What Does It Take to Win at Saratoga?

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Chad Brown. Steve Asmussen. Bill Mott. Todd Pletcher. Those four household names–two Hall of Famers and two will-be Hall of Famers–filled out the top four spots in Saratoga's trainer standings at the conclusion of Monday's card. In hot pursuit of the leading foursome are the trio of Robertino Diodoro, Joe Sharp and Brad Cox–three trainers with high-powered, wide-reaching operations who have made the most of their relatively few starters at the young meet. All three barns experienced a somewhat quiet Saratoga meet in 2017, with win percentages well below their normal lofty standards, but have quickly stamped themselves as forces to be reckoned with in 2018. On Tuesday morning, Cox, Sharp and Diodoro sat down with the TDN to discuss what it requires to win consistently at Saratoga.

Brad Cox

Regardless of how many wins Cox adds through the remainder of the Saratoga meet, there is no doubt that his 2018 season will be defined by the success of Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), winner of four consecutive Grade I races, including the GI Coaching Club American Oaks at the Spa July 22. Emerging from his stable office with his star 3-year-old filly peering out from her stall directly next door, Cox said success at Saratoga is largely about having the right horses-whether they be Grade I winners or $50,000 claimers.

“Having horses like Monomoy Girl definitely makes it a little easier,” the Louisville native said with a laugh. “The biggest thing is bringing horses in here that are fit and ready and being fortunate enough to get in the right spots.”

With roughly 30 horses settled in at the Spa in 2018 and the remainder of his stable competing at Ellis and Indiana Grand, Cox acknowledged that he doesn't have the numbers to compete for the training title with the likes of Brown or Pletcher. Nevertheless, any win at Saratoga is well worth the time and effort put forth by his team.

“I love Saratoga,” Cox said. “This is a world stage. From the racing to the pedigree and the bloodlines, people pay attention here.”

As for Monomoy Girl, Cox said he believes her success is creating a ripple effect that will hopefully propel his stable to further success at meets like Saratoga for years to come.

“She's the best thing we've ever had in terms of quality,” Cox said. “Day in and day out, she's done a lot for our business. People take notice when you're able to win Grade Is with quality horses.”

Joe Sharp

Speaking with the TDN after the conclusion of morning training, Joe Sharp said he is well aware that winning at Saratoga requires a strong blend of extensive preparation and a bit of racing luck–two factors that undoubtedly have played a role in his torrid four-for-eight start to the meet.

“Obviously we've had a great start, so far,” said Sharp, who posted a 2-for-28 record at the 2017 meet. “The last few years coming here, we've kind of learned a little bit about what works. Obviously, we've had a bit of racing luck, which is really important. The main thing is being able to plan ahead for the meet a little bit and run them in the right spots. We've been very fortunate to get off to a great start, and we realize how tough it is up here.”

Sharp's winners have come in many forms, including a horse returning from a 320-day layoff and his most recent score with the 2-year-old Backtohisroots (Mark Valeski). The latter, who was owned and trained by Sharp after RNA'ing for $6,500 as a Keeneland September yearling, led wire-to-wire to take down the winner's share of a $50,000 purse and was also claimed out of the race for $50,000.

“It's some of the best racing in the country,” Sharp continued. “To be able to compete at this level with guys who are the top trainers in the country is a challenge, but it makes winning that much more rewarding when it all comes together.”

The next highlight of Sharp's meet could come Saturday when he sends out Mom's On Strike (First Dude) in the GIII Fasig-Tipton Waya S. Owned by Brad Grady and Carl Moore, Mom's On Strike put forth a fantastic campaign from the autumn through the spring, winning three stakes races, including the GIII Bewitch S. at Keeneland Apr. 27. Last seen finishing a respectable fourth in a tough renewal of the GII New York S. at Belmont June 8, the 5-year-old was freshened with larger goals in mind.

“She's doing fantastic,” said Sharp, who added that regular rider Adam Beschizza will travel to Saratoga to ride the mare. “We opted to kind of give her a little spacing between her last two. We're going to try to point here toward the Breeders' Cup in the fall and just keep her healthy and in good form until then.”

Robertino Diodoro

Stabled on the opposite side of Barn 53 from Cox, Robertino Diodoro is still a relatively new face on the Saratoga scene. Despite being ranked among the top five trainers in the country by wins in 2014, 2016 and 2017–statistics that can be attributed to his multi-circuit operation, which reaches from Arizona to Iowa to Minnesota, and beyond–Didoro did not make his Saratoga debut until last year. The native of Canada won three races from 31 starts, a building block that set him up for a more consistent presence on the New York circuit in 2018.

“I know on paper it looks like we had a bad meet last year, but we had eight seconds and some bad racing luck,” said Diodoro, who made a brief trip back to Minnesota centering on Saratoga's dark day Tuesday. “But at the same time, I think we've come a little more prepared this year. We have a few new owners and a few of the regular guys that we have stepped up to the plate. We learned from our first go around that Saratoga is a tough place and you need a little better horse.”

Competing primarily in the claiming ranks, Didoro said that he and his assistants are steadily accumulating more and more knowledge about racing in the Empire State.

“When you run in New York year round, you get to know the other horses and the other trainers, which more than anything helps from a claiming perspective,” the trainer explained. “When you watch horses in the paddock and watch races, it definitely helps.”

Given the expansive scale of his nationwide operation, Diodoro must rely heavily on the talents of his assistant trainers. Back at Barn 53, morning activities appeared to be moving along like a well-oiled machine despite the boss's temporary absence.

“No matter how much horsepower you have, if you don't have the assistants or the help, you will fail eventually,” Diodoro said. “I definitely give all my guys at the other tracks a lot of credit. Some of these horses came from Churchill, and a couple from Canada. I've been lucky to have four really good assistants.”