DiSanto’s name lives on at Saratoga
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. »
Local owner, trainer and breeder Glenn DiSanto died Jan. 14 at age 62 after a long battle with cancer, but his impact on racing is far from over.
His namewas recalled Friday at Saratoga Race Course when Quick on the Draw, still owned by DiSanto’s Summit View Farm — along with Sportsmen Stable — came home to win Race 1.
“It was a very emotional race,” his brother Gary DiSanto said. “We all felt that Glenn was riding that horse.”
Summit View Farm is in Greenwich, about 30minutes from the Spa andsomeof the DiSanto family joined trainer James Bond in the winner’s circle, including his 21-yearold son Brendon.
“It was awesome, he was here,” Brendon DiSanto said. “I’m speechless. We just want to thank (trainer) Jim Bond.”
Even more fittingly, Saturday would have been Glenn DiSanto’s 63rd birthday. About 200 members of his family set up camp in the backyard to celebrate his memory and Race 4 on WhitneyDaywas named The Glenn DiSanto Memorial. They could be seen around the Race Course with yellow and black pins that said, “GD Glenn DiSanto 1954-2017.”
Some of his immediate family — wife Melanie, son Brendon, sister Diane and brothers Gary andBruceDiSanto — watched the fourth race from the winner’s circle and took a photo with 22-1 longshot winner Trumpi.
“Glenn always shared the excitement of Saratoga with the whole family,” Diane Baran said. “He used to get us in the box or the backstretch or the winner’s circle with him. Everybody felt important and special.”
“I think today was the first day I waited in line,” Bruce DiSanto said.
Trumpi, a 2-year-old Majestic Warrior colt, broke his maiden at first asking for trainer Bill Mott. He won in front-running fashion, completing 1 1/16-miles on a firm Mellon turf course in 1:42.13 and paid $47.40 to win.
“I didn’t know him well but he was a professional,” Mott said of DiSanto. “He’s one of the guys who will be sorely missed.”
Ortiz leads jockey standings
With the first third of the Saratoga meeting behind us, there’s no surprise the jockey standings are being dominated by the Ortiz brothers.
Coming into Saturday’s races Jose Ortiz held a slim lead over the older Irad Ortiz 21-18 in winners and are 1-2 in the number of mounts as well.
The two are so prolific, they may be the only ones that can stop each other from challenging Ramon Domin- guez’s single meet record of 66 winners set in 2012. As of Saturday morning, Jose Ortiz was one winner off the pace to get to 66 while Irad Ortiz was four off.
For either one of them to challenge the meet record, they’ll likely need at least one big day.
Dominguez rode six winners on the final day of the 2012 meeting to break the previous record of 64 set by John Velazquez when the meet was only 36 days. Dominguez has since retired from riding after a spill and joined Velazquez in the Racing Hall of Fame.
Velazquez also owns the all-time wins record at Saratoga with 870 and counting. Jerry Bailey is second with 693 and Angel Cordero is third with 649.