SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Blue Creek, trained by Keri Brion, won the Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes at Saratoga on Wednesday, July 16.

Blue Creek, left, duels China Beach (Photo by Tod Marks)Owned by Upland Flats Racing and ridden by Stephen Mulqueen, Blue Creek won by 4 1/4 lengths in 4:34.86 over China Beach, trained by Kate Dalton, and Quick Master, trained by Jack Fisher.

Blue Creek ran in the back of the pack  for the first circuit and then steadily made his was forward through the field of remaining seven horses.

L'Avvpcato had lost his rider on the first turn when jockey Freddie Procter's stirrup broke, and Kitten Around left the course before the third fence when he got rank.

Blue Creek began to make his move after the  last fence and went into the lead a furlong out, edging clear under a drive to win by 4 1/4 lengths.

He was pulled up not long after the finish, Mulqueen jumped off him, and he was eventually vanned off in the equine ambulance.

"Blue Creek ran a huge race," said Brion. "He took a bad step galloping out, but he's doing well."

"he has a minor suspensory injury, and he will run again," said Brion. "He's a really nice young horse, and we're looking forward to having him back next year."

 

UPLAND FLATS Racing bought Blue Creek for $25,000 as a yearling at the Fasig Tipton Eastenr Fall Yearling Sale and ran him on the flat as a 2- and 3-year-old.

He broke his maiden second time out in a Maiden Special Weight at a mile on the turf at Colonial Downs.

He was third in the Laurel Futurity, a black type stakes, and the Awad Stakes as a 2-year old, and ran unplaced in allowance races as a 3-year-old.

Blue Creek won his first race over fences as a 3-year-old, a maiden special weight at Shawan Downs in September of last year, and has hit the board in all his five races since then, including a win in a Handicap at Aiken  in March and a secondi n the Green Pastures Stakes at Iroquois in May before winning at Saratoga.