Englishman equals track record in Woody Stephens romp

Five weeks ago, Englishman didn't quite see out the entirety of the Pat Day Mile (G2) after setting a blistering pace. On Saturday, Englishman emphatically aced the $500,000 Woody Stephens (G1) at Saratoga, winning by 5 3/4 lengths while equaling the track record for seven furlongs.

Pressing Solitude Dude into submission after a half-mile, Englishman drifted out entering the stretch, forcing Pat Day Mile winner and odds-on favorite Crude Velocity to try to gain on Englishman from the inside. It immediately proved a futile cause, as Englishman kicked into high gear and won for fun under Jose Ortiz.

Owned by C R K Stable and trained by Cherie DeVaux, Englishman finished up in 1:20.40, a mark originally established by Darby Creek Road in 1978. The second choice in the field of nine three-year-olds, Englishman paid $10.56.

Crude Velocity, suffering his first defeat in four starts, barely held second by a nose over Obliteration. Gilded Bandit, Civil Liberty, Stradale, Solitude Dude, Six Speed, and Taj Mahal completed the order of finish.

The Woody Stephens was the first stakes win for Englishman. Prior to the Pat Day Mile, he had won a maiden at Churchill Downs and an allowance at Fair Grounds by a combined margin of 14 3/4 lengths.

"This horse is so fast that we kind of get a glimpse of it when he runs," DeVaux said. "He runs like that and almost broke the track record at Fair Grounds wrapped up, so the sky is the limit for him right now, but I believe that's at six and seven furlongs."

DeVaux said Englishman would target the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1), also at seven furlongs, on Aug. 29.

Bred in Kentucky, Englishman is by Maxfield and out of In It for the Gold, by Speightstown.

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