“A.P. INDIAN” WINS G1 $350,000 VANDERBILT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Arnaud Delacour pulled off two career milestones for the price of one, winning his first Grade 1 race and first race of any type at Saratoga after A.P. Indian rallied from just off the pace to a one-length decision over Holy Boss in Saturday’s $350,000 Vanderbilt.

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A.P. Indian benefitted from a perfectly orchestrated ride by jockey Joe Bravo, who allowed the 6-year-old son of Indian Charlie to stalk the early pace set, as expected, by Delta Bluesman. A. P. Indian launched his bid from between horses in company with tepid favorite Holy Boss approaching the stretch, dueled with that one to the sixteenth pole before ultimately proving clearly best.

Holy Boss rallied three wide to join the leaders on the final bend, raced in company, lapped on the winner through mid-stretch but was not quite good enough. He in turn finished 1 1/2 lengths in front of Catalina Red, who rallied mildly to be third.

The win was the fourth in as many starts this year for A.P. Indian, who became a graded stakes winner for the first time in his previous start when winning the Grade 3 Belmont Sprint. He is also a perfect three for three since teaming with Bravo for the first time earlier this spring.

A.P. Indian, a homebred owned by Green Lantern Stables LLC, completed six furlongs in 1:08.25, just .21 seconds off Speightstown’s 12-year course record, and paid $11.40.

“I thought he really fit quite well with these horses,” Delacour said. “Knowing he’s in very good form right now, we thought we had a very good shot. He’s always had a lot of little problems throughout his career, minor setbacks, but all the time he comes back even stronger.”

Delacour said he’s unclear what might be next for A.P. Indian, with the Grade 1, seven-furlong Forego, a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, among his options later in the meet.

“We’ll see how he comes back, but it’s asking a lot after coming back in three weeks today and having run three weeks before that,” Delacour said. “But we’ll see.”