“Tearing Up a Little Bit”: Equestrian Trainer Gets Emotional as His ‘Favorite’ Horse Gets an Upset Win in $150,000 Stakes Race

Equestrian racing is all about thrill, excitement, and the probability of occurrences. Before every race, people place their bets on the horse they consider could be the winner. These bets are considered and shown when speaking about the horse in terms of odds. But what happens when the horse with the highest odd pulls the unpredictable outcome and creates an upset?

This was witnessed on Sunday in the $150,000 Mahony Stakes at Saratoga Racecourse. The stakes had an unpredictable winner in the form of Closethegame Sugar. Trained by Adam Rice three-year-old gelding had 19-1 odd before the race. Despite having tough competition, the horse managed to pull an upset.

Closethegame Sugar creates an upset at equestrian stakes

Closethegame Sugar was participating in the third race of his career at the five-and-a-half furlong Mellon turf. At the start of the race, Uncashed took the lead, covering a quarter mile in 21:49 and a half mile in 44.64. He was under pressure from Harry Time with No Nay Hudson behind in the third position. Closethegame Sugar settled at the fifth position, racing behind Private Creed. As the race proceed the front-end positions started to change as No Nay Hudson took over with Eye Witness looking for a move.

Overwhelmed by the excitement of the win, the trainer stated, ” I can’t talk and I might be tearing up a little bit“. Closethegame Sugar ridden by Jose Lezcano waited patiently and waited until found a gap between tiring Uncashed and No Nay Hudson at the turn. He surged into the gap and placed his head in front of No Nay Hudson. Private Creed found his perfect stride in a deep stretch competing Eye Witness to his inside as No Nay Hudson tried to stay with Closethegame Sugar. But in the last stretch, Jose pushed Closethegame Sugar, who managed to create a gap of a half-length from Private Creed and won the race in a final time of 1:02.54. Private Creed finished in the second position with Eye Witness in the third.

Closethegame Sugar makes his equestrian rider happy

The trainer got emotional after the race and said, “It’s only my second career stakes win, and to have it be here is something special“. He said that coming to the event he observed his favorite horse was nice. According to him, when the horse is nice, they tell you want they want to do. Now, after the win, the trainer is considering testing the horse on a dirt track. The win thrilled the famed jockey and kept his trust in him.

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The multi-grade stakes winner equestrian jockey Jose Lezcano is happy with the gelding’s winning performance. He said, “He broke sharp and he was right there“. He explained that the horses in the front took on the pace early in the race. That made them tire and his horse had a patient start kept in the middle, with stamina preserved for the surge in the last phase. That is why Closethegame Sugar ” finished very strong and galloped out very well“.

Having started racing in 2022, the three-year-old has one win and a second place before this race. He has earned $144,150 in his entire career to date.

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