Jockey Alan Garcia had already ensured himself of at least a tie with John Velazquez for the Saratoga Race Course leading rider title earlier on the meet’s Closing Day card Monday afternoon.

So, when he went to post aboard Vineyard Haven in the 104th running of the Grade 1, $250,000 Three Chimneys Hopeful, Garcia just wanted a clean trip and to give his horse a fighting chance.

He did just that, and got more than a little help from Cribnote and Munnings to win the seven-furlong sprint for two-year-olds by two and a quarter lengths in 1:23.40 on the fast track. It was Garcia’s 39th winner of the 36-day meet.

The 28,578 spectators saw that Munnings, who ran third, had a dismal start, and that Cribnote, who was game to run second after blowing the turn, were simply unlucky. But nothing can be taken away from Vineyard Haven, a Lido Palace colt who set fractions of 22.68, 45.17 and 1:10.11 on the fast track. Third in the mud in the Grade 2, six-furlong Sanford on July 24 after being steadied, Vineyard Haven was strong to the finish and rewarded his backers with a $2 win payoff of $20.40.

“Obviously, everything counts,” said winning owner/trainer Bobby Frankel. “I was worried about a lot of horses. I wasn’t thinking about Cribnote when we were running. I liked this race. It’s a big thrill. I know we’ll be getting some good offers because he won like a really nice horse. I think we’ll keep him, but it depends. We’ll play it by ear and enjoy this race. Maybe, we’ll look at the Champagne [Grade 1, $400,000, one mile, Belmont Park, October 4].”

Cribnote showed plenty of ability and finished two lengths ahead of Munnings for the place.

“He’s very talented,” said trainer Rick Violette Jr. “All the way down the backside, it looked like he was afraid of horses inside of him. I think he was tons the best today. I thought maybe when he turned the corner coming for home, he might finally cooperate and straighten out. He was still looking at them like they were ghosts inside of him and he wanted to get away from them. For him to be second is pretty miraculous.”

Break Water Edison ran fourth, ending trainer John Kimmel’s streak of seven consecutive winners at Saratoga Race Course.

Notonthesamepage, Desert Party, Medaglia d’Onore and Cognito trailed.

THREE CHIMNEYS HOPEFUL QUOTES

Winning trainer Bobby Frankel of Vineyard Haven (No. 5): “Obviously, everything counts. I was worried about a lot of horses. I wasn’t thinking about Cribnote when we were running. I liked this race. It’s a big thrill. I know we’ll be getting some good offers because he won like a really nice horse. I think we’ll keep him, but it depends. We’ll play it by ear and enjoy this race. Maybe, we’ll look at the Champagne [Grade 1, $400,000, one mile, Belmont Park, October 4].

Winning jockey Alan Garcia (clinches first Saratoga riding title; 39 wins, named on Paisano Creek in today’s 11th race): “This horse has been working very good. When I got to the paddock, Mr. Frankel said, `Go with it, and do what you have to do.’”

Rick Violette Jr. , trainer of runner-up Cribnote (No. 8): “He’s very talented. All the way down the backside, it looked like he was afraid of horses inside of him. I think he was tons the best today. I thought maybe when he turned the corner coming for home, he might finally cooperate and straighten out. He was still looking at them like they were ghosts inside of him and he wanted to get away from them. For him to be second is pretty miraculous.”

Todd Pletcher, trainer of third-place finisher Munnings (No. 4): “He didn’t break well, but after that he ran well.”

John Velazquez, jockey of Munnings: “Too much to do.”