BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Baby Yoda and Damon’s Mound will represent their Florida breeders Saturday at Saratoga Race Course in the $400,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt (Grade 2) for eight 4-year-olds and older at six furlongs. 

Both Florida-breds have shown an affinity for the Spa where Baby Yoda has won half of his eight starts including last year’s True North (G2) while Damon’s Mound took the 2022 Saratoga Special (G2) in his only start at Saratoga.

In one start this year, trainer Bill Mott appears to have Baby Yoda in top form as the 7-year-old gelding won an upper level, $100,000 optional claiming during the Belmont at Big A meet on June 13. Baby Yoda won by four-and-a-quarter lengths after leading from the start, earning a 102 Beyer Speed Figure.

 

That was his first start since November when placed fifth in the $147,000 Fall Highweight at Aqueduct going six furlongs after he finished fourth in the Grade 3 Vosburg during the Belmont at Big A meet on Sept. 28. Baby Yoda was fourth in last year’s Vanderbilt won by Nakatomi with Skelly second. Both Nakatomi and Skelly return for this year’s renewal.

Baby Yoda has won 10 of 30 career starts with four seconds and four thirds and a finish in the top two would make him a millionaire as he currently sports $937,320 in earnings.

 

Owned by Pantofel Stable LLC, Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber and Jerold L. Zaro, Baby Yoda is by Prospective out of More Than Speed, by More Than Ready and was bred in Florida by Kathleen Amaya, Alexandro Centofanti and Raffaele Centofanti.

Baby Yoda is 6-1 on the morning line and Dylan Davis will guide him from post seven.

Multiple graded stakes-winner Damon’s Mound also counts the 2023 Gallant Bob (G2) among his wins along with that year’s $350,000 Robert Hilton Memorial and more recently the $75,000 Sunshine Sprint versus Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 18.

 

In one other start this year, the 5-year-old son of Girvin was third in the $100,000 Alapocas Run at Delaware Park on June 14, beaten just a length-and-a-half by winner Full Moon Madness who breaks to his inside in the Vanderbilt.

Mott also trains Damon’s Mound, who is owned by Cliff Love and Michele Love of Friendswood, Tx., and bred by Cliff Love. He has five wins, three second and a third in 13 career starts with earnings of $734,800. He is out of San Antonio Stroll, by Stroll.

Junior Alvarado takes the call on Damon’s Mound, who has post three and is 15-1 on the morning line.

Nakatomi returns to defend his title in the Vanderbilt for trainer Wesley Ward and owner Qatar Racing LLC and Mrs. Fitriani Hay. He enters off a fifth-place finish in the True North going six-and-a-half furlngs on a sloppy track at Saratoga on June 7, a race won by Book’em Dano with Mullikin second. 

Book’em Danno is the 5-2 program favorite for the Vanderbilt while Mullikin is 7-2.

Book’em Danno is trained by Derek Ryan for Altlantic Six Racing LLC and has won two of three starts this year including a two-and-a-half-length victory in a $15,000 overnight handicap for certified Virginia-breds at Colonial Downs in March. He was also fourth in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes won in a dead heat by Mindframe and Ripo Rocks over a sloppy seven furlongs on May 3.

Paco Lopez will ride Book’em Danno from post five.

Mullikin was fifth in the Churchill Downs in his only other race this year. He is owned by WinStar Farm LLC and is trained by Rodolphe Brisset.

Jose Ortiz will guide him from post four.

Completing the Vanderbilt entries are Skelly and jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., Kendrick Carmouche rides Full Moon Madness and Nash will have Joel Rosario up. 

Return to the July 18 issue of Wire to Wire