Title Role gave Simon Crisford’s team a Grade 1 Saratoga breakthrough on Saturday night, holding off West End Kid by a nose in the $750,000 Belmont Derby.
The British-bred three-year-old, ridden by John Velazquez, tracked Touch of Fire before taking over in the stretch and digging in on firm turf. West End Kid closed hard late, but Title Role kept enough of his advantage to land the 1m1f invitational in 1:47.55.
The result adds a major North American prize to the Crisford operation’s summer and immediately keeps Title Role in play for another Saratoga target. Ed Crisford, assistant to Simon Crisford, said the colt is set to stay in America, with the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby on August 8 a possible next step, according to the NYRA/HRN race report.
Velazquez Ride Makes The Difference
Velazquez’s race position proved decisive. With limited early pace, he kept Title Role close to Touch of Fire rather than allowing the leader to stack the field up, then waited before asking him to go three furlongs from home.
Remember Mamba, the beaten favourite for Cherie DeVaux, finished third, with Touch of Fire fourth after setting the pace. For Title Role, the narrow verdict turns a strong US raid into a live Saratoga Derby storyline, especially if he can settle more kindly over the longer 1m3f trip next month.
