Anyone involved in thoroughbred racing knows that winning at Saratoga Racetrack is one of the hardest things to accomplish. Every year it is the premier racing meet in the country and both owners and trainers point to Saratoga.
On Thursday, we (West Point Thoroughbreds, Peter Dorsman Racing LLC and Steven Bouchey) got to experience again what it’s like winning at Saratoga! Our 3 year old filly Tiple was making her first start since breaking her maiden at Belmont on June 16th. In the Belmont race, our trainer (Christoph Clement) told our jockey (Irad Ortiz) to take Tiple back, let her settle and make one run at the top of the stretch. Ortiz followed the instructions beautifully and Tiple emerged with the win.
In her race at Saratoga, Clement provided similar riding instructions and Tiple ran almost the same race. As the starting gate opened, Tiple settled in eighth position among the twelve horses. At the top of the stretch, Ortiz guided her to the outside of the turf course with a quarter of a mile to go. She was seven wide coming down the stretch and rolling on the outside. At the finish, Tiple was pulling away and won by a widening length and a half. Both the Belmont and Saratoga races were 5 1/2 furlong turf sprints which seems to be what Tiple prefers.
Christophe Clement and Irad Ortiz
Winners Circle
As we headed to the winners circle to celebrate, we learned Tiple had been claimed (purchased) in the race and would be running for new owners in her next start. While it is always tough to have a horse you enjoy watching get claimed, you have to run your horses where they can win and that’s exactly what Tiple did!