Donk has memorable afternoon with three-bagger at the Spa
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer David Donk enjoyed a memorable afternoon Sunday, winning three races on Saratoga’s 10-race card.
Donk won race 4, a $40,000 claimer, with Sky Kitten ($37); race 7, a first-level New York-bred allowance with Winning Factor ($19.60); and the eighth, an allowance race for statebred females with the 8-year-old mare Jc’s Shooting Star ($22.20).
“Now, it’s sinking in,” Donk said Monday from Belmont Park, where he went to check on his downstate string. “Obviously, a great day. Three horses who were nowhere near the favorites. I thought they could run well, I’d be hard-pressed to say any of the three could win. They each got great trips. A lot of fun. A lot of fun for the clients, that’s the biggest kicker.”
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Winning Factor, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of The Factor, won for the third straight time after losing his first 12 starts. Jc’s Shooting Star won for the eighth time in her 55th career start.
“Winning Factor, I don’t know how good he is, but he continues to improve,” Donk said. “Jc, at 8 years old, still being able to win, it was a great day.”
◗ Lady C became the first racing-related casualty of the Saratoga meet when she had to be euthanized after suffering an injury to her left hind leg during the running of Sunday’s third race, a $25,000 claiming event.
Lady C was pulled up by jockey David Cohen and vanned off, but her injuries proved unsalvageable.
Lady C, a 4-year-old daughter of San Pablo, was trained by Tom Amoss for Bayou Bengal Racing Stable.