Adam Rice continuing family’s Spa success

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In 2009, Linda Rice was the leading trainer at Saratoga, becoming the first woman to win that coveted crown.

Thus far in 2015, Adam Rice – Linda’s nephew – is the leading trainer by winning percentage at Saratoga, having won with both of his starters. Adam Rice, 24, will go for his third win on Friday when he sends out two runners in the $100,000 Schenectady, a 5 1/2-furlong stakes for 2-year-olds scheduled for the turf.

Rice’s first winner in New York came with Don’t Be So Salty, who rallied from off the pace to win a maiden turf sprint Aug. 2. Don’t Be So Salty is running in the Schenectady. Rice struck again six days later with Monster Bea, a 2-year-old gelding by Hat Trick who won a 1 1/16-mile turf race in his second start.

Rice said he bought Monster Bea for $2,000 after his girlfriend, Kimberly Wright, pointed the horse out to him at last year’s Fasig-Tipton October yearling sale. After Monster Bea won here, Rice sold the horse, though he declined to say to whom.

“It’s a dream for us to run a horse up there and sell it for a reasonable amount of money and continue on with life,” Rice said Wednesday by phone from Presque Isle Downs.

Rice said he brought Don’t Be So Salty to Saratoga because he thought he was among his best juvenile prospects.

“I thought he was capable of winning first out, just not necessarily at Saratoga,” Rice said. “I’ve done well over here with most of my babies and first-time starters. He excelled going into it, and I just had confidence that if he was going to be one of the best ones I had [at Presque Isle], maybe take him somewhere else.”