Heart to Heart gives Lynch another in Better Talk Now

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - He was born in Australia, is based in Canada, but trainer Brian Lynch has really found a home in New York this year.
Lynch won his fifth race from 14 starters on the New York Racing Association circuit in 2014 when he sent out Heart to Heart to a three-length gate-to-wire victory in Wednesday’s $100,000 Better Talk Now Stakes at Saratoga.

Los Borrachos rallied from last to be second by 2 3/4 lengths over Pure Sensation. Here’s Johnny, Mark My Way, Storming Into and Craftsman completed the order of finish.

Earlier this year, at Belmont, Lynch won the Grade 1 Just a Game with Coffee Clique, the Grade 3 Fort Marcy with Five Iron, and the Grade 2 Belmont Sprint Championship with Clearly Now. Earlier this meet, Lynch won an allowance race with Silver Freak and just missed winning the Fourstardave with Grand Arch, who was nosed out by Seek Again.

“Aussie boy in New York, I love it,” Lynch said.

On Aug. 30, Lynch is bringing Clearly Now to Saratoga for the Grade 1 Forego.

Lynch brought Heart to Heart to Saratoga because opportunities to run in races restricted to 3-year-olds at a mile like the Better Talk Now are starting to become rare. Also, Lynch said, Heart to Heart relishes races run around two turns.

“He really runs the turns well, this horse," Lynch said. "That’s one of his assets and he loves two-turn racing.”

Under John Velazquez, Heart to Heart bounced quickly out of the gate and opened up a one-length lead, which he maintained through fractions of 23.48 seconds for the quarter and 47.03 for a half-mile. Heart to Heart opened up a three-length lead in midstretch, which he maintained to the wire.

“He got [the lead] comfortably," Lynch said. "They left him alone. He was unpressured there. He got game."

Heart to Heart, a son of English Channel owned by Terry Hamilton, covered the mile in 1:33.97. He returned $9.70 as the third choice.