Travers win would put capper on Saratoga's Summer of Saez

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – This is the kind of summer it’s been at Saratoga for jockey Luis Saez: On Aug. 13, he was named on two first-time starters in a New York-bred maiden race. His first call was Makin My Move, who was three deep on the also-eligible list. When she didn’t get into the race, Saez rode his second call, Sue Ellen Mishkin, to a 7 1/4-length victory.

A week later, when the maiden race was offered again, Saez rode Makin My Move to a 12 1/2-length debut victory.

On Aug. 20, Saez was named to ride Hillard in a claiming race on turf. The race was rained off to the dirt, Saez picked up the mount on Mr. Briggs, who was entered to run only if the race was run on dirt, and he gets another victory.

Circumstances like those have helped Saez win 49 races through the first 29 days of the 40-day Saratoga meet, giving him a commanding lead atop the standings over Jose Ortiz (39) and Irad Ortiz Jr. (36), who have combined to win the last six Saratoga titles. Should Saez finish on top, it would be his first riding title at any New York Racing Association track. Saez won this past spring’s Keeneland riding title.

“It would mean a lot to me, a lot to my family,” Saez said Saturday during a brief break on a day he rode three winners. “Saratoga is the toughest place to be and win the title. It would be big for us, a dream come true. That’s where every jockey wants to be. I feel like we have the chance, we have the talent, we’re here and we’re enjoying where we are right now.”

Saez ranks third in North America in wins (191), purse money won ($15.95 million), stakes wins (34) and graded stakes (21) wins. Those numbers don’t include his victory on Mystic Guide in the $12 million Dubai World Cup in March.

Saez figures to enjoy where he’ll be late Saturday afternoon when he rides Essential Quality, the presumptive heavy favorite in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes, the premier race of the meet.

Essential Quality, last year’s 2-year-old champion, is coming off victories in the Belmont Stakes and Jim Dandy. Though Essential Quality beat Keepmeinmind by only a half-length in the Jim Dandy, Saez believes the margin could have been greater.

“I feel like he wants to pass the last horse and he just wants to stay there,” Saez said. “He doesn’t want to use more energy for no reason. That’s something I really like about him. I think he’s pretty smart.”

Saez also feels like Essential Quality is more mature than when he rode him earlier in his career. The same could be said about Saez, who at age 29 has had to deal with much adversity on and off the track.

Seven years ago, Saez’s brother Juan died as the result of injuries suffered in a on-track accident at Indiana Grand.

In 2013, Saez won the Travers aboard Will Take Charge, but then had to withstand the baseless accusation from Eric Guillot, the trainer of runner-up Moreno, that he was carrying an electrical device to make the horse run faster. An investigation ensued and Saez was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Then, in 2019, Saez finished first in the Kentucky Derby aboard Maximum Security only to be disqualified for interference. He rode that same horse to victory in the $20 million Saudi Cup, but he was never compensated for the ride after Saudi officials put a hold on the purse. Maximum Security’s accomplishments have been tainted due to the actions of trainer Jason Servis, who is accused of using misbranded drugs on his horses.

Meanwhile, Saez in New York alone accumulated six careless riding suspensions from April 2018 through August 2019.

“There’s always been drama everywhere in the sport,” Saez said. “It’s something that’s not for me. I keep my head up. I just look forward and do what I know – ride horses, enjoy my moment. Those moments are gone, so I try to look forward.”

In the spring of 2019, Saez hired the former trainer Kiaran McLaughlin to be his jockey agent, taking over for Richard DePass, who decided to retire. McLaughlin, who has helped Saez get on better stock, has been impressed with the jockey’s work ethic in addition to his talent.

On Friday, Saez is named to ride in 10 of 11 races at Saratoga. He will then catch a private plane bound for West Virginia where he will ride Art Collector in the $800,000 Charles Town Classic. He will return to ride Saturday’s Travers Day card.

“He never complains and he’s working hard,” McLaughlin said. “Not that everybody else isn’t working hard. We’re on a good roll right now. His confidence is sky high, he’s riding unbelievable, getting on nice horses and riding for all the right people.”

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One of those people is Brad Cox, trainer of Essential Quality. Cox and Saez go back to 2016 when Saez rode Spelling Again to victory in the Grade 2 Princess Rooney at Gulfstream.

“People ask me how would you sum up Luis,” Cox said. “I say with the success he’s had in America, the success he’s had in Saudi, the success he’s had in Dubai, he’s a world-class rider. Bottom line, he can compete anywhere in the world for sure. He obviously gets along with this horse extremely well.”

Saez is 6 for 7 on Essential Quality. Saez doesn’t see why the colt’s winning ways won’t continue Saturday.

“The Travers is going to be a little tougher race, but I’m pretty confident he’s going to be all right,” Saez said.