Belmont Derby winner Bolshoi Ballet bids for Saratoga success under Moore

Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (Grade 1) | 1m1½f | 3yo | Sky

Ryan Moore admitted in a Racing Post interview last week he does not miss the constant worldwide travelling he would embark on pre-pandemic, but the top jockey would probably go to Mars to ride a nice horse and that is undoubtedly what Bolshoi Ballet – his mount in Saturday's Saratoga Derby – is.

A son of the exceptional Galileo, Bolshoi Ballet won the Ballysax Stakes and Derrinstown Derby Trial in fine style and went off favourite to emulate his late sire in the Derby at Epsom in June, but was a 17-length seventh under Moore.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien then targeted the three-year-old at the Belmont Derby Invitational last month and that trip paid off when Bolshoi Ballet waltzed by his rivals.

He is again expected to be too good for his opposition, which includes the Charlie Appleby-trained Secret Protector, State Of Rest – who represents O'Brien's son Joseph – and Cadillac from Jessica Harrington's yard.

Moore and connections celebrate their Belmont Park triumph

"It’s a good opportunity," said TJ Comerford, O'Brien's man on the ground at Saratoga. "He's doing well and came back here in good order. Aidan and the team are very happy with him. If he runs to his last race, he should be right there again.

"He's a lot sharper now from that race coming here. He seems to have taken that race well and coming here is more straightforward for him."

The $1 million Saratoga Derby is over 1m1½f, which means a slight drop in distance for the Ballydoyle raider.

Comerford added: "It's a tighter track here. The bends are tighter. It's not like Belmont with the sweeping bends and that's all good, especially for international horses.

"As long as he gets a good jump from the gate, he should be okay. He's drawn to go where he wants as well. He's right in the middle in six. There's no point in making excuses. As long as he gets a true-run race, there will be no issue."

Charlie Appleby: trainer fields Secret ProtectorCredit: Chris Bourchier

Royal Ascot third Secret Protector has a few pounds to find with Bolshoi Ballet, but Appleby said: "He had a little break after Royal Ascot and we feel that this track and distance will suit him. He probably has to step up a little bit on what he has achieved so far but it was a very creditable run in the Hampton Court Stakes."

The Whitney Stakes – long regarded as one of the jewels of the American older-horse division and won by a host of greats – also takes place at Saratoga on Saturday and features last year's Preakness heroine Swiss Skydiver, who meets Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and Pegasus World Cup winner Go Knicks Go and progressive Godolphin colt Maxfield, who is trained by Brendan Walsh.

"Brendan has been very pleased with his preparation – he has had no hiccups and Maxfield has thrived in Saratoga, he looks fantastic." Godolphin USA president Jimmy Bell said.

"Maxfield hasn’t quite been in a competition where the other four in the race are so accomplished. This is an old-fashioned, legitimate Grade 1 race and we are looking forward to it."

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