Robie Davis Gets 1st Training Win at Spa
Aug 18, 2013 16:43:40 GMT -5
Post by Evelyn on Aug 18, 2013 16:43:40 GMT -5
If anyoine saw it, it was quite a celebration yesterday! Robbie Davis truly desered it. I've always been a fan of his.
NYRA Notes
Robbie Davis won 277 races and nearly $11 million in purses at Saratoga Race Course during a 22-year riding career, including such stakes as the Hopeful, Saratoga Special, Saranac and Honorable Miss.
One of his most emotional wins came on Saturday, more than a decade after he was forced to retire because of knee problems. Sandyinthesun, a 6-year-old Say Florida Sandy gelding he co-owns with Thomas Ponterella, got his nose down on the wire to take the eighth race at odds of 23-1.
Sandyinthesun returned $49.20 on a $2 win bet, and was the first training victory at Saratoga for the 52-year-old Davis, who has four horses in training on his farm in nearby Middle Grove, N.Y.
"It's just unimaginable. You'd think it was the dang Travers or something," said Davis, who hugged and high-fived people in and out of the winner's circle. "Sandy's like one of our kids. We bought him as a yearling. He's part of the family. We've gone and taught him along the way, and he's just really responded well, so it's gotten really exciting."
The win was the third in 22 lifetime starts for Sandyinthesun, the first two coming with Davis' daughter, Jackie, in the irons. One of six children, Jackie Davis was riding Saturday at Suffolk Downs, while her brother, Dylan, had mounts at Ellis Park and Indiana Downs.
Junior Alvarado was aboard for Saturday's victory.
"The only way it would have been better is if Jackie was here," Davis said. "Junior rode a great race on him."
As a trainer, Davis won with two of 19 starters from 2011-12, and was 0-for-27 this year. He last posed for a winner's circle photo at Saratoga on August 24, 2002, after riding 46-1 long shot Atfirst Blush.
Sandyinthesun was making his second start at the meet, having run eighth in the John's Call stakes on July 31. He has run six times at the Spa, including his career debut on Sept. 4, 2011, and is responsible for all three of Davis' training wins.
"We've got a little farm outside of town here on Stone Church Road," Davis said. "We've got a couple of babies there. We hope to have one each year and not get too crazy or anything. This is what we do. We love being around the horses."
NYRA Notes
Robbie Davis won 277 races and nearly $11 million in purses at Saratoga Race Course during a 22-year riding career, including such stakes as the Hopeful, Saratoga Special, Saranac and Honorable Miss.
One of his most emotional wins came on Saturday, more than a decade after he was forced to retire because of knee problems. Sandyinthesun, a 6-year-old Say Florida Sandy gelding he co-owns with Thomas Ponterella, got his nose down on the wire to take the eighth race at odds of 23-1.
Sandyinthesun returned $49.20 on a $2 win bet, and was the first training victory at Saratoga for the 52-year-old Davis, who has four horses in training on his farm in nearby Middle Grove, N.Y.
"It's just unimaginable. You'd think it was the dang Travers or something," said Davis, who hugged and high-fived people in and out of the winner's circle. "Sandy's like one of our kids. We bought him as a yearling. He's part of the family. We've gone and taught him along the way, and he's just really responded well, so it's gotten really exciting."
The win was the third in 22 lifetime starts for Sandyinthesun, the first two coming with Davis' daughter, Jackie, in the irons. One of six children, Jackie Davis was riding Saturday at Suffolk Downs, while her brother, Dylan, had mounts at Ellis Park and Indiana Downs.
Junior Alvarado was aboard for Saturday's victory.
"The only way it would have been better is if Jackie was here," Davis said. "Junior rode a great race on him."
As a trainer, Davis won with two of 19 starters from 2011-12, and was 0-for-27 this year. He last posed for a winner's circle photo at Saratoga on August 24, 2002, after riding 46-1 long shot Atfirst Blush.
Sandyinthesun was making his second start at the meet, having run eighth in the John's Call stakes on July 31. He has run six times at the Spa, including his career debut on Sept. 4, 2011, and is responsible for all three of Davis' training wins.
"We've got a little farm outside of town here on Stone Church Road," Davis said. "We've got a couple of babies there. We hope to have one each year and not get too crazy or anything. This is what we do. We love being around the horses."
