Monday, August 25, 2008

LADY RIZZI SETS MELLON COURSE RECORD

Lady Rizzi set the Mellon Turf Course record of 1:00.66 for five and a half furlongs at Saratoga Race Course on Sunday afternoon, winning the seventh race by three lengths over entrymate Myakka in the allowance/optional claiming event for New York-bred fillies and mares.

The previous record of 1:01.11 was set by Second in Command – who was once trained by Rice -- in the Troy Stakes on August 14, 2006.

“I set the course record? Are you sure the gate was set in the right spot?,” Rice quipped.


With the portable rails down, Sort of Trick exploded to the lead with a 21.07 first quarter-mile. She went the half-mile in 43.24 seconds, setting up Lady Rizzi’s finish.

“I didn’t expect the pace to be as quick as it was,” Rice said. “We were going to put Myakka on the pace and have Lady Rizzi sit behind the speed. When the first fraction was put up, I thought we were in pretty good shape.”

Owned by John Donato and ridden by Cornelio Velasquez, Lady Rizzi is a five-year-old daughter of Rizzi. Her victory was worth $9.30 to the $2 win players.

This has turned out to be a meet of milestones for Rice, who on August 18 saddled the first four finishers of the Mechanicville Stakes – Ahvee’s Destiny, Canadian Ballet, Silver Timber and Karakorum Elektra.

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