Scramjet's Funny Cide win caps sensational meet for Rice
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Linda Rice may not have captured the trainer’s title, but she still had a sensational summer at Saratoga.
Rice capped her terrific meet on Monday when Scramjet won the $200,000 Funny Cide Stakes for New York-bred 2-year-olds by two lengths. It was the 40th win of the meet for Rice, which was two shy of Chad Brown, who won his ninth Saratoga meet. Rice’s 40 wins was her personal best at Saratoga, surpassing the 35 wins she had in 2023, when she was the leading trainer.
Rice won three races on Monday’s card, the 10th time during this 45-day meet that she won multiple races on a Saratoga card. Rice, from 198 starters, also had 22 seconds and 34 thirds, and her horses earned $3.1 million in purse money.
“Listen, it’s been a great meet. Obviously, there are things that go amiss along the way – even today – but who am I to complain? We had a great meet,” Rice said. “My staff did a great job, my clients have been very supportive. Certainly, I’m happy with it.”
Scramjet gave Rice her third stakes win of the meet and a sweep of the closing week’s juvenile stakes for New York-breds. On Friday, she won the Seeking the Ante with Velora. It was also her fifth win of the meet with a 2-year-old, including Dargham, a son of Army Mule who brought $500,000 at the 2-year-old in training sale and who won at first asking earlier on Monday’s card.
“They’ve really performed. We had a good meet with our 2-year-olds, that’s for sure,” Rice said.
In the Funny Cide, Scramjet, under Ricardo Santana Jr., stalked the pacesetting D I Wire through a half-mile in 45.88 seconds. Scramjet took over at the five-sixteenths pole, then kicked clear to get the win, his second in as many starts.
“He’s really trained well. I liked our post position today. It’s not a huge field, which is always good to let these horses learn,” Rice said. “Ricardo, I had him work him in the morning. That was helpful. He could get a feel for the horse. As he observed, this horse will probably be better going further where he doesn’t have to be rushed.”
Scramjet, a son of Uncle Mo owned and bred by Stephen Barberino, covered the six furlongs in 1:10.15 and returned $6.36.
Professor Plum rallied from fifth to finish second by 2 1/4 lengths over Fullcup, the 8-5 favorite. Mindfield, D I Wire, and Midnight Raider completed the order of finish.
The win was the third on the card for Santana, who finished the meet with 45 wins, fourth in the standings. Seven of his wins came in stakes.
“All the credit I need to give first to God and my agent, P.J. [Campo], he does an amazing job,” Santana said. “I’ve only been working with him for 15, 16 months and I’m so thankul I decided to come to New York with him.”
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