'He deserves a win,' with two options ahead for Bal Harbour

Rick Sacco, racing manager for Red Oak Stable, considers Bal Harbour to be “one of the better horses in the U.S. that hasn’t won a race this year.”

And that’s tough to argue after the 4-year-old gelding took the lead in the stretch of Saratoga’s Woodward Stakes (G1) back on Aug. 31, then ceded a victory by a half-length to Preservationist.

Todd Pletcher-trained Bal Harbour returned to the work tab Saturday with a half-mile breeze at Saratoga in 51.49 seconds.

“He’s a smart horse, meaning that when you want to go breeze him — he’s fast — he can put in a maintenance work like he did in :51 and change,” Sacco said. “He’s a kind horse to do that.”

There’s no need to get serious until connections determine a next race spot. Two options are apparent.

Bal Harbour could train up to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile having finished in the money in four straight graded stakes in New Jersey and New York. But Sacco said it’s more likely the Red Oak homebred points to Keeneland’s Grade 2, $200,000 Fayette Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile race on Oct. 26.

“What we want to do with this horse that’s been knocking at the door so valiantly all year is win with him,” Sacco said. “I want to enjoy the win, and he deserves a win. We own the whole family, and a graded stakes win at Keeneland’s a big deal.”

It’s at Keeneland, after all, where Bal Harbour’s career as a racehorse turned for the better. He proved a stakes-caliber horse early in his career, winning the Smooth Air at Gulfstream Park as a juvenile. But connections often saw him “hot and bothered and wet” in the paddock.

On Oct. 21, 2018, Bal Harbour returned to the races as a gelding, topping a salty allowance race going two turns at Keeneland. Since then, he hasn’t finished worse than fourth, all in stakes company.

This season, Bal Harbour has improved with some added distance, stretching to 1 1/8 miles when beaten a head in Monmouth Park’s July 20 Monmouth Cup (G3) before the Woodward, also at nine furlongs.

“Once you get into running a Grade 1 at Saratoga and just get beat, we’re looking to keep him at that level because he earned it and performed well,” Sacco said.

Beyond the Fayette, Sacco envisions “possibly” taking a shot at the new $20 million Saudi Cup going 1 1/8 miles around one turn next Feb. 29.

“That was a really tough heat at Saratoga, and he seems to enjoy rebounds from a little time between his races now,” Sacco said.

“…He’s sound. He’s happy, and we have a certain plan. Then hopefully with breezing in between in racing, we continue in the right way.”