Gygistar gets trip in King's Bishop
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Owner Edward P. Evans and trainer Mark Hennig, the connections behind Grade 1 Personal Ensign winner Summer Colony on Friday, were back in the winner's circle 24 hours later with Gygistar, the winner of the $200,000 .
The Grade 1 King's Bishop, which topped the Travers undercard, featured eight 3-year-old sprinters after the scratch of Najran earlier in the day.
With his win in the King's Bishop, Gygistar is undefeated in five start this year, including four stakes.
John Velazquez, aboard Summer Colony for her win on Friday, rode Gygistar, who was a three-length winner over Boston Common. It was another nine lengths back to Thunder Days in third. The order of finish was completed by Day Trader, Smooth Jazz, Danielles Magic, Folkestone Park, and Labamta Babe.
Gygistar, the 7-5 favorite, received a perfect stalking trip over the sloppy track.
While Day Trader and Boston Common dueled down the backstretch through a quarter-mile in 22.26 seconds, Gygistar tracked the leaders in third.
After a half-mile in a swift 44.91, Gygistar charged three wide into the stretch and seized the lead with a furlong remaining.
Hennig said he anticipated that there would have been more horses battling for the early lead in the seven-furlong King's Bishop, so he thought Gygistar would have been farther back.
"I was happy to see him there," Hennig said. "I was confident then that he was handling the mud."
Velazquez, who rode three previous winners on the card, said, "He was on the bridle all the way around. He handled [the mud] perfect."
Gygistar, a son of Prospector's Music bred by Evans, was sick after winning the Grade 2 Dwyer at Belmont Park on July 7. After the Dwyer, Hennig said he lost about 10 days of training with Gygistar.
Hennig's main goal for the gelding is the $1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint on Oct. 26 at Arlington Park.
Hennig said he had plenty of options to get Gygistar to Chicago, including the $150,000 Jerome at Belmont Park on Sept. 14. The Grade 2 Jerome is a mile race.