Brown's Domestic Spending closes to win Saratoga Derby

The familiar team of trainer Chad Brown, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and owner Klaravich Stables teamed up Saturday to take the $500,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational with Domestic Spending.

Domestic Spending, a Great British-bred Kingman gelding, entered the day with only three career starts. Last out, he was third over Saratoga’s turf July 18 in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2).

Decorated Invader, winner of that race, garnered 4-5 favoritism for the Saratoga Derby. Meanwhile, Domestic Spending was sent off as a 7-1 shot in the field of eight 3-year-old males.

Get Smokin, the longest shot on the board at 34-1, went out to the lead in the 1 3/16-mile turf route. He set fractions of :23.41, :47.76 and 1:12.18 while Decorated Invader and Domestic Spending followed in second and third, respectively.

Turning for home, Ortiz Jr. moved toward the center of the track and found running room for Domestic Spending. The Brown trainee battled his way to the lead and then held off a hard-charging Gufo to win by a head.

Domestic Spending covered the Saratoga Derby’s 9½ furlongs in 1:52.25 for a win that returned $16.40. Gufo and No Word came home second and third, while Decorated Invader – 5-for-7 lifetime entering Saturday – missed the board for only the second time in his career.

"I could feel (the pressure) a little bit in the stretch, but he responded really well so I knew I had horse," Ortiz Jr. said. "He always finishes strong so I kept riding. We got the jump and he held them until the end."

Brown, Ortiz Jr. and Klaravich Stables, along with co-owner William Lawrence, were the team behind Bricks and Mortar, the Eclipse Award 2019 Horse of the Year. They also have a current turf star on the female side in Newspaperofrecord, winner of Belmont Park’s Just a Game Stakes (G1) on June 27.