One horse was pulled up and eventually vanned off the track, while another suffered a catastrophic injury during the running of Sunday's fourth race at Saratoga.
A field of six went to the post in the 11-furlong allowance on a turf course officially labeled 'good' for Sunday's racing after riding yielding Saturday following heavy rains that canceled the last four races on Friday. The Graham Motion-trained Frivole (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}) saved ground from her inside draw and maintained that position through the stretch for the first time, but her action became choppy nearing the entrance to the clubhouse turn and she was pulled up and out of the race by jockey Manny Franco and eventually vanned off the track, according to a tweet from NYRA's Keith McCalmont. Motion told Daily Racing Form that Franco pulled her up “out of an abundance of caution” and that the filly was back in her stall.
Ever Summer (Summer Front), favored off a narrow defeat in a soft-turf renewal of the GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial S. July 1, sat in third position as they raced down the backstretch and was making a menacing three-wide move nearing the quarter pole when she took a bad step and fell. Irad Ortiz, Jr., who had picked up the mount when Joel Rosario took off his Sunday rides, was cast to the turf course.
A NYRA update read, “In the final turn of Race 4 (Inner Turf) on Sunday at Saratoga Race Course, Ever Summer (#7) sustained a catastrophic injury to her left front leg. Despite the immediate response of on-site veterinarians, the filly was humanely euthanized due to the severity of the injury. Ever Summer was trained by Christophe Clement and ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr, who was unseated during the incident. Ortiz, Jr. visited first aid and was cleared to ride the remainder of Sunday's card.”
Prior to the running of the day's sixth race, NYRA officials announced that the three remaining turf race on the program would be run on the main track instead.
“NYRA moved the final three turf races (7,9,10) of Sunday's card to the main track in consultation with the jockeys, who expressed concern with the overall condition of the courses following heavy rains throughout last week,” said Patrick McKenna, vice president of communications for NYRA. “NYRA will be evaluating both turf courses over the next two days and will adjust the temporary rail positions for Wednesday's live racing program.”
The late decision caused an uproar on social media, given that a Pick 5 including those three races was to begin in race six. For wagering purposes:
• Pick 4 starting in Race 4: Race 7 is ALL
• Pick 6 starting in Race 5: Races 7,9,10 are ALL
• Pick 5 starting in Race 6: Races 7,9,10 are ALL
• Cross Country Pick 5: the 5th Leg (SAR9) is an ALL
• Grand Slam starting in Race 6: Races 7,9 are ALL
The two race four incidents come in the immediate aftermath of Saturday's GI Test S., in which the undefeated Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) suffered a life-ending injury.
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