Incentive Pay became the third winner for top-10 First-Crop sire Volatile on July 20 at Saratoga with a bold move in the upper stretch to take a six-furlong maiden special weight affair for 2-year-olds.
The chestnut colt was several lengths off the lead midway through the turn before launching his move along the rail. Turning for home an opening appeared and Incentive Pay shot through with authority and drew off strongly to win by 2 ½-lengths in 1:12.20 on a fast track.
After the win, Klaravich and trainer Chad Brown said that Incentive Pay would be under strong consideration for the $300,000 Hopeful S. (G1), Saratoga’s marquee race for 2-year-olds.
The winner is owned by Klaravich Stables, Inc., who purchased the Kentucky-bred for $315,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling sale. The winner was bred by Kathryn Nikkel, Old Dominion and Turtle Creek Farms LLC.
Volatile, a son of leading sire Violence, stood the 2024 season for $15,000 S&N.