Falcone Jr., Torres Take Spa Opener With Empty Tomb
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
Trainer Robert Falcone Jr. congratulates rider Jaime Torres after Empty Tomb won the first race July 11 at Saratoga Race Course
Winning the first race at the 40-day Saratoga Race Course meet is about as good of an example of "15 Minutes of Fame" as you'll ever find.
Perhaps it's closer to 30 minutes, but the expression surely fits a race that temporarily lifts its connections to sole leadership in their respective categories at the Spa.
When the 156th Saratoga meet kicked off July 11, trainer Robert Falcone Jr. was all by his lonesome atop the standings after John Grossi Racing's Empty Tomb notched a gate-to-wire 1 3/4-length victory in the first race.
For Falcone, there was some satisfaction in winning the opening race, but beyond that, what truly lifted his spirits was starting off with a victory after a couple of rough years at the Spa.
At the last two summer meets, Falcone was a combined 1-for-38 with a 1-for-24 slate in 2023.
"There's a sense of relief, especially when your past two years up here have not been too hot," Falcone said after the $20,000 claimer for older horses. "To get the first one out of the way is nice."
Falcone has been stabled at Saratoga for the last two months, which he said played a key role in Thursday's victory.
"I think getting up here earlier was a big help," he said.
For winning jockey Jaime Torres, finishing third in last year's opening race gave him a hint of how it feels to be all alone atop the jockey standings.
"I got a little taste of how this would feel last year and today we made it. I'm very, very happy," said Torres, who won the Preakness Stakes (G1) on Seize the Grey earlier in the year.
An 8-year-old Speightstown horse bred by WinStar Farm, Empty Tomb ($15) notched his eighth win in 34 starts and lifted his earnings to $506,343.
He was claimed by Falcone Aug. 7, 2021, for $80,000 at Saratoga.
In keeping with a Saratoga tradition, the mile-and-an-eighth race started directly in front of the grandstand as track announcer Frank Mirahmadi asked fans to join him in shouting "They're off at Saratoga!" as the starting gates opened.
Empty Tomb leads the field around the first turn in the first race July 11 at Saratoga Race Course
Opening day turf races moved to main track
It didn't take long for the weather to create some news at the meet as overnight rain caused all of Thursday's five turf races to be moved to the main track.
The surface change led to 32 scratches in the five races.
The second race, which had 10 entrants, went off with a field of three.
There were 65 surface changes at last year's meet.