Connections are confident Glacius can make his presence felt in the Qatar Racing-sponsored Saratoga Derby on Saturday evening.
Hugo Palmer’s three-year-old is one of three British raiders set to line up for the Grade One contest alongside Simon and Ed Crisford’s Belmont Derby and German 2000 Guineas winner Title Role and the Charlie Appleby-trained Pacific Avenue.
Glacius has only one victory from his five career appearances, which came on debut as a juvenile at Newmarket, but heads Stateside off the back of a couple of excellent third place finishes in the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot and Gala Stakes at Sandown respectively.
“I think when it comes to Glacius and the Saratoga Derby, he is a horse who has improved with every start he’s had. He’s only had five starts,” said Rob Speers, racing manager for owner Ibrahim Araci.
“I think American racing will suit him, he’s got a high cruising speed and he’s got a turn of foot at the end.
“The Saratoga Derby is nine and a half furlongs, it’s half a furlong longer than the Belmont Derby, and he is facing a lot of the horses that have raced in that including Title Role.
“I suspect he will stay better than them and in particular some of the American horses. He’s a very balanced horse.
“He goes out there rated 109, but I’m confident he can produce a career-best again and when you think Title Role won the Belmont Derby and he’s rated 111 and Pacific Avenue of Godolphin was a length and a half back, rated 109, I think his European rating is about right to be competitive.
“We expect him to take a step forward again and if things go his way, we aren’t going there for place money – he has a chance of coming home as a Grade One winner.”
Palmer and Speers will be in attendance and the latter has high hopes for the Too Darn Hot colt, who could embark on a globe-trotting adventure should he show his ability on Saturday.
“He shipped last Friday and he’s in terrific order, he’s taken the trip really well and he’s eaten everything,” Speers added.
“On ratings he has a right to be there. In time he will make up into a Group Two performer in the UK and Europe, if it’s not this year it’s next year. I think the level he is showing now, he could be a Grade One horse.
“I fly over on Wednesday and Hugo flies over on Friday, we are all going. The horse has an opportunity and we all want to be with him. We will make a plan after that.
“If he runs really well, it opens opportunities to travel him as well. It brings in races like the Nashville Derby, which is worth $1.5 million – the race that Wimbledon Hawkeye won last year – and then the Bahrain International Trophy.
“He could be a horse who we travel internationally, who loves fast ground and has a turn of foot, and is improving. I think Saturday is a marker of where we are.”
