Bitumen’s digs in to win Sanford Stakes

4:15 PM ET

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — It wasn’t that Bitumen won Saturday’s Grade 3 Sanford Stakes, but more how he won the $150,000 stakes for 2-year-olds at Saratoga that has his connections excited about the future.

After dueling on the lead to win his debut, Bitumen was 6-1/2 lengths off the pace after the opening quarter of the Sanford. But under a busy Javier Castellano, Bitumen made a move into contention around the far turn and then responded when asked to run four-wide in the stretch to rally and win the Sanford by 1-3/4 lengths.

Random Walk, part of a three-play speed duel, finished second by three lengths over Zartera. Bronson, who had all kinds of trouble in the race, and Bay Numbers completed the order of finish.

The win gave trainer Eddie Kenneally his first graded stakes victory at Saratoga in his 24th attempt.

“He ran a huge race, got a great education today because he was in behind and took so much dirt,” said Kenneally, who trains …

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