Test Score, Zulu Kingdom star on Saratoga turf

Owner John Amerman and trainer Graham Motion celebrated a second consecutive win in the $750,000 Belmont Derby (G1) on Friday, albeit in a different location and at a shorter distance than 12 months ago.

Trikari won the 2024 Belmont Derby at Aqueduct over 1 3/16 miles. The Derby was shifted to Saratoga this season and shortened again to 1 1/8 miles, but the winning connections were the same after Test Score finished 1 1/4 lengths in front under Manny Franco.

Following Test Score was World Beater, who nosed out Luther for second. Tank finished another head behind in fourth and was followed by the dead-heating pair of New Century and Final Gambit. Early Adopter trailed the field of seven three-year-olds.

A son of Lookin at Lucky, Test Score has been a consistent player in the three-year-old turf division this season, winning the Transylvania (G3) in April and placing in both the Kitten's Joy S. and American Turf (G1). He was second in the latter to Zulu Kingdom, who bypassed the Belmont Derby for the shorter Manila (G3) on Friday, which he duly won as a heavy favorite.

"I was really hoping not to run against Chad's horse [Brown-trained Zulu Kingdom], which worked out," Motion said. "He showed the form is very legitimate by winning the previous race. Two nice horses."

A Kentucky-bred, Test Score covered the firm-course heat in 1:45.56 and paid $8.60.

The aforementioned Zulu Kingdom recorded his fifth career stakes win in the $200,000 Manila. The 2-5 favorite in a field of eight three-year-olds, Zulu Kingdom, won by three parts of a length over Capitol Hill, with Tiz Dashing third.

Flavien Prat was aboard Zulu Kingdom, who covered one mile in 1:33.11.

Victorious in the With Anticipation (G3) and Pilgrim (G2) last year, Zulu Kingdom entered the Manila off back-to-back wins in the Columbia S. and American Turf. Although clearly qualified to have made his presence felt in the Belmont Derby, trainer Chad Brown is content to keep Zulu Kingdom in shorter races for the time being.

"Part of my thinking with skipping the Derby, even though it was a much bigger purse, was to keep him at a mile the next couple starts. I just think he is better doing that," said Brown, who trains the Irish-bred son of Ten Sovereigns for the partnership of Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss, and Michael Caruso.

Brown said he might stretch Zulu Kingdom out further after his next start, the $400,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2) over one mile on Aug. 1.

Zulu Kingdom's only loss in seven starts was an uncharacteristic seventh-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Del Mar last November.