It's fair to say that the traditional opening day at Saratoga Race Course July 10 was unlike any in the track's illustrious history.
Typically, when the horses break in front of the grandstand to depart on a 1 1/8-mile journey in the first race, it ends a 10-month hiatus of racing at America's oldest Thoroughbred venue. This time, it only ended a three-day break since the conclusion of a special July 4th Racing Festival, which joined last month's Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at the upstate New York track while Belmont Park continues its renovation project.
However, the 103 races already run over nine race days at Saratoga this year did not damper the excitement of the crowd as they enthusiastically joined track announcer Frank Mirahmadi for the traditional yelling of "They're off at Saratoga" as the gates opened.
With the 40-day summer meet officially underway, the race ended just as 45 different races during last year's season ended: with jockey Flavien Prat in the winner's circle.
The French-born jockey finished second behind Irad Ortiz Jr. in the rider standings last year, but set single-meet records with 18 stakes wins and 14 graded stakes wins. Although he already won 15 races, four graded stakes, and a grade 1 in the two previous week-long meets this year, Prat still felt a sense of pride taking the first race of the official season aboard Chris Larsen's 3-year-old Maximum Security filly, Ah Ca Ira.
"I was talking about, going to the gate, that it's the third opening day of the year," the rider joked, "but it's great to start opening day the right way."
Ah Ca Ira's trainer, Jorge Abreu, seconded that sentiment.
"That first race means a lot to everybody in this game, especially at Saratoga," Abreu said. "Once you win that first race, you don't have that pressure. At least you got that out of the way."
Saratoga is honoring the late legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas this meet through their new program, Wayne's Winners, by following the Hall of Famer's tradition of inviting kids into the winner's circle celebration. The first child invitee of the meet joined Prat and Abreu after the first race.
Thursday marked the beginning of the Saratoga leaderboards for leading jockey, trainer, and owner, with the previous two weeks of racing counting as separate special meetings on Equibase. But that experience still gave participants knowledge of how the track was playing and helped them to execute race strategies quicker at the start of the meet.
Prat took advantage by jumping to an early lead in the rider standings, winning the first three races.
"I'm definitely a lot more familiar with the track and the environment," Prat said. "It does help."
Among Prat's likely competitors for the riding title is Jose Ortiz, who earned two victories himself on the opening card.
"Everyone tries to shoot for leading rider if you got a shot," Ortiz said. "The first day is very important, you get onto the right foot and you're good. Flavien obviously got a great start with three, but it's just the first day."
Both Divisions of De La Rose End in Close Finishes
Ortiz's first victory came in the first division of the De La Rose Stakes. The listed $135,000 contest for older female turf milers had enough entries to be split into two races.
Aboard John Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock Services' Deep Satin, Ortiz worked out a perfect trip sitting third while tucked in behind the leaders. He had to work hard down the stretch to get past In Our Time, but he arrived to the lead in the final jumps to earn a neck victory in 1:35.49.
"She broke good, was following the speed just like I wanted to," Ortiz said. "I thought the pace could have been a little hot, but the other horse didn't go (In Our Time, who rated second off pacesetting Edict). ... Everybody started to pick it up and I was able to just go outside of them. She gave me a good turn of foot and it was a very clean trip, saved ground on both turns."
The 4-year-old American Pharoah filly was making her third start—and earned her first win—off a 7 1/2-month layoff that followed her triumph in the Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs last September.
"Her best speed figure was her comeback race (a second-place finish in a Keeneland allowance)," trainer Cherie DeVaux said. "With the old adage of third off the (layoff), she proved well today."
Both the dirt and turf seemed to play favorably to horses on the lead during last week's July 4th festival, giving connections an opportunity to plan accordingly for the official start of the meet.
"All of this is always contingent on weather or how the turf course is playing, so I guess Jose knew he'd have to be forwardly placed," DeVaux said.
However, Ortiz felt the bias toward speed was starting to lessen as he overcame a three-length deficit to earn the triumph.
"I think today is a lot better than last week," Ortiz said of the surfaces. "Last week, the turf was very biased on the speed. I think this week is going to be a lot better. Hopefully we get a little bit of rain and things settle down a little.
"The dirt track is a little bit on the heavy side, but it's good. As long as it's safe I got no problem with it, I just have to adjust for it."
Video: De La Rose S. (BT)
The second division of the De La Rose ran very similarly as Cheyenne Stable's Ozara sat third behind the leaders for jockey Dylan Davis and ran them down in a dramatic stretch drive to triumph by a half-length in a quicker 1:34.25. Pacesetting Spinning Colors held for second while Movin' On Up was third after stalking outside of Ozara before making an early move to grab second on the far turn, suggesting the course was still playing favorably to front-runners.
"The leader finished second, the filly sitting (second turning for home) finished third, and the filly who was third won the race," winning trainer Miguel Clement said. "It's still very speed favoring, this turf course. I will need to emphasize that (Saturday) for (jockey) Joel (Rosario) with Far Bridge (in the Bowling Green Stakes)."
Ozara is now 2-for-2 over the Saratoga oval, having broken her maiden there in 2023.
"She is very consistent. She's got tactical speed, a good turn of foot," Clement said. "I thought Dylan gave her a brilliant ride, saving every inch of ground."
Clement won a race on the first card of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival June 4, giving him a unique honor of having won on multiple opening days at Saratoga in the same season.
"I guess we won on opening day twice here at Saratoga, so that's great," he said. "The stable is in flying form at the moment, so life is good."
Davis was also thrilled to get a stakes win on the opening card and get his name added to the way-too-early contention for leading rider.
"I know we were here a few times already, but day one today and happy to be here and get the first winner right off the duck," Davis said. "I enjoy every moment every day here. ... Let's continue and see what the Saratoga meet has to offer."
Video: De La Rose S. (BT)
Cy Fair Takes First 2-Year-Old Race of Summer Meet
One of the key offerings of the Saratoga meet every season is the stellar 2-year-old program it showcases. Trainer George Weaver summed up the competition perfectly after taking the meet's first $100,000 maiden race for 2-year-olds with Swinbank Stables' Cy Fair.
"It's Saratoga. I like mine, the other guys like theirs. You don't know. You put them in the gate and see what happens," he said.
The trainer had originally passed over the Not This Time filly in the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training this April, but received a call from Jake Ballis to take another look after she was an RNA in the ring.
"When I saw her the first time, I didn't really fault her much, I just thought she was a little light of bone and small. It wasn't enough to get me jacked up," Weaver said. "When I looked at her the second time, I said, 'You know what, I do like this filly.'"
Cy Fair is out of the winning Arch mare Remarqued, who is a half sister to two-time Royal Ascot group 2 winner Crimson Advocate, whom Weaver trained for her win in the 2023 Queen Mary Stakes (G2).
"When you're thinking about getting a horse with some pedigree by Not This Time, I told Jake go ahead let's buy her," Weaver said.
Swinbank Stables purchased her for $185,000 at the sale and got $55,000 of it back Thursday as Cy Fair drew off to win by 3 1/4 lengths while completing 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in 1:01.49. Weaver said he was not the least bit surprised.
"She's quick. We're delighted with her performance," Weaver said. "I love training 2-year-olds. ... They are basically just like a big lump of clay that you have to mold into what you want. Ultimately their talent, their class, and their acceptance of your lessons will decide how far you go with them.
"It's so fun to watch them come along and develop into their own racehorse personality, racehorse self. It's a lot of fun. That's why people love watching them at Saratoga, there are future stars up here."
After Devil in Disguise's victory in the second race, Weaver kicked off the meet with two winners from his first two starters to top the meet leaderboard after day one.
"I'm 2-for-2, batting 100%," Weaver joked. "Let's stop the meet."
