Weekend Hideaway moving better than his trainer

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Phil Serpe had an MRI scheduled for Thursday on his knee, which he first injured this winter in Florida and reinjured Monday while watching Weekend Hideaway win the $200,000 Commentator Stakes at Belmont Park.

“Better me than him,” Serpe said Wednesday morning while watching horses train in the rain at Belmont. “I’ll live to fight another day.”

So will Weekend Hideaway, who surpassed the $1 million mark in career earnings with his nose victory over Diversify in the Commentator. Weekend Hideaway, a 7-year-old son of Speightstown, improved his record to 12 wins from 39 starts.

Serpe said Weekend Hideaway will get a well-deserved rest. He is not sure where the horse would make his next start, noting that he’d like to get the horse a graded-stakes opportunity. Weekend Hideaway is 0 for 8 in such races, though he finished third, beaten just two lengths, in last year’s Grade 1 Vosburgh.

“We’ve been trying to win one of those big races with him,” Serpe said. “He ran well in the Vosburgh. So, we’ll try again, but at 7 years old we want him to get everything done he can, and he’s already done more than we can ever ask for.”