With the conclusion of racing in Saratoga earlier this month, racing shifted to NYC for the “Belmont at the Big A” Meet. Normally, racing would transition to Belmont Park in September but with various construction projects underway, the Belmont Park Fall Meet is being conducted at Aqueduct Racetrack. Hence, the Fall Meet is being called Belmont at the Big A!
Construction at Belmont
We (Woodford Racing et al) ran two of our promising 2 year old colts opening week and they did everything but win. The first starter was Signator, our (Woodford Racing, Lanes End Racing, Phipps Stable, Ken Langone) gray Tapit colt who was making his first start. Signator was purchased at the OBS 2 Year Olds in Training Spring Sale in April at Ocala, Florida. While Signator’s trainer felt the distance of the race might be too short, 6F (3/4’s of a mile), he wanted Signator to begin his racing career and gain experience. After tracking the leaders down the backstretch early, Signator’s jockey Joel Rosario split horses at the top of the stretch and swung Signator to the outside for the final quarter of a mile. While racing a little greenly, Signator began to gobble up ground, falling short by a diminishing length. It was an educational first race (tracking horses, splitting horses, taking dirt in the face) that will benefit Signator in the future.
Watch the Signator race replay here.
The second starter was our (West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Racing, Ed Hudson) Ohana Honor who began his racing career in Saratoga with a second place finish on August 13. Ohana Honor’s fast closing finish at Saratoga going 6F (3/4’s of a mile) suggested a longer race was what he wanted. The race on Sunday, September 19 was a mile. After settling toward the back of the pack early on, Ohana Honor moved up on the inside, saving ground along the way. At the top of the stretch he split horses and began his run after the leader. In a finish that was too close to call, Ohana Honor lost by a nose. Like Signator, Ohana Honor will relish going further than a mile.