Promising Capital Partner Heads With Anticipation
Five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown eyes back-to-back victories in the Aug. 28 With Anticipation Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga Race Course when he saddles Klaravich Stables’ Capital Partner , an impressive debut winner at the Spa Aug. 2.
Last year, Brown sent out Zulu Kingdom to score the first of what would become four graded stakes wins through the summer of his 3-year-old season. Like that eventual grade 1-winning colt, whose triumphs have come courtesy of his signature late kick, Capital Partner demonstrated a similar powerful turn of foot when scoring first time out in a 1 1/16-mile turf maiden special weight. Despite a troubled start, the son of Kingman circled the field from eighth to run down the well-regarded British Invasion .
Flavien Prat is back aboard the 5-2 morning line favorite in the $175,000 grass feature for 2-year-olds.
Not to be discounted in the With Anticipation, a race he won six times from 2008-18, is trainer Todd Pletcher. The Hall of Famer is represented by Repole Stable’s Last Score. A $600,000 buy at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the Not This Time colt cruised to a front-running second out victory Aug. 10 at the Spa.
The runner-up from that race, Heere’s Johnny, attempts to break his maiden in the With Anticipation for trainer Ray Handal.
Undoubtedly, a lot of eyes will fall on the blue-blooded Dr. Agne , who makes his turf debut in the With Anticipation. The son of Into Mischief and champion turf mare Lady Eli graduated at first asking in an off-the-turf seven-furlong Spa maiden special weight July 11.
“If we won on debut, this was where we were going to run him,” trainer Cherie DeVaux said. “He’s been training well, so we’ll see. This will be good to get him on the turf and around two turns.”
Irad Ortiz Jr., currently one win over his brother Jose on top of the Saratoga jockey standings as of Aug. 25, sticks aboard Dr. Agne after having ridden Last Score in that one’s maiden victory. Kendrick Carmouche gains the ride on Last Score.
Also of note in Thursday’s field is the Miguel Clement-trained Caroline St. Beat , a 2 1/4-length debut winner against state-bred opposition Aug. 15. Clement’s stable has been on a tear the whole summer Saratoga meet, winning with nearly 24% of his starters heading into racing Aug. 26.
“He was an impressive New York-bred winner,” Clement said of the son of Tiz the Law. “He won well. He idled a bit in the stretch, but he was a class above.”
Entries: With Anticipation S. (G3T)
Saratoga Race Course, Thursday, August 28, 2025, Race 7
- Grade III
- 1 1/16m
- Inner turf
- $175,000
- 2 yo
- 4:28 PM (local)
