Elation. Deflation. The daily double of horse racing.
We had a little bit of both Saturday.
A win, two seconds, two thirds, a sixth and an eighth in seven starts.
Jimmy Dan and Teddy Davies came through with a facile score in the 110 handicap at Willowdale. The 6-year-old improved his record to 2-for-2. I watched it on trainer Todd McKenna’s phone at the OTR tent at the Iroquois. T Mobile should run a promotional video at Percy Warner Park. Verizon should not. Amazing what a winner on the board will do for a day.
Snow Geese gave us a moment of elation and then the permanence of deflation when he reached the lead but couldn’t hold it, missing by three quarters of a length in the second division of the maiden hurdle. The 4-year-old has two runner-up finishes this year. Cool horse with a big future.
Zabeel Champion ran hard to finish third in the Iroquois, 1 ¼ lengths behind the indomitable Snap Decision. I hate losing but to finish in the frame behind a 10-year-old winning his third Iroquois…proud to be a part of it.
Fits The Jill, a race short, jumped well and ran well for a long a way. She finished sixth, needing the run. She’ll be better this summer.
Queens Empire closing inexplicable ground late to pick up second at Willowdale. Another check for a horse who I keep saying has a big one in him somewhere down the line.
Potus jumped accurately and ran well to finish third. Shame his spring season is over. Congratulations to Whit Schweizer for winning his first career race on Proven Innocent earlier on the card.
Tuddenham Green was the only real disappointment, too close, fussy, then too far back, rusty. Bad management there.
Iroquois at its best yet again. The only thing missing was a band of cricketers from abroad.
