Today is Day 5 of the Saratoga Race Course meet. Racing starts at 1:05 p.m.
RECENT STORIES FROM THE DAILY GAZETTE AT THE TRACK
“Apprentice Gomez trying to put himself on fast track in Saratoga jockey colony,” by Mike MacAdam with photos from Erica Miller
Well, that didn’t take long.
First race on Friday’s card, first race ever riding here, and jockey Jose Gomez scored his first victory ever at Saratoga Race Course.
He asked Lady Mine, 8-1 in the betting, to move to the front out of the starting gate, got in a duel with Maddie’s Grace to the inside that lasted until the quarter pole, then absorbed a challenge from Im Just Kiddin as Gomez kept his filly to the task all the way to the wire for a one-length victory.
It was just another maiden race for New York-bred 2-year-old fillies, not some big stakes race with a gigantic purse, but to the apprentice rider it represented another important step in his quick rise as an established jockey in New York and perhaps throughout the U.S. someday.
Gomez, a 21-year-old Michigan native whose mother and father barnstormed various racing circuits as a groom and exercise rider, respectively, is due to lose his apprentice status on Jan. 14 of next year, having blown through the early benchmarks in the process of becoming a journeyman.
In the meantime, he’s been busy carving out some business, with the help of legendary Hall of Famer Angel Cordero, Jr., as his agent, at Saratoga.
“Saratoga Race Course sees opening weekend jump in handle and attendance,” by Natasha Vaughn-Holdridge with photos from Erica Miller
Opening weekend at the track attracted more people and bigger handles than in 2021.
The New York Racing Association reports a 10% increase in paid opening weekend attendance this year over last year, from 94,078 in 2021 to 103,254 in 2022.
“In Italian breaks course record in Diana as Brown’s horses go 1-2-3-4,” by Mike MacAdam with photos from Erica Miller
The superfecta in the Grade I Diana consisted entirely of horses trained by Chad Brown on Saturday.
And, somehow, that wasn’t even the surprising part.
Brown saddled four of the six horses in the field, and they finished 1-2-3-4, respectively, but it was the longest shot on the tote board among them, In Italian, who finished first.
Not only that, but In Italian won the Diana in track-record time as Joel Rosario quickly guided her to the lead and never looked back.
“Mo Strike handles every challenge to win Sanford,” by Mike MacAdam with photos from Erica Miller
A deep, tiring track? Check.
A full starting gate? Check.
A stiff challenge late in the race from a good horse? Check.
It could’ve been three strikes and you’re out for Mo Strike, but he handled everything that was thrown at him and pulled away inside the sixteenth pole for a 3 1/2-length win in the Grade III Sanford for 2-year-olds at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday.
On a sunny, breezy, comfortable day in front of an announced crowd of 30,064 in paid admission, Mo Strike backed up a solid win in his career debut at Churchill Downs on June 19 — also against a big field — with another solid win that sets him up for a shot at another graded stakes later in the meet.
“Zandon sharpens up for Jim Dandy,” by Mike MacAdam with photos from Erica Miller
Zandon, last seen finishing third in the Kentucky Derby on May 7, made an eye-catching impression on the Saratoga Race Course main track on Saturday.
The striking dark bay colt trained by Chad Brown breezed at Saratoga for the first time in preparation for the July 30 Jim Dandy and Aug. 27 Travers, and did not disappoint.
Ridden by exercise rider Kriss Bon, Zandon worked four furlongs in 48.69 in what Brown characterized as a simple leg-stretcher, while his other top dirt colts, Preakness winner Early Voting and Jack Christopher, worked at Belmont Park.
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Categories: At The Track, Sports
