Fort Larned won the first grade I race of his career this afternoon at Saratoga race course when he held off late runs from Ron the Greek and Flat Out to win the $750,000 Whitney Invitational Handicap (gr. I) by a decisive 1 1/4 lengths.
Ridden to victory by Brian Hernandez Jr., Fort Larned showed excellent speed from the start and soon found himself racing in the third position, right on the outside of Endorsement and Trickmeister, who set fractions of :23.42 and :46.97. Rule, Caixa Eletronica, and Hymn Book were all racing in mid-pack, while Flat Out, Hunters Bay, and Ron the Greek were the early trailers.
Rounding the far turn, Hymn Book began to rally on the far outside, with Flat Out and Ron the Greek in close pursuit, but Fort Larned blew the race wide open entering the homestretch, bursting clear in decisive fashion to seize command of the race. He led by four lengths passing the eighth pole, and finished up under a hand ride while Ron the Greek closed fast to edge out Flat Out for second.
The final time was 1:47.76. Hymn Book, Trickmeister, Endorsement, Hunters Bay, Caixa Eletronica, and Rule completed the order of finish. The winner is owned by Janis Whitham and trained by Ian Wilkes.
-Keelerman
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