Constitution’s hot start as a leading freshman sire continued Saturday when By Your Side scampered clear to beat a field of five by three lengths in the $150,000 Sanford S. (G3), the initial Graded race for juveniles this summer at Saratoga. The undefeated colt, who broke his maiden on debut at Churchill Downs, covered the six furlongs in a lively 1:10.22 under Irad Ortiz Jr.
“He broke well on top,” Ortiz said of the undefeated colt. “He was acting like a professional. He relaxed so well and then I asked him to go, he just turned it on.”
A $240,000 Keeneland September yearling sale graduate, By Your Side was bred in Kentucky by Columbiana Farm, is owned by Anderson Stables and trained by Eddie Kenneally.
“He’s shown that he’s the real deal for a while,” Kenneally said. “He’s a very professional horse. He just does everything right and he relaxed nicely after breaking quick. Irad allowed the speed horses to go on out, and the horse was content to relax on the outside. He’s good but might be even better going long.”
Constitution is currently the No.2-ranked Freshman Sire in the country and the top-ranked Freshman Sire in Kentucky with four winners and progeny earnings of $273,497. He is also represented by two TDN Rising Stars in his first crop in Amalfi Sunrise, an impressive debut winner at Santa Anita for owners Doug Branham and Marsha Naify and trainer Simon Callaghan, and Aurelia Garland, a dominant debut winner in a Belmont Maiden Special Weight in May for owner George Bolton and trainer Wesley Ward.
