The Cathal Lynch barn continues to sizzle at Delaware Park. The Derry native saddled three winners on last Thursday’s card, added another there on Friday and made it five with a victory at Monmouth Park on Saturday.
First in was Prove My Love, a 2-year-old filly that Runnymoore Racing spent $180,000 for at Ocala in April. She led much of the way in her debut two weeks prior on the Delaware main track, only to tire and finish fifth. Placed on the turf here, she again went for the lead out of the gate and this time held, reaching the wire a length in front. She paid $3.80 to win. Mychel Sanchez rode.
Three races later, Sanchez guided Lynch’s Flat Out Flying to a four-length triumph in a first-level allowance route on the main track. Since Lynch reclaimed the now-6-year-old gelding in August of last year, he has won six of 12 races, primarily in the starter ranks. He returned $3.40 to win here.
Half an hour later, Charlie Marquez wired the field on Still My Babe, which Lynch trains for Norah B Stable. The 3-year-old filly paid $16.00 to win in taking this first-level allowance turf sprint. The Lynch double came back $22.00.
Jumping ahead to Friday, Lynch won the fourth race at Delaware when Austin Reynolds brought in Nate Nelson’s Beargrease for a nine-length victory in a maiden claiming sprint. The 3-year-old filly paid $7.40 to win.
Then, Lynch found a winning spot at Monmouth Park in Saturday’s third race for Recruiter, a first-time starter that he owns with Nick Sanna. The 2-year-old colt opened a long, early lead under Marquez and had enough to hold by a length at the wire. He paid $4.00 to win.
Lynch is second in the trainer standings at Delaware Park with 21 victories from 54 starts. He trails only Jamie Ness, who has 35 wins.
A GRAND DAY FOR JOHNNY V
Jockey John Velazquez notched his 1,000th victory at Saratoga in Thursday’s eighth race, a maiden special weight sprint at seven furlongs on the main track. He got Juddmonte’s Precursory up by a neck after a duel down the length of the stretch. He was greeted in the winner’s circle by an outpouring of O’Briens, led by his wife Leona and father-in-law Leo.
Travers Day at Saratoga provided winning opportunities for Coolmore and Mike Ryan. Coolmore is a partner in Jack Christopher, which won the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes, and in Verifying, a 2-year-old first-time starter which won the first race on the card.
Noble Emotion, a 5-year-old gelding that Ryan owns in partnership with Sarah Sutherland, captured the seventh race, a second-level allowance optional claiming sprint on the turf. Three of Noble Emotion’s five career wins have come at Saratoga.
