SARATOGA SPRINGS — Trainer Jimmy Toner said what everyone else was thinking after his 3-year-old filly Winter Memories finished fourth as the 2-5 choice in yesterday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Lake Placid on turf at the Old Spa.
“It’s Saratoga,” said Toner after longshot Hungry Island rallied from last to first to win by 2½ lengths. “The graveyard of favorites.”
Racing over a course that had been turned into a bog by a torrential rain shower two hours earlier, Winter Memories — previously undefeated in three starts this year, and beaten just once in six races overall — was already in trouble as the field of seven rounded the clubhouse turn, as it was obvious she had a bull’s-eye target on her back.
Winter Memories, ridden by Jose Lezcano, was surrounded, and the other riders intended to keep her there.
Stuck in traffic down the backside and around the far turn, Winter Memories tried to ease out and split horses at the top of the stretch, but Ramon Dominguez on Dynamic Holiday kept her boxed in, as he’d done for most of the trip.
Finally, Lezcano dived down to the rail, but when Winter Memories finally had a clear lane in the final furlong, she was already spent and failed to show her usual explosive late kick.
“She was in tight all of the way, trapped the whole time,” Toner said. “She doesn’t like to be between horses. There are no excuses. When you win, you win; when you lose, you lose.”
Hungry Island, trained by Shug McGaughey and ridden by Alex Solis, was notching her fourth straight win on turf, and first in a graded stakes. The daughter of More Than Ready paid $21.40, topping a $136.50 exacta with Kathmanblu second. The show prices were out of whack because $127,795 was bet on Winter Memories out of a total pool of $172,491.
