Saranac

Rock Lobster earned his second stakes victory in the Saranac on Sunday  (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

Flatbird Stable’s ROCK LOBSTER (Mt. Livermore) made his move in the stretch
to emerge victorious by a neck in Sunday’s $113,900
Saranac S.
(G3) at Saratoga. The chestnut colt rated in midpack as Sadler’s Trick
(Favorite Trick) set soft fractions of :23 1/5, :48 1/5 and
1:12 4/5. After steadily moving forward on the rail under jockey Eibar Coa, Rock
Lobster was then switched wide coming into the lane and overhauled Devil’s Preacher
(Pulpit) in deep stretch. Murch (Mr. Greeley) began making up ground
quickly on the leading pair late, but had to settle for third. Rock Lobster was
able to cross the wire a decisive
winner, wrapping up the 1 3/16-mile affair in 1:57 1/5 over the good
turf.

An outsider in the wagering, the Michael Dickinson trainee was sent off at
8-1 and rewarded his backers with payouts of $19, $9.50 and $7 while leading
lucrative exotics of $167 (exacta), $1,626 (trifecta) and $26,943 for the
2-12-5-11 superfecta. Devil’s Preacher gave back $8.40 and $6.80 at 6-1 while Murch paid $7.90 for the show at 21-1.

Crested (GB) (Fantastic Light) was three parts
of a length back in fourth and followed under the wire by Desert Wheat
(Wheaton), Sadler’s Trick, Classic Pack (Regal Classic), Amigoni (Ire) (Danehill)
and French Beret (Broad Brush). Green Lemon (Lemon Drop Kid), Outperformance
(Aptitude) and Spider Power (Ire) (Royal Applause [GB]) were scratched, along
with main track only entrants Congo King (Horse Chestnut [SAf]) and Thundering
Success (Successful Appeal).