Glacius Springs Front-Running Upset in Saratoga Derby

Trainer Hugo Palmer, a prominent group 1-winning trainer in Europe, extended his reach to the United States by posting his first North American victory in the Aug. 8 Saratoga Derby Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course. Delivering the 45-year-old Palmer that milestone was Ibrahim Araci's homebred Glacius (GB), who was making his first start outside of his native England in the turf race that carried a purse of $750,000. The only other time Palmer saddled a runner at Saratoga was in the 2015 Ballston Spa Stakes (G2T) when New Providence (GB) finished ninth and last. Ridden by Luis Saez, Glacius grabbed the lead early in the 1 3/16-mile Saratoga Derby. The 3-year-old colt set honest fractions over the Mellon Turf Course, which was rated as firm but was a recipient of a steady, but short-lived, rainstorm before the start of the prior race on the card, the Fourstardave Stakes (G1T). Glacius carved out fractions of :23.02, :47.29, 1:11.57, and 1:35.51, en route to a final time of 1:53.22. He won the race by 1 1/4 lengths over runner-up West End Kid. Title Role (GB), who arrived from Europe to win last month's Belmont Derby (G1T) by a nose over West End Kid, finished third 1 1/4 lengths behind the second-place finisher. Favored Remember Mamba finished fourth, a neck behind Title Role in the eight-horse field. Glacius returned $21.24. It was the second victory of his career after winning his 2-year-old debut at Newmarket Racecourse. Prior to the Saratoga Derby, he was group-placed in June at Royal Ascot and was third in the Gala Stakes in July at Sandown Park. "We had one runner before (at Saratoga) and it was an unmitigated disaster," Palmer said with a chuckle as he made his way to the room designated for champagne toasts after stakes wins in Saratoga. "This is my first winner in North America, but we haven't had (many) runners, and we were beaten two short heads on the line in the Queen Elizabeth at Keeneland (in 2016 with Hawksmoor), but that's it. Most of the runners have been in the Breeders' Cup and that's as hard as it gets, isn't it?" Immediate plans call for Glacius to return to Palmer's yard near Cheshire, England. Rob Speers, the racing manager for Araci, a Turkish businessman, said it might not be long before Glacius, a son of Too Darn Hot (GB) out of the Fastnet Rock mare Predawn,returns to the U.S., mentioning the Sept. 5 Nashville Derby Invitational Stakes (G2T) at Kentucky Downs as a possibility. "Glacius we thought was going to be our English Derby horse at the start of the season, but he just took his time to come to hand," Speers said. "Today was only the sixth start of his career. He's ascending the ranks quickly as he is learning. We didn't bring him here for place money, we brought him here because we thought he had a proper chance of winning. "He will continue to improve with racing," Speers added. "He's nimble, quick on his feet, and handles the bends well, and he has got a turn of foot as well. I would certainly say it won't be the last American racing fans will see of him."