SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Sunrise Smarty prevailed in a thrilling stretch duel at Saratoga Race Course on Friday, sending West Point Partners to the winner’s circle for the fourth time during the Saratoga meet.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Sunrise Smarty prevailed in a thrilling stretch duel at Saratoga Race Course on Friday, sending West Point Partners to the winner’s circle for the fourth time during the Saratoga meet.
The Mike Hushion trainee first went head-to-head with City Cool, then held off Starforaday by half a length to take the six-furlong event in 1:10.11 under jockey Ramon Dominguez. He was returning to the races after finishing sixth in the Grade I Carter at Aqueduct on April 9. The victory earned him a 94 Beyer Speed Figure.
“This is a very nice son of Smarty Jones,” WPT president Terry Finley said. “We thought a lot of him when we ran him in the Carter, but he ran into some minor issues and ended up requiring time off. He’d been training really well leading up to this race and we wanted to give him a confidence-builder as we brought him back. We were really proud of him today.”
Trainer Mike Hushion has saddled the 4-year-old colt to a 3-2-1 record from nine starts.
“This was a very nice return to the races, went as well as you could hope off the layup,” Hushion said. “We’ll take him back to Belmont now that the meet is winding down and decide what the next step will be from there.”
