Saratoga — On Friday afternoon, the historic Saratoga Race Course opened up for it’s 153rd season of racing. 10 races were held on Friday to kick off one of the Capital Region’s main summer attractions.
Race One: Battle of Evermore took the lead in the final turn, only to be overtaken by Clifton Pleasure (6/1) ridden by Manuel Franco in the final stretch of the race to win it in a tight race all the way through to kick off the 2016 Saratoga meet. Battle of Evermore was second and Jet Black was third. It was Clifton Pleasure’s fifth career win in 13 starts.
Race Two: Bliss to You (8/1) ridden by Eric Cancel took the lead off the final turn and pulled away from Ribbonite and Seattle Ice Queen to take the win. Ribbonite finished second, Seattle Ice Queen was third. This was after Cancel’s original horse, With Wings, was scratched Friday morning and he was switched to Bliss to You a little more than an hour before the race. The win was Bliss to You’s first career win in her second career start.
Race Three: Roll Tide Roll (2/1) ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. led most of the way, but had to hold off a hard-charging John Velazquez riding Chipit, and successfully did that to grab the win in race three. Chipit would finish second, and Match Up would come home third. This was Roll Tide Roll’s third career win in six starts, and first Saratoga win in three starts at the Spa.
Race Four: In the first race on the turf of the 2016 season, Sentiero Italia (5/1) ridden by Joel Rosario pulled away from Selenite off the final corner into the stretch to take the win, passing Distorted Beauty off the final corner. Selenite would finish second, and Distorted Beauty was third. It was Sentiero Italia’s fifth career win in nine starts, and first win at Saratoga in two starts. The win also came after a nine month layoff, as the last race run by Sentiero Italia was the 2015 Breeders’ Cup.
Race Five: In a thriller, 50/1 long shot Scarlett Goddess led the whole way, but it was Annie Rocks (5/2) ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr taking the win in a head-bobbing photo finish at the end. If Scarlett Goddess had held on, it would have turned the day upside-down, as the longest odds to win before this on Friday was 8/1. Sense of Beauty finished third. The win was Annie Rocks’ second career win in her fifth career start, and was her Saratoga debut. With the jockey win, Irad Ortiz Jr would become the first jockey of the 2016 meet with multiple wins, as he won race three with Roll Tide Roll.
Race Six: Bowie (5/2) ridden by Florent Geroux dominated the whole way in a very fast race, but was challenged by Special Risk and Torrent towards the end. However, he would hold on for his first win of the 2016 meet. The five and a half furlong race was completed in just 1:05.64, one of the fastest races of the afternoon for it’s distance. The win was Bowie’s first career competitive race. Special Risk and Torrent, who challenged Bowie at the end, would finish second and third, respectively.
Race Seven: Another close finish, as True Romance led most of the way and led by a good margin in the home stretch, only to have the race stolen from his hands. The win went to Takrees (4/1) ridden by Junior Alvarado. True Romance would come in a disappointing second and Delicate Lady came in third. Race seven was Takrees’ Saratoga debut, and second career win in six starts overall. This was Alvarado’s first victory of the Saratoga meet.
Race Eight: The 98th running of the Schuylerville Stakes was another race that would come down to the wire. The race was led by Inspired Flight for most of the way, but would be passed by Sweet Loretta (4/1) ridden by John Velazquez at the end of the race, seemingly coming out of nowhere to win it. Sweet Loretta was towards the back of the pack all race, and as a classic Velazquez move, came back to win it. Fun came in second and Harland’s Thunder was third. This was Sweet Loretta’s second career win in two starts, and also her Saratoga debut, as she won at Monmouth Park on June 18th.
“We didn’t know what she ran against at Monmouth (her maiden race) but we liked the way she did it. She looked like she did it with something in reserve but we knew this was a big step up in class,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said.
“She did everything well. I talked to Todd [Pletcher] in the paddock before the race and he told me she breaks well, [so] give her a chance and let her down the lane and that’s what she did,” winning jockey John Velazquez added. “Winning at Saratoga never gets old. Every time you come here and win a race, it’s always special.”
This is the fifth time Velazquez has won the Schuylerville Stakes, and first time since 2014. He also won this race in 2002, 2006 and 2011.
Race Nine: In the 21st running of the Lake George Stakes, it was Sky My Sky that would lead most of the way, but it would be 2/1 favorite Ancient Secret ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr pulling out the win at the end, taking the lead in the final stretch of the race after they went five-wide out of the final turn. Elysea’s World would finish second, and Outsider Art was third. Sky My Sky, who seemed to have it in the bag, finished fourth. With the win, Ancient Secret continues her undefeated streak in her fourth career race. On the jockey side, this was Irad Ortiz Jr’s third win of the day, and will go out of day one leading all Saratoga jockeys in wins. This is the second time Ortiz Jr won the Lake George Stakes, as he won the race on Mrs. McDougal last year.
Race Ten: In the final race of the day, the theme of the day of passes in the final stretch continued. Come Around, who was a 28/1 long shot, led most of the way, but Market Strength (8/5) ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr passed him in the final stretch to take the win. Come Around would wind up finishing second, and Dark Gemini came home third. Snowfly was a late scratch in race ten, as he would not go into the starting gate at the beginning of the race. The race was Market Strength’s Saratoga debut, and his first career win in three starts. It was Irad Ortiz Jr’s fourth win of the day to finish off Opening Day.
Jockey win leaders:
1. Irad Ortiz Jr: 4 wins
2. Manuel Franco, Eric Cancel, Joel Rosario, Florent Geroux, Junior Alvarado, John Velazquez: 1 win
