Aqueduct notes: Adsit records first two winners

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Abigail Adsit, a former assistant trainer to Linda Rice, won her first two races last week since going out on her own earlier this year.

On Friday, Adsit won a starter allowance at Aqueduct with Giant Indian. On Saturday, she won a $7,500 claiming race at Parx Racing with Miss Mexique. From seven starters, she has had two winners and a third.

"It was unbelievable, an honor, a lot of hard work that paid off," Adsit said about her first two wins.

Adsit, a graduate of Union College, worked for Rice for three years after working as a freelance exercise rider coming out of college.
"I took my four year-degree in English and turned into Spanglish," Adsit said. "I went from reading Shakespeare to reading the Racing Form."

Adsit, whose father, Eric, is a Standardbred trainer based at Saratoga, said it was always her desire to train horses.
"When people said 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' everyone said a fairy princess. I said a racehorse trainer."

Adsit said she has eight horses in her care, with two more on the way.

Where once she would be outside the paddock helping trainer Linda Rice pick out which horses to claim, now she is competing with Rice at the claim box and on the track.

"She's been a mentor. I've learned so much from her," Adsit said. "I consider her a friend and there's a mutual respect. I sure have [respect] for her."

Said Rice, "She has a horse background. I think she'll do just fine."

** Luis Saez begins riding here on a regular basis starting Friday. Alex Solis will start riding here Saturday.