Seek Again sets track record in winning Fourstardave at Saratoga
Seek Again edged Grand Arch by a neck Saturday in the Grade 2, $500,000 Fourstardave at Saratoga Race Course.
Ridden by Joel Rosario for Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 4-year-old son of champion sprinter Speighstown ran a mile on the inner turf course in a track-record 1:33.25, surpassing the previous mark of 1:33.42 set by L'Oiseau d'Argent on Aug. 5, 2004.
''We had a lucky trip,'' Rosario said. ''He showed up today. At first, there wasn't a lot of room (along the rail). I had to stay there because he likes to run a lot that way, that's his style. He's a good horse; he fires all the time. When he sees a horse in front of him, he comes to get (him). So we had the winner today.''
Seek Again, owned by Juddmonte Farm, paid $6.70, $3.80 and $3.10. Best known for a head-bobbing loss to two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the Grade 1 Turf Classic on Kentucky Derby day, Seek Again has five victories in 11 starts, with earnings of $725,259.
''He's got some versatility to him,'' Mott said. ''He can, obviously, run fast at a mile, but he did win a Grade 1 at a mile-and-a-quarter, and he was third in the Manhattan. I wouldn't have passed up the Arlington Million if I didn't think he could (succeed at a mile).''
Grand Arch returned $8 and $3.70, and Jack Milton paid $2.90 to show.
Dorsett, Sayaad and Silver Max, the 3-2 betting favorite who set the pace for a half-mile before dropping back, completed the order of finish.
