BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Winning a state-bred maiden race typically does not credential a horse for graded stakes competition but Global Legend’s circumstances are unique as he heads into Saturday’s $200,000 Saratoga Special (Grade 2) at Saratoga Race Course.
The Mark Casse-trained Florida-bred won a maiden special weight for Florida-breds by three lengths on June 8 at Gulfstream Park in his first career start, defeating Candycrumbs in second with Joey Muscles third. Candycrumbs came back in his next start to take the $105,000 Hickory Tree at Colonial Downs Saturday while Joey Muscles returned in his next race to defeat open special weight maidens by a length-and-a-half at Gulfstream Park on July 7.
Global Legend earned $34,000 for owner KEM Stable in his wire-to-wire victory in the slop and the key-race victory has him labeled at 12-1 on the morning line for the Saratoga Special.
By Global Campaign out of the Im a Dixie Diva, by Henny Hughes, Global Legend was bred in Florida by Dominique Damico. He twice passed through the auction ring at Ocala Breeders’ Sales, first as a yearling in the 2023 Winter Mixed Sale when consigned by Fly By and bringing $80,000 on a final bid from Machmer Hall. He was then consigned to the 2024 March Sale with Old South Farm but did not meet his reserve.
Global Legend will be ridden Saturday by Dylan Davis and they have post three.
Touchy from the Wesley Ward barn and Smoken Wicked for trainer Dallas Stewart both enter the Saratoga Special off second place finishes in stakes.
In his only career start, Touchy was second to Studlydoright as the odds-on favorite in the $150,000 Tremont at Saratoga on June 6. Touchy and jockey Joel Rosario led for most of the five-and-a-half furlongs in the Tremont before surrendering in the final strides, earning $30,000.
Ward has taken the blinkers off the son of Nyquist for the Saratoga Special and has given the return mount to Rosario. Touchy is the 5-2 morning line favorite and has post five.
Smoken Glacken won a state-bred maiden special weight at Evangeline Downs by seven-and-a-half lengths on June 1 in his first start but encountered trouble when trying to repeat in the $217,215 Bashford Manor won by Politicallycorrect at Churchill Downs on June 30. After a poor start in the Bashford Manor and having his heels clipped on the turn, Smoken Glacken rallied in the stretch to earn second money for owner Valene Farms LLC.
Tyler Gaffalione picks up the mount on Smoken Glacken and they have post one. Smoken Glacken is listed with 9-2 odds in the program.
Rounding out the field for the Saratoga Special are Showcase and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Flavien Prat rides First Resort, Ace It with pilot Luis Saez, Noble Force has Ricardo Santana Jr. named to ride, Good Directions will have Manny Franco up and Junior Alvarado rides Keep It Easy.
Global Legend tries to become the 14th Florida-bred winner of the Saratoga Special and first since Damon’s Mound in 2022. Other Florida-bred winners of the race include Bronzerullah (1960), Sadair (1964), Three Martinis (1970), Our Talisman (1974), J.P. Brother (1979), Well Decorated (1980), Conquistador Cielo (1981), Victorious (1982), To Freedom (1990), Prime Directive (1998), D’Funnybone (2009) and Spurious Precision (2012).
