Comical by a neck in muddy Schuylerville renewal

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Hockey is his profession. Horse racing has become his passion.

For Erik Johnson, Thursday was as good as it gets in racing as the 2-year-old filly Comical he owns in partnership held off Kiss the Girl to win the Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville Stakes by a neck at soggy Saratoga. It was a half-length back to Shippy in third. The first- and third-place finishers are both trained by Doug O’Neill.

For Johnson, a defenseman for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League, it was his first win at Saratoga. The only other horse he ran here was Tulira’s Star, the first horse he ever bought into, who finished third in the 2014 Schuylerville.

“To win a race here is a great feeling, I don’t take for granted how difficult it is,” Johnson said in the Saratoga winner’s circle as rain began to fall. “People spend a lot of time and money to get here and to win a race here means a lot. The team put in a ton of tough hours to get her here. I’m so grateful to own her.”

Johnson owns Comical with Gary Barber, Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables and Dave Kenney.

Comical, a daughter of Into Mischief, won her debut at Santa Anita on May 26 by a widening six lengths. According to O’Neill in an e-mail last week, the Schuylerville became the goal shortly thereafter.

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The Schuylerville was run over a muddy track after heavy rains hit Saratoga midway through the opening-day card.

Integral, a debut winner for Todd Pletcher at Gulfstream, spurted to the lead under Luis Saez, running an opening quarter in 22.54 seconds and a half-mile in 46.24 with Comical a length back. Kiss the Girl and Shippy, the even-money favorite, were together third and fourth.

Turning for home, Integral floated the field a path or two off the rail, and Comical shied from her, according to Castellano. But Comical kept on charging at Integral from the outside, while Shippy was trying to come up the inside.

Comical was able to hold off Shippy and Kiss the Girl, who was able to outfinish Shippy for second. Following Shippy in the order of finish were Buxom Beast, Integral, Lula’s Roadrunner, His Glory, and Lady Fatima. Aurelia Garland scratched due to a foot issue, according to trainer Wesley Ward.

Comical covered the six furlongs in 1:11.66 over the muddy surface and returned $8.20 as the second choice.

“She kept digging all the way to the end,” Castellano said. “I like the way she did it, very professional.”

Comical is expected to return to Southern California and Johnson said he would like to run her in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on closing weekend of that track’s meet.

Meanwhile, Kiss the Girl gave trainer Todd Pletcher his sixth runner-up performance in the Schuylerville to go along with his six victories in the traditional Saratoga opening day stakes.

Kiss the Girl ran in spots, according to John Velazquez.

“When they opened up a length and a half she didn’t know what to do, she’s running, she’s stopping she’s running,” Velazquez said. “I hit her right-handed she ducked in, I hit her left-handed she ducked out – mama, just run straight. She’s just green.”