Normally, Gabriel Lagunes would be riding at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort in West Virginia.
These are not normal days.
The 45-year-old Lagunes, a native of El Crucero, Mexico, is at Saratoga Race Course to be with RED TR- Racing's Rich Strike, who is preparing for the $1.25 million Runhappy Travers (G1) on Aug. 27. And Rich Strike, a son of Keen Ice , can't prepare without Lagunes.
When Rich Strike is getting ready to run, Lagunes is right with him. Eric Reed, Rich Strike's trainer, said Lagunes has dropped everything to work with Rich Strike.
Reed said Lagunes has worked with his horses for "years.
"Gabriel has been with me long before this horse," Reed said on the Saratoga backstretch Aug. 18. "Every time we are ready to travel, he is ready to come. He knows this horse."
Lagunes was with Rich Strike before he won the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and was on Long Island before the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1).
Lagunes says he is getting the same vibe he got from the colt that he got before Rich Strike won the Derby at odds of 80-1.
"He likes it here," Lagunes said. "He's happy. He is galloping here like he did before the Derby. At Belmont, it was different. He didn't like it, wasn't confident. He feels good here."
Lagunes has won 19 races at Mountaineer from 117 starts.
"He is one of the most important parts of our travel team, that's for sure," Reed said.
