Monte Crista has it all her way in Riskaverse

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Monte Crista stepped on the big stage in New York for the first time and came away with rave reviews after registering a 1 1/4 length decision over the 2-1 favorite Tapit Today in Thursday’s $100,000 Riskaverse at Saratoga.

The Maryland-based Monte Crista registered a pair of wins at Laurel and one at Monmouth Park before having her three-race win streak snapped last month after encountering bad racing luck in the Ta Wee stakes at Indiana Grand. But she had no such issues in the one-mile Riskaverse.

Monte Crista raced forwardly placed from the outset under jockey Jose Ortiz, readily took control midway on the second turn, settled into the stretch with a comfortable advantage, and was never seriously threatened thereafter. Tapit Today, never far back, split horses launching her final bid in early stretch, rallied mildly, and was easily second best. Goodthingstaketime finished another 2 1/2 lengths farther back in third after a wide trip.

Monte Crista, who finished far back launching her career over the main track at Laurel in March, is a 3-year-old daughter of Cape Blanco owned by Country Life Farm. She completed the distance in 1:37.28 over the firm course and paid $10.20.

“She’s developing one race after another and seems to be wanting to get better and better,” said trainer Michael Trombetta. “She was a little unlucky in Indiana. Started out with a poor start and got stuck behind a slow pace, then eventually losing ground in the turn. Nothing really went in her favor.”

But everything went in Monte Crista’s favor in the Riskaverse.

“Jose was determined to put her right in the race – he thought that there wouldn’t be a lot of pace, and he was spot on,” said Trombetta. “Only going a mile and getting away with a pace like this, in 50 and change, was a blessing. These owners have been longtime supporters of us, it’s not easy to come up here to Saratoga and win a stakes, and we don’t take this kind of thing for granted.”