Royal Tryst, Saez Take Opening Race at Saratoga

The eagerly awaited start of the 154th season of racing at Saratoga Race Course featured a large crowd, a great card of racing, and, of course, Mother Nature.

About 15 minutes before the first race on the July 14 opener at the Spa, the skies opened up, even though there was sunshine on the horizon, and rain began to fall in typical Adirondack Mountains fashion.

The passing storm faded before the start of the second race, leaving behind a racetrack that was still rated fast and a start to the 2022 meet that offered a strong resemblance to the previous year's stay in upstate New York.

Jockey Luis Saez, who won his first Spa riding title in 2021, started 2022 the right way by winning the first race aboard Chris Fountoukis' Royal Tryst , a Medaglia d'Oro   4-year-old trained by Mike Maker.

"I'm grateful to be here and win the first race," Saez said after the $20,000 claiming race for 3-year-olds and up. "This is a special place for owners, trainers, and us jockeys. It's a magnificent feeling all day."

Maker was also happy to start off the meet on a winning note.

"It's always good to get off the 'duck' early," he said. "We have 63 horses up here, the most we've ever brought, with another 50 at Belmont Park."

Kershaw  was second and Giocare  third in the opener, which continued a Saratoga tradition of being at a 1 1/8-mile distance and starting at the finish line in front of the grandstand.