colebrook. Kicking off this term with a third to Awesome Slew (Awesome Again) in the Commonwealth, the gelding bested that rival by a head in the GII Churchill Downs S. May 6 and followed suit with wins in the GIII Aristides S. June 3 and Kelly's Landing S. at Churchill June 30.

Marylou Whitney will be represented in this test by the front-running Bird Song (Unbridled's Song). Winner of the GIII Fred Hooper S. and GII Alysheba S. this spring, the gray was last seen finishing a well-beaten eighth to GI Whitney S.-bound Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI Stephen Foster H. June 17. He cuts back to a sprint distance for the first time since last term's GI King's Bishop S., where he finished eighth to Drefong, but he did win twice at six-furlongs last term, including an allowance over this strip.

“This may be a little too short for him but I'll try it,” said Wilkes. “He's won going two [turns] but I think his strength is going to be around one turn.”

Another runner worth a look is hard-knocking New Jersey-bred Green Gratto (Here's Zealous). Victor of the GIII Toboggan S. at the start of this term, he bested “TDN Rising Star” Unified (Candy Ride {Arg}) by a neck in the GI Carter H. Apr. 8, but finished off the board in his next three starts, including a fifth to MGISW Mind Your Biscuits (Posse) in the Belmont Sprint Championship last time July 8.