Via Egnatia follows pedigree to dirt

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott has only one starter on Friday’s opening-day card at Saratoga, but he may have the most interesting horse on the 10-race program.

Via Egnatia, a 3-year-old son of Distorted Humor out of the Grade 1-winning dam Honest Lady, is entered in a first-level allowance going six furlongs on the dirt. Honest Lady, a half-sister to Empire Maker, produced First Defence, who in 2008 won the Grade 1 Forego here for Bobby Frankel.

Via Egnatia, owned by her breeders, Juddmonte Farms, went 1 for 5 in Europe for trainer John Gosden. He came to Mott in the spring and shows four works over the Oklahoma dirt training track.

“He’s bred for the dirt and he’s worked well here,” Mott said. “He’s bred to be quick. I thought we’d start him out here and go from there.”

Via Egnatia will be ridden by Julien Leparoux from post 5. The race includes the return of Takaful to the races. Takaful, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, has not run back to his eight-length debut win from last October. Takaful was entered in a spot similar to Friday’s at Belmont, but ran off pre-race and was scratched.

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