by Mike Curry

Any Given Saturday delivered a professional performance in his final prep for the $5-million Breeders Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (G1) with a comfortable 2 1/2-length victory in the $154,200 Brooklyn Handicap (G2) on Saturday at Belmont Park.

The Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) winner reeled in game pacesetter Tasteyville in early stretch and drew off under steady pressure from jockey Garrett Gomez. Trainer Todd Pletcher said he was pleased with Any Given Saturday’s workmanlike victory as the overwhelming 0.15-to-1 favorite in his first start against older horses.

“He had to work a bit; we’ll go from here,” said Pletcher, who trains Any Given Saturday for WinStar Farm and Padua Stables. “All in all, we’re very pleased.

“Anytime you are a big favorite, you want everything to go smoothly.”

Gomez said there was contact at the break and that made Any Given Saturday eager in the opening strides. Gomez quickly took firm hold and allowed Tasteyville to move clear.

Tasteyville opened a 4 1/2-length lead through an opening quarter in :23.69 and led by six lengths through a half-mile in a testing :46.12 as Any Given Saturday waited for his cue from second.

Gomez let out a notch on the reins on the far turn and Any Given Saturday rallied into contention. He closed in on Tasteyville entering the stretch, reeled in that foe approaching the eighth pole, and gradually drew off to prevail in 1:48.31 on a track rated as fast.

Any Given Saturday opened the year with a win in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on February 17 and followed with a runner-up finish to champion Street Sense after an extended stretch duel in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) on March 17. Any Given Saturday entered the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) off a third-place finish in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) on April 7 at Aqueduct.

Any Given Saturday rallied into contention approaching the stretch in the Kentucky Derby but flattened out in the lane and finished eighth.

After a two-month layoff, he returned with a four-length score in the Dwyer Stakes (G2).

“We thought earlier in the year that he was one of the best three-year-olds,” Pletcher said. “He got a foot bruise in Kentucky, but everything else has been perfect since.”

Any Given Saturday entered the Brooklyn off a visually impressive 4 1/2-length victory in the Haskell, in which he defeated both Derby runner-up Hard Spun and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Curlin.

“He proved he likes it down there [at Monmouth Park] and hopefully, he’ll run the same kind of race [in the Classic on October 27 as he did in the Haskell],” Gomez said.

Any Given Saturday improved to six wins in ten starts and boosted his earnings to $1,083,533. Bred in Kentucky by Racehorse Management, Any Given Saturday is out of the winning A.P. Indy mare Weekend in Indy.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times daily news editor