Saratoga: The Big Torpedo takes a shot in Friday's Saranac

Dual New York-sired stakes winner The Big Torpedo returns to open company for Friday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Saranac Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for 3-year-olds at Saratoga.

Trained by Tom Morley for owners Thomas Albrecht, Vincent Fusaro and James Klein, the New York-bred Big Brown chestnut rallied to victory in the six-furlong New York Sire Stakes Series Spectacular Bid over firm Belmont at the Big A turf in June and followed last out July 18 with a gate-to-wire score in the NYSSS Cab Calloway traveling one-mile over firm Spa turf.

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With regular pilot Eric Cancel aboard in the Cab Calloway, The Big Torpedo zipped through splits of 23.99, 46.97 and 1:10.64 before crossing the wire with a final time of 1:35.01 to score by 4 1/2 lengths over next-out, state-bred Rick Violette Stakes winner Courtly Banker. The first-place effort garnered a career-best 89 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form.

“It’s going to be a big step up in class. He’s been running against stallion series horses his last two starts, but Eric has every confidence in this horse,” Morley said. “If someone wants to go on and give him a lead, that’s fine, but he’s very happy making an honest pace all the way around there. At the end of the day, if they are good horses, you have to ride them like they are good horses. I have total confidence in Eric, and he has total confidence in the horse.

“It was good to see (Courtly Banker) come back to win and frank the form for us and make us feel confident in taking the next step up the ladder.”

The Big Torpedo returned to Morley’s Belmont Park homebase following the Cab Calloway under the supervision of assistant trainer Axelle Solares and her husband exercise rider William Solares. The talented colt has breezed back twice over the dirt training track, including a half-mile in 49.37 seconds Wednesday before shipping back to Saratoga.

“We feel that’s where he’s most comfortable. He’s got a few quirks this horse, and he knows Belmont very well,” Morley said. “He needs a rider who really knows him in his works, and William does a fabulous job with him, and Axelle escorts him everywhere with the pony. He has limited vision in his left eye, and he spooks easily, so we like to keep him away from the razzmatazz of Saratoga.”

The Big Torpedo, bred by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, was elevated to third after a troubled trip in the seven-furlong $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way in December at Aqueduct before graduating at third asking in January with an eye-catching, 10-length romp against fellow state-breds in a one-turn mile over a muddy and sealed Big A main track. 

Out of the winning Empire Maker mare U.S.S. O’Brien, The Big Torpedo made his open-company debut over firm turf with a close second in the one-mile Woodhaven in April at Aqueduct when defeated by a half-length by Good Lord Lorrie.

The Big Torpedo, who has banked $320,900 through an 8: 3-3-1 record, will exit post 5 in rein to Cancel while carrying a field-high 122 pounds, four more than each of his rivals.

Dual Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox will send out a pair of contenders in Qatar Racing’s West Hollywood, in post 1 with Flavien Prat, and Flurry Racing Stables’ Take Me To Church, in post 3 with Javier Castellano, blinkers on and cheek pieces off.

West Hollywood, by Uncle Mo, launched his career in England with a single start for trainer Roger Varian before making a successful stateside debut in a nine-furlong turf route May 10 at Churchill. He followed with a strong effort against elders in a 1 1/16-mile turf allowance June 20 at Churchill won by Zverev, who exited that effort to finish sixth in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2) at Saratoga.

Last out West Hollywood closed from seventh to capture a local 1 1/16-mile optional claimer July 27. West Hollywood, out of the Galileo mare White Hot, is a half-brother to 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf victor Pizza Bianca.

Take Me To Church, by Churchill, will make his stateside debut after being bought for $380,650 from the Goffs London sale. He made his first eight outings in his native Ireland for Jack Davison, posting a record of 8: 3-1-1 that included a pair of synthetic sprint wins at Dundalk over the winter ahead of a 6 1/2-length romp in the seven-furlong Madrid Handicap in March over heavy ground at Naas.

In his final two efforts overseas, Take Me To Church landed fourth in the seven-furlong Red Rocks (G3) on heavy ground in April at Leopardstown and fifth in the Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1) last out May 25 over one mile of good turf at The Curragh.

Take Me To Church has worked three times at Saratoga, including a half-mile over the Oklahoma training turf in 49.65 seconds Aug. 12.

Regally bred The Process, in post 6 with Irad Ortiz Jr., will make his stakes debut for trainer Cherie DeVaux.

The More Than Ready colt, a half-brother to graded-stakes winner Confidence Game, is out of the winning Bernardini mare Eblouissante, who is a half-sister to Hall of Famer Zenyatta.

Campaigned by Twin Brook Stables, Belladonna Racing and partners, he was bought for $375,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale and won on debut sprinting over dirt last August at Ellis Park.

The Process has made his last two efforts in allowance events against elders over firm turf, finishing a close third in June at Horseshoe Indianapolis ahead of a four-length romp traveling one mile July 27 at Colonial Downs

Rounding out the field are three-time winner Yo Daddy in post 4 with Dylan Davis for trainer Linda Rice and allowance winner Villain in post 2 with Júnior Alvarado for conditioner Lindsay Schultz. Proprietary Trade was entered for the main track only.

The Saranac is slated as race 6 at 3:20 p.m. EDT on Friday’s 12-race card. The first post is at 12:35 p.m.