Saratoga: Hogy beats short field in Troy Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Hogy made his Saratoga debut a winning one, rallying from just off the pace of 6-5 favorite Great Mills for a 1 1/2-length victory in Wednesday’s $100,000 Troy Stakes.

The 5 1/2-furlong Troy was decided over a yielding turf course and, as a result, scratched down to only five starters.

Hogy shipped in from Arlington Park off a second-place finish in the Arlington Sprint. He was making his first start for trainer Wayne Catalano in the Troy.

With jockey Joe Rocco Jr. aboard, Hogy stalked the early pace of Great Mills, who posted a 22.75-second opening quarter and a 45.16 half-mile. Hogy engaged the leader approaching the stretch, forged to a short advantage nearing the eighth pole, and gradually edged clear.

Great Mills outlasted Strong Impact, the winner of the Fiddlers Patriot Stakes last month, by a neck to finish second. Tripski and Mop Head completed the order of finish.

Smash, Varsity, Hear the Footsteps, and Leave of Absence all scratched earlier in the day.

Hogy, owned by William Stiritz, completed the distance in 1:02.61 and returned $6.40.

“Around the turn, I saw the favorite was going kind of easy, so I figured I could squeeze on my horse and press on him a bit,” Rocco said. “[Hogy] shot a head in front real fast, and then I just hoped I hadn’t moved too soon.”