Thin White Duke Wins for Crist in Harvey Pack Stakes

Multiple graded stakes-placed Thin White Duke successfully defended his title in the Sept. 2 $150,000 Harvey Pack, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for older horses at Saratoga Race Course that was previously run as the Lucky Coin. Trained by David Donk for breeder and former trainer Phil Gleaves—who co-owns with Steven Crist, Ken deRegt, and Bryan Hilliard—Thin White Duke scored his first win since an October optional claimer at Belmont at the Big A with a last-to-first rush under Jose Lezcano to pick up the fourth stakes triumph of his career. The win was especially meaningful for Crist, the former New York Times turf writer and Daily Racing Form publisher who was one of the first guests the late Pack invited onto his popular daily recap show at NYRA in the 1980s. "It's tremendous. The second we heard that this was the race they were going to name for Harvey and we had won it last year, I didn't care what else we do this year I just wanted to be in the Harvey Pack and try to win it," Crist said. "I spent some time with his family before the race, you just can't make this stuff up. "When I was a cub reporter in the early 80s, that's when Harvey started with the replay show and he put me on," Crist continued. "He was very helpful to a guy that was just getting his feet wet. He was a loyal friend the whole time that I was a working journalist. We became good friends. To win this, there's some magic left in the world." The 5-year-old son of Dominus emerged well from post 3 and settled at the rear of the six-horse field as Dancing Buck broke sharpest of all to his inside and marked an opening quarter-mile in 22.42 seconds over the firm footing. Our Shot and Chess Master battled for second position on the outside down the backstretch while post-time favorite Big Invasion kept close watch in fourth under Joel Rosario. Approaching the turn, Big Invasion advanced up the inside before angling around a stubborn Dancing Buck, who dug in under steady urging from Manny Franco as Our Shot came up to challenge in the three-path with the half-mile in 45.36. Big Invasion attempted to split his two foes near the eighth-pole and appeared poised to draw clear from a retreating Dancing Buck with Our Shot putting in a brave bid to his outside, but a loaded Thin White Duke made up ground with giant strides down the center of the course and ran down his remaining rivals to post the neck score in a final time of 1:02.18. Big Invasion held place honors by a head over Our Shot, who finished three lengths ahead of fourth-place Dancing Buck. Donk added Thin White Duke will make his next start sometime during the Belmont at the Big A fall meet and that a trip to the Breeders' Cup is unlikely due to the gelding not being nominated. A potential target could be the six-furlong $200,000 Belmont Turf Sprint (G3T) on Oct. 7.