Joseph O’Brien’s Summer at Racecourse Saratoga got off to a rough start on July 22.
Based in Ireland, O’Brien’s Alexis Zorba was slow out of the gate in the first race, a long 5 1/2 test on the Mellon Turf field. The 6-5 favorite, at the hands of Hall of Fame athlete John Velazquez, rallied to finish in fourth but was never a threat.
O’Brien, 29, said: “Johnny said she behaved inappropriately in the gate.
O’Brien is the son of world famous Irish coach Aidan O’Brien. Alexis Zorba, 2-year-old son of Zoustar is starting his third career.
“It looks like he wants to go a little further,” O’Brien said.
O’Brien said he will leave Saratoga and return to Ireland on July 23. He said he will return to participate in the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Juried Sale on August 8-9. .
O’Brien was here last summer to saddle his horse Rest state win the $1 million Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) tournament and Messidor finished seventh in the $700,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes (G3T).
This was the first time O’Brien had rammed Saratoga with his horse in a long time. He has been allocated six booths by the New York Racing Association. regenerative forcea 2 year old pony of Air Force Blue will run in the first race on July 23, a 1/16-mile event in the courtyard.
O’Brien said of having horses at Spa: “There are huge bonuses. “We’re hoping we’ll have some horses that will compete here.”
O’Brien is a former European champion jockey who won the 2011 Emirates Airline ‘Cup Turf (G1T) Breeders’ Cup with St Nicholas Monastery for his father.
After the first race on July 22, O’Brien stood outside the winners’ circle and talked about Saratoga. He’s been to the majestic racetracks in Europe and doesn’t want to start comparing them to Saratoga.
“I don’t think I need to make a case for Saratoga,” O’Brien said. “You see the support this meeting has received around the world. Each racetrack in Europe and America has its own identity. We are delighted to be here.”
