Saratoga 2024: Window may open for Baby Yoda in Vanderbilt

Graded-stakes winner Baby Yoda tries to rocket to the top of the male-sprint division in Saturday’s Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt, a six-furlong handicap for older horses at Saratoga.

Owned by Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber and Jerold Zaro and trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Baby Yoda has rounded back into form in his past two outings, most recently with his first graded-stakes triumph in the True North (G2) on June 8 at Saratoga.

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The prominent effort saw him and regular pilot Eric Cancel stalk the pace set by Gun It through fractions of 21.94 and 44.04 seconds before assuming command with ease in the turn and drawing off strongly down the stretch to win by six lengths with a winning time of 1:14.62. Daily Racing Form graded him with a 102 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance. It was his highest since the 114 he earned for a 6 1/2-furlong allowance romp in September 2021 at Saratoga.

Baby Yoda boasts a 6: 4-0-1 record at the Spa including back-to-back allowance scores in 2021.

Adam Wachtel of Wachtel Stable said it was special to watch Baby Yoda dazzle a big crowd in the True North on the Belmont Stakes undercard.

“It looks like it’s going to be a tough race, but this is his favorite track, and to win on a day like that with the whole world watching and my partners and family there, it was really a lot of fun,” Wachtel said. “He’s had some big performances at Saratoga, so it’s a special place for him and for all of us. It’s my favorite track to win a race at, so it was great.”

Baby Yoda routinely has breezed over Saratoga’s Oklahoma dirt training track and posted a half-mile time of 47.63 seconds July 8. He enjoyed a marked return to his best form lately with back-to-back wins in the True North and a seven-furlong, optional-claiming tilt in May at Belmont at the Big A. That was his first win in 18 months.

“That’s why Bill is in the Hall of Fame,” Wachtel said of the way Mott has given a new hope to the talented sprinter. “He does an incredible job with all of my horses. Baby Yoda has been breezing great, and Bill’s been pretty happy with him.”

Baby Yoda is a popular name with the Saratoga crowd, which has sent the 6-year-old son of Prospective to post as the favorite or second choice in half his Spa endeavors. Wachtel expressed his enjoyment at the way racing fans have gravitated to the talented gelding.

“It's kind of funny, because people go crazy when he’s doing well there. He’s like a cult favorite,” Wachtel said with a laugh. “Hopefully, he can keep it going. I had my eye on the Forego at the end of the meet, so if we run well here, maybe we can think about that.”

Baby Yoda, carrying 122 pounds Saturday, owns a 25: 9-4-4 record with $837,220 in earnings. He will emerge from post 4 in rein to Cancel.

Red Lane Thoroughbreds’ dual graded-stakes winner Skelly will break from post 6, with 123 pounds including Ricardo Santana Jr. He boasts three triple-digit Beyers in five starts this year led by a career-best 105 earned for a 3 1/4-length coup of the listed King Cotton in February at Oaklawn.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the Practical Joke 5-year-old has been dominant at six furlongs, evidenced by a seven-race winning streak that spanned an allowance win in February 2023 at Oaklawn and the King Cotton.

The consistent Skelly has won or finished second in 15 of 16 starts, including wins in the 2023 and 2024 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) and a runner-up finish in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G3) in February in Saudi Arabia. He enters from a runner-up effort with his usual pacesetting tactics in the listed Aristides on June 1 at Churchill Downs.

Multiple graded-stakes-placed Nakatomi, in post 1 with 120 pounds including Tyler Gaffalione, seeks an elusive Grade 1 win after placings last out in the Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan and in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in November at Santa Anita.

Owned by Qatar Racing and Fitriani Hay and trained by Wesley Ward, the Firling Line chestnut races for the first time since his trip to the Middle East, where he was a distant third to Tuz in the Shaheen. He overcame a rough start to fight on well with Don Frankie and miss second place by three-quarters of a length.

Since May, Nakatomi has breezed regularly over the main track at Keeneland and most recently covered five furlongs in 1:00.0 on Sunday morning.

“He has been training well since coming back from Dubai, and we’re looking forward to the chance at a Grade 1 for him,” Ward said. “We aren’t scared of the competition. We really like our horse.”

In addition to his Grade 1 placings, the 5-year-old gelding has placed in four other graded events, including a narrow second in the Phoenix (G2) in October at Keeneland. His consistent 17: 5-2-6 record has yielded $961,276 in earnings and includes his most recent victory in a seven-furlong, optional-claiming sprint in July 2023 at Saratoga, where Baby Yoda finished third.

The streaking Subrogate, in post 5, with 119 pounds including Irad Ortiz Jr., looks to earn his first stakes conquest. He races for trainer Jorge Duarte Jr. on the heels of a six-length trouncing of a 6 1/2-furlong optional claimer on June 29 at Belmont at the Big A. The prominent effort got a career-best 106 Beyer and came after an eye-catching, allowance-level win on the Belmont Stakes undercard that earned a 99 Beyer.

Campaigned by Colts Neck Stables, the Arrogate colt makes his second start at the stakes level. His other try resulted in a fourth-place finish in last year’s listed Pegasus at Monmouth Park. He was a $250,000 purchase at the Keeneland September yearling sale and is out of the Elusive Quality mare Goose Lemon Drop.

Dual graded-stakes-placed Twisted Ride, in post 2 with 117 pounds including Kendrick Carmouche, races for trainer Michael Moore and owners Kasey K Racing Stable, Michael Day and Final Turn Racing Stable.

Owner-trainer Krista Hetrick’s stakes-placed My Buddy B, in post 3 with 116 pounds including Yan Aviles, completes the field.

The Vanderbilt is slated as the sixth of 12 races Saturday with the start scheduled for 3:29 p.m. EDT. The first post is at 12:35 p.m.