Saratoga: Big Everest brings 4-race win streak to Kelso

Great Britain-bred Big Everest brings a four-race win streak into his graded-stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Kelso, a one-mile inner turf test for older horses previously run as the Forbidden Apple, at Saratoga.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the front-running Big Everest launched his streak with an optional-claiming score in September at Belmont at the Big A.

The 5-year-old The Gurkha gelding since captured the Artie Schiller and Danger’s Hour traveling one mile at Aqueduct ahead of a last-out victory in the 1 1/16-mile Cliff Hanger on May 27 at Monmouth Park.

Big Everest won only one of his first five starts, but since being gelded ahead of his 2022 campaign he has won 6-of-7 outings – all in trademark gate-to-wire fashion.

“He was the kind of horse that, early on, he fought with the jockey,” said co-owner Dean Reeves. “We learned over time that he was fighting with the jockey because he had speed and wanted to go to the front. So, once we got out of his way and once he was gelded, he doesn’t back up and they don’t have enough to catch him.”

Big Everest will carry 120 pounds when exiting post 5 in rein to Joel Rosario, who has guided the bay to five of his seven wins, including the Artie Schiller score.

Multiple Grade 1-winner Casa Creed (post 8, Luis Saez, 124 pounds) looms the one to beat and will certainly appreciate any pace that Big Everest can generate.

The 7-year-old Jimmy Creed bay has posted two of his biggest wins traveling one mile over the Saratoga turf, taking the 2019 Hall of Fame (G2) and last year’s Fourstardave Handicap (G1).

The late-running horse won back-to-back renewals of the six-furlong Jaipur (G1) in 2021-22 over the Belmont Park turf and enters from a rallying third-place finish in his attempt at a threepeat when one length back of the victorious Caravel.

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will saddle a pair of talented Brazilian-breds in multiple Grade 2 winner Filo Di Arianna (post 6, Jose Ortiz, 122 pounds) and Group 3 winner Ice Chocolat (post 4, Flavien Prat, 118 pounds).

Filo Di Arianna, a 7-year-old son of Drosselmeyer, was a Group 2 winner in his native Brazil before making first appearance for Casse in June 2021 with a smart allowance score at Woodbine. He rose through the ranks in 2022, taking a pair of Grade 2s at Woodbine in front-running fashion in the seven-furlong Connaught Cup and one-mile King Edward.

Filo Di Arianna, who won the 2019 Mario de Azevedo Ribeiro (G3) over heavy ground at Gavea, enters from a narrow pacesetting defeat to Emmanuel in the Poker (G3).

“I thought it was a great effort. I was proud of him,” Casse said. “It was his second start off a long layoff, and I think he'll improve from there. He's kind of a chubby-looking type that does benefit from racing.”

Ice Chocolat, a 5-year-old Goldikovic gelding, captured the IFHA (G3) over heavy going in November 2021 in his final start in Brazil before joining Casse last year for an 8: 2-3-1 campaign that included a pair of optional-claiming wins in Woodbine turf sprints and a close runner-up effort in the Kennedy Road (G2) over the Tapeta.

The dark bay has made four starts this year led by a close runner-up effort over the Woodbine Tapeta in the Jacques Cartier (G3) ahead of a closing sixth-place effort in the Jaipur.

Casse said Ice Chocolat will appreciate stretching out.

“I think 5 1/2 furlongs to three-quarters is a little short for him, so we just want to give it a try,” Casse said. “They complement each other. Filo has speed and will be up on the lead, where this horse will sit back a little.”

Annapolis (post 2, Irad Ortiz Jr., 124 pounds) has banked more than $1.3 million through a record of 9: 6-2-0 for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

The 4-year-old War Front colt has excelled at Saratoga, winning two of three starts led by scores in the Saranac (G3) in September and a close runner-up effort to Nations Pride in the Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1) in August.

Annapolis, out of the Grade 2-winning Unbridled’s Song mare My Miss Sophia, took down the Turf Mile (G1) in October at Keeneland but lunged at the break and never factored in the Breeders’ Cup Mile in November over the same course to close out his sophomore season.

He returned victorious last out to capture a solid renewal of the one-mile Opening Verse in May at Churchill Downs, besting stakes-winner Churchtown by a head with multiple graded-stakes winner Set Piece in third.

Rounding out the field are graded-stakes winner English Bee (post 1, John Velazquez, 118 pounds) for Graham Motion; stakes-winner Anaconda (post 7, Tyler Gaffalione, 117 pounds) for Joe Sharp; and the stakes-placed New York-bred Mid Day Image (post 3, Florent Geroux) for trainer and co-owner David Jacobson. Gun It is entered for the main track only.