No catching Rinaldi in Cab Calloway
By Jeff Scott winner/former claimer, picked Wednesday to take another step forward. Making just his third career start (and his first on turf), the son of Posse – who had out-finished the favorite in another NYSS race on June 23 – out-fought several horses for the early advantage, and then proceeded to lead the field on a merry chase around the Saratoga oval.
Funny Guy, who enjoyed a good stalking trip under regular rider Rajiv Maragh, looked like he might pose a threat coming off the turn. But Rinaldi took the corner well and more or less drew off from there. The margin was 2½ lengths at the furlong pole and 4¼ at the wire. The running time for a mile over an Inner Turf course rated “good” was 1:36.28.
Funny Guy finished 3½ lengths clear of Albie for the place. They were followed by Dashing Dan, Honorable Hero, Smooth Tales, Six Percent and Bettor Bank On It.
“He’s just stepping up the ladder slowly,” said winning trainer Jim Bond. “We were hoping he would handle the distance and [turf] course, and he answered that call. I left it up to [winning rider] Luis [Saez] because I’m not the one out there on that turf course.
“[Rinaldi’s] got poise and class, and he wants [to win] more than some others do,” Bond added.
Saez, who has been aboard for all three of Rinaldi’s races, was impressed.
“He broke great. He was sharp and put me right there. At the half-mile pole, I felt that I had a lot of horse. Turning for home, he just took off. He’s really talented.”
Rinaldi, who was bumped into stakes competition after finishing third in his MSW debut, has earned $173,640 for Bond Racing Stable. The 3-year-old gelding was bred in New York by Barry R. Ostrager. Rinaldi was a $5,000 weanling purchase in 2016.