Rice sends out King Kreesa to face his old buddies in Kingston

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Linda Rice, like most observers, has marveled at the exploits of New York turf stalwarts King Kreesa, Lubash, and Kharafa, who have combined to race 129 times, win 41 races, and earn $3.9 million.

On Monday, Rice will be smack dab in the middle of this three-pronged rivalry as the new trainer of King Kreesa, who will make his 8-year-old debut in the $125,000 Kingston, one of six stakes restricted to New York-breds on New York Showcase Day.

“They’ve been quite the competitors, and they go back and forth,” Rice said. “I’ve been watching those guys run for years now. They’ve been quite formidable.”

The three have faced each other in the Kingston in three of the last four years. King Kreesa won it in 2013, Lubash won it in 2015, and King Kreesa, Kharafa and Lubash ran 2-3-4 behind Tapitation in 2016. In 2014, Kharafa beat Lubash, while King Kreesa didn’t run.

David Donk trained King Kreesa for the last three seasons. Susan and Gerald Kresa moved the horse to Rice about three months ago.

“They told me he’s a pretty tough horse to train, strong to gallop,” Rice said. “They forewarned me of that, and he is. But he’s settled in nicely, we’ve gotten familiar with him over the last 60 to 90 days, and I’m happy with the way he’s coming into it. He might be a little bit short, but I think he’s in pretty good shape. A pretty neat horse is what he is.”

Entries for the Kingston as well as the other five New York-bred stakes for Memorial Day were to be taken Friday.