Glacius broke on top, carved out a comfortable set of fractions along the inner hedge and never surrendered the lead, drawing clear under Luis Sáez to win the $750,000 G1 Saratoga Derby at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, 8 August.
While multiple Group-Stakes placed in England, the three-year-old Too Darn Hot colt was seeking his first win since breaking his maiden on debut at Newmarket nearly one year ago.
Shipping in for trainer Hugo Palmer, the V.I. Araci homebred went postward as the fourth choice in a field of eight sophomores cut down by two morning scratches. The 1 3/16-mile turf race drew a transatlantic cast, and the European runner turned it into a one-horse procession.
Saez put Glacius in front from post 6 and dictated terms through fractions of :23.02, :47.29 and 1:11.57. Glavine tracked the pace in second up the backstretch with West End Kid third and Title Role (also by Too Darn Hot) fourth, none of them close enough to apply any real pressure.
Even as the field began to bunch up midway around the far turn in their pursuit of the loose leader, Saez seemed to know what he had, not even drawing his stick until well inside the final furlong.
West End Kid made a late run as did Title Role, but Glacius was gone and checked in safely home to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths. West End Kid settled for second, with Title Role third.
Glacius was bred in England and is out of the Fastnet Rock mare, Predawn, a full sister to Qualify, winner of the G1 Investec Oaks. Also featured in the immediate family are multiple Group/Graded Stakes winners Cualificar (Lope De Vega) and Swing Vote (Shamardal).
Too Darn Hot is rapidly ascending the stallion ranks, with numerous G1 winners among his progeny. Boasting multiple G1 winner Fallen Angel from his first crop and subsequent stars Native Approach, Tornado Alert, Broadsiding and Hotazhell carrying the torch at the top level around the world, he is certainly living up to his name and in high demand from breeders.
