'We didn't bring him here for place money' - Hugo Palmer breaks new ground with victory in $750,000 Saratoga Derby

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Trainer Hugo Palmer claimed his first North American victory with Glacius in the Saratoga Derby on Saturday.

Ibrahim Araci's homebred was making his first start outside of Britain in the $750,000 Grade 1 contest.

The only other time that Palmer had saddled a runner at Saratoga was in the 2015 Ballston Spa Stakes when New Providence finished last of the nine runners.

Ridden by Luis Saez, Glacius grabbed the lead early and kept up the gallop to score by a length and a quarter over West End Kid, with Simon and Ed Crisford's Belmont Derby winner Title Role back in third.

It was the second victory of Glacius' career and his first since making a successful two-year-old debut at Newmarket last August. Before the Saratoga Derby, he was third in the Gala Stakes at Sandown behind Saturday's Rose of Lancaster Stakes winner Sallaal.

"We had one runner before [at Saratoga] and it was an unmitigated disaster," said Palmer. "This is my first winner in North America, but we haven't had many runners. Most of the runners have been in the Breeders' Cup and that's as hard as it gets, isn't it?"

Glacius: returned to winning ways in the Saratoga Derby

Rob Speers, racing manager for Araci, suggested that Glacius would be returning to the US and mentioned the $3 million Nashville Derby at Kentucky on September 5 as a possible next target.

"We thought he was going to be our Epsom Derby horse at the start of the season, but he just took his time to come to hand," Speers said. "This was only the sixth start of his career. He's ascending the ranks quickly as he is learning. We didn't bring him here for place money, we brought him here because we thought he had a proper chance of winning.

"He will continue to improve with racing. He's nimble, quick on his feet, handles the bends, and he's got a turn of foot as well. I would certainly say it won't be the last American racing fans will see of him." 

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