Ferocious Won tries for Big Apple Triple sweep

Mike Lee S. and New York Derby hero FEROCIOUS WON (Lite the Fuse) has a lot

on the line when he enters the starting gate for Wednesday's $150,000 Albany S.

at Saratoga. If the Richard Dutrow trainee wins the 1 1/8-mile event under top

weight of 124 pounds, he would become the first horse since the inception of the

Big Apple Triple in 1999 to sweep the series. That distinction goes along with a

$250,000 bonus from the New York Breeding & Racing Program.

"It's pretty exciting and we're all psyched," breeder and part-owner Sanford

Goldfarb said. "There's nothing better than standing in the winners' circle with

a horse that you bred, especially one that you own with your friends. When you

breed one like this, you want to share it."

In the Mike Lee, Ferocious Won came three wide after stalking the pace and

just got his neck down on the wire in the seven-furlong test at Belmont Park.

Next out in the 1 1/16-mile New York Derby at Finger Lakes, he grabbed the lead

soon after the start while saving ground on the rail and went on to post an easy

1 3/4-length victory. Edgar Prado, his rider in the Mike Lee, will return to the

saddle in the Albany.

Among those trying to upset Ferocious Won is the undefeated RUN RED

RUN (Afternoon Deelites). The Tom Bush-trained gray gelding was a 5 3/4-length

winner in his maiden debut at Belmont in late May, then returned to take a

six-furlong allowance over that same track by three parts of a length. Last out,

he earned a two-length, front-running score in an allowance/optional claimer at

Saratoga on August 4, and will keep Kent Desormeaux aboard for this one.

Other contenders include New York Derby runner-up SHUFFLING MADDNES (Real

Quiet) and ALWAYS ALBERT (Albert the Great), who will be making

his stakes debut for Nick Zito while trying to keep a two-race win streak going.

The complete field, with riders and weights, is composed of DREAMIN OF VICTORY (Victory

Gallop), Mike Luzzi, 119; INDIAN HAWKE (Indian Charlie), Jose Santos, 119;

Ferocious Won; Always Albert, Garrett Gomez, 119; HERBERT T

(Fortunate Prospect), Mike Smith, 119; Run Red Run, 119; and Shuffling Maddnes,

Javier Castellano, 117.