SARATOGA SPRINGS — In front of the clubhouse entrance to the Old Spa, there is a circle of jockey statues, each representing a Grade 1 stakes at the meet, that are painted with the silks of the winning owner for next summer.
For the first time in memory, four of those statues will wear the same colors Cthe royal blue of Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai’s Godolphin Racing — after Godolphin’s 4-year-old colt Emcee rallied to win Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Forego. He joins the sheikh’s 3-year-old filly Questing, winner of the Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama, and 3-year-old colt Alpha, the dead-heat winner of the Travers (who also won the Grade 2 Jim Dandy).
All three Grade 1 winners are trained by Kiaran McLaughlin.
“It’s an honor to train for Godolphin and to have such quality horses,” he said. “It makes my job easier, but I have a great team of people behind me, and it’s been an unbelievable meet. It’s hard to even believe. It will take some time to sink in.”
In the seven-furlong Forego, Pacific Ocean gunned to the lead and set a moderate pace (22.64 and 45.38 seconds) pressed by Emcee to his outside. As those two dueled around the turn, 9-1 Jersey Town snuck through along the rail under Edgar Prado and cut the corner to take a daylight lead into the stretch.
But Emcee, favored at 3-2, wasn’t done yet. He kicked into gear under Alan Garcia, collared Jersey Town in mid-stretch and drew clear to score by 4½ lengths in 1:21.00 for seven furlongs. Hamazing Destiny rallied for second, with Jersey Town third.