Before the King's Bishop and the Travers, two other graded stakes races were contested at Saratoga on Saturday. The $200,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2) featured older horses going 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf course. Proudinsky was sent off as the 5-2 favorite in the field of 10 despite finishing a distant 11th in the Manhattan Handicap last time out. Also entered were 3-1 second choice Thorn Song, third in the Fourstardave in his last start, and 6-1 third choice Shakis, ninth in the Manhattan last out and winless since this race last year.
Jockey Julien Leparoux sent Thorn Song to the front right away and he set fractions of 23.40, 48.17, and 1:11.67 while being stalked by War Monger the whole way. Thorn Song maintained a clear lead into the stretch but Shakis, eighth early, was just hitting his best stride. Entering the lane four wide, he closed with a rush down the center of the course, passing the tiring pacesetter to get up by 3/4 length over War Monger in 1:46.78 over the firm going. It was another 3/4 length back to late-running Operation Red Dawn third, who finished a head in front of pacesetter Thorn Song fourth. Favorite Proudinsky raced in seventh early but showed no late rally, finishing sixth.
