Saez has monster opening weekend, takes a Grade 1 each day

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Luis Saez enjoyed a stellar opening weekend at Keeneland, winning nine races, including a Grade 1 stakes each day.

Saez, whose agent is former trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, kicked things off by winning a pair of races Friday, including the Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes with Simply Ravishing. His three wins on Saturday included the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity aboard Essential Quality and the Grade 2 Woodford Stakes on Leinster.

Saez got the call on the promising juvenile Essential Quality after Shaun Bridgmohan rode the colt in his debut last month at Churchill Downs.

“I was watching the replay when he ran last time, and he looked like, ‘Wow, what a horse,’ ” Saez said. “And today he proved that he’s a very good horse. He did it pretty easy. He was a little green when he came to the track – he was looking around a little bit – but he took off. He was running.

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“What a horse. I’m so glad I’m on this horse.”

Saez became the 10th jockey to take Keeneland’s two 2-year-old Grade 1’s in the same year, and the first since Rafael Bejarano in 2004. The others to accomplish that double are Pat Day (1995), Jose Santos (1989), Sandy Hawley (1986), Daryl Montoya (1984), Eddie Delahoussaye (1978), Don Brumfield (1972), W.D. Lucas (1963), and John Rotz (1959).

Saez capped his outstanding weekend by winning four races on the Sunday card, including both graded stakes for trainer Todd Pletcher, the Grade 1 Spinster with Valiance and the Grade 2 Bourbon with Mutasaabeq.