Former jockey Torres taught First Resort patience

Several days before the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes on Nov. 30 at Churchill Downs, trainer Eoin Harty lamented the impatience with which First Resort, a 2-year-old colt he trains for Godolphin, approached the Saratoga Special on Aug. 10. Making his second start following a debut victory at Ellis Park, First Resort held gamely to finish second of eight in the Saratoga Special after compromising his chances dueling for the lead on a fast pace.

The colt who went too fast in a summer sprint won the Kentucky Jockey Club by 2 1/4 lengths rating kindly on a slow route pace. First Resort put to good use lessons learned over the last four months. His main teacher, according to Harty, has been Cisco Torres, who rode the last of his 3,194 career winners (in sanctioned races) in 2017. Torres, 55, books mounts at Turfway Park for jockeys Orlando Mojica and Andres Calleja, but also has become a regular work rider for Harty’s string at Turfway.

:: Get the Inside Track with the FREE DRF Morning Line Email Newsletter. Subscribe now.

“He’s been a key player in the operation this year,” Harty said. “He’s worked First Resort in particular since the beginning. He worked him extensively prior to him breaking his maiden and the race at Saratoga, and he’s the one who has taught that horse how to rate and relax. I talked to him about some things, and he has carried it out. Before Saratoga, he was just running over the top of horses if you tried to work him behind.”

First Resort, who earned an 88 Beyer Speed Figure in the Kentucky Jockey Club, returned to the track Wednesday morning after coming out of his race in good condition, Harty said. By Uncle Mo, First Resort is out of the Street Boss mare Fair Maiden. Harty trained Fair Maiden, whose 2020 win in the Grade 1 La Brea was Harty’s most recent in a graded stakes until First Resort’s Kentucky Jockey Club. First Resort will have a period of relatively light training through December, Harty said, and will be aimed at a Kentucky Derby prep race in February.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.