Capping off the final Sunday of the 2026 Saratoga meet is the Disco Partner Stakes as race eleven on the twelve race card. Following the featured Grade I Hopeful, the Disco Partner is run at five and a half furlongs on the turf for three year olds and up and carries a field of eight plus two main track only entrants. A pair of seven year old geldings will start here for the Midlantic in what could be their last crack at nabbing a Spa stakes victory for the summer.

Breaking from post 1 and post 4, this pair of Midlantic breds were both slated to run in different stakes races earlier in the meet before scratching out. From the inside, the Elizabeth Merryman trained Jean Valjean was scheduled to tackle the Harvey Pack Stakes in early July as a 15/1 longshot looking for his first Saratoga win. Virginia bred Determined Kingdom, on the other hand, found the winner’s circle over Belmont weekend before winning a restricted stakes at Colonial and entering into the Grade II Troy on August 9th. After dropping out of that one, he went on to narrowly miss in a handicap race at Colonial and now returns to the Spa for another shot at stakes company. While both starting here at similar morning line odds, their turf careers are vasty different, with strong recent efforts indicating that they still have enough left in the tank to win.

Jean Valjean was bred in Pennsylvania by Hasting Farm and begins here at the third shortest morning line odds of 9/2. By Uncle Lino – Lady’s Tale, by Tale of the Cat, this speedy gelding has had mixed results this year after a year and a half long layoff from November of 2024 to April in Laurel’s King Leatherbury Stakes. Showing some trip versatility in his career, Jean Valjean has primarily been aggressive in his recent starts, coming off a gate to wire win in the Marshall Jenney Stakes at Penn National last month. His early speed led to a career best win there, and makes him a threat to wire this field with a sharp break. In his lone Saratoga try two back, Jean Valjean wasn’t able to grab the lead from the jump, and faded into fifth in the stretch against similar company. Getting away from the competition early from the inside post will be vital for returning jockey Jomar Torres who has ridden well for Merryman over the last year. With a repeat of his last race, this Martha Nevins and Michael Pawasarat owned runner could be dangerous here in a slight step up in class.

With over three times the amount of turf starts as Jean Valjean, the four breaking Determined Kingdom carries his strong resume and nearly $1 million in career earnings into this field. Typically employing a stalking running style including in his win over this track in June, this Michael Trombetta trained gelding by Animal Kingdom – Filia, by Fastnet Rock (AUS) has been pushed to the lead in his last two tries. Setting impressive first half miles at this distance at Colonial, it is clear that this 5/1 fourth choice has the speed to bother Jean Valjean if John Velaquez decides to pressure him from the break. While that could hurt the chances of both runners, Determined Kingdom did win over this course by flanking the early leaders, and could return to that strategy here. If both of these Midlantic bred runners continue their recent speed and form, this could be the spot where our northbound shippers finally pick up a stakes win for the meet. Determined Kingdom was bred by Audley Farm Equine, LLC and is owned by the Estate of R. Larry Johnson.

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