Brian Lynch was one of the last people out of the Saratoga Race Course paddock a few minutes before Wednesday’s inaugural running of the $100,000 Better Talk Now Stakes.
When he made it to the spot where the plastic fenced walkway hits the pavement, he snuck a quick glance up at the lighted odds, saw Heart to Heart at 7/2 and made his way to the clubhouse. He checked the odds again when he hit the big screen area, walked out front, back inside, and finally to a smaller monitor near the betting windows.
Lynch watched the 1-mile turf stakes from there, and he watched it unfold exactly the way he wanted. Heart the Heart led the Better Talk Now field from the start, spurted away on both turns and waltzed to a 3-length win under John Velazquez.
“He got [the lead] comfortably and they left him alone,” Lynch said. “He was unpressured there, he got game and like I said, I really think this horse runs the turns well. He sort of surprised us how he scoots away from them. When he does that he gets his confidence. Absolutely thrilled with the way he ran.”
Heart to Heart is the latest shipper from Lynch’s barn at Woodbine to make an impression in New York.
To read the rest of the Better Talk Now recap, download Thursday’s digital edition of The Saratoga Special presented by Keeneland Sales.
