Saratoga Giro wins first stakes in George W. Barker

Saratoga Giro is the new king of the hill at Finger Lakes.

On Monday, for the second consecutive time, Saratoga Giro put away three-time reigning horse of the meet Breakin the Fever on the lead and went on to victory. Breakin the Fever finished last in the five-horse field but only was beaten four lengths.

Saratoga Giro won the $50,000 George W. Barker Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths. On May 12, he won an allowance race by 4 1/4 lengths, with Breakin the Fever weakening to third.

When the gates opened for the six-furlong race, Saratoga Giro bounded to the lead under jockey Jeremias Flores. He was joined from the inside by Breakin the Fever and the pair raced as a team through a half-mile in 44.76 before Saratoga Giro gained the upper hand. He continued bravely in the stretch to hold off late-running Manipulated.

Mighty Zealous tracked the pacesetters early before lodging a three-wide move nearing the stretch. Saratoga Giro was moving too quickly, however, and Mighty Zealous was never able to actually reach him.

Mighty Zealous finished third, three-quarters of a length behind Manipulated.

Sundae on Sunday, who was last early, caught Breakin the Fever for fourth in deep stretch.

Saratoga Giro paid $3.80 in the five-horse field of New York-breds.

The final time over a "good" track was 1:11.20. Saratoga Giro covered his final furlong in a tepid 13.77 and the last quarter-mile in 26.46.

Saratoga Giro is a 5-year-old son of Girolamo, who is trained by Paul Barrow and co-owned by Barrow and Henry Steadman. He has alternated between Finger Lakes, Aqueduct, and Saratoga during his career and now has eight wins at Finger Lakes and two at Aqueduct.

Last year at 4, he won two of four starts. In 2016, he was 1 for 6. In total, he is 10 for 26 with earnings of $195,202.

The Barker is the first stakes win for Saratoga Giro, who has never been better.

► For the third time this meet, Finger Lakes has canceled its Wednesday card to conserve the horse population.