He may be at Saratoga, but Sharp has eyes on another track

When trainer Joe Sharp came to Saratoga three years ago, he finished the meet with eight winners from 29 starters, his best performance since bringing horses to the Spa in 2015.

Heading into his one entry Sunday’s card, Sharp was not that far from reaching that mark, boasting a record of 22-6-0-1 with purse earnings of $329,361.

“It has been a great meet,” he said. “Obviously, we had some good racing luck with the right kind of horses. We have been fortunate to get some good racing luck and getting everything lined up.”

Two of his winners were for owner Brad Grady, led by Troy (G3) winner Fast Boat and maiden winner Flint Ridge.

Fast Boat, a 6-year-old gelding, came off the pace with jockey Tyler Gaffalione to catch long shot Carotari near the finish to win the Troy, his second graded-stakes score. Sharp said the firm Saratoga course benefitted Fast Boat, who could not make as powerful a run when he finished sixth in the Jaipur (G1) at Belmont Park on a good turf course.

“Tyler rode him great,” Sharp said. “The biggest thing that seems to help him is the firm turf course. It was very firm that day. His turn of foot is much more significant. If you look at the Jaipur, we got so much rain the night before. Johnny (Velazquez) said he was closing into it, but he didn’t have that explosiveness when he couldn’t get hold of the ground.”

Sharp said Fast Boat is back at his farm in Kentucky before he goes back into training for a stakes race at Kentucky Downs, then on to the Breeders’ Cup.

“He doing great,” he said. “He came home a couple of days after that race. We do that after all of his races. We turn him out for about a week to 10 days. He likes it with the small paddock.”

Flint Ridge, a 3-year-old son of Into Mischief purchased for $320,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, rebounded from a disappointing debut at Churchill Downs. He earned a two-length maiden win after engaging in a pace battle while wearing blinkers for the first time last Saturday. Dylan Davis engineered the winning trip in the 6 1/2-furlong main-track event for 3-year-olds and up.

“We were high on him for the first time out,” Sharp said “He had been training well at Keeneland and shipped over the Churchill Downs on the day of the race. I think it took him by surprise a little bit. The gates opened, and he got out-footed. We were very disappointed.

“When he got up here, his works were on point. I was really impressed with that race. That was a tough trip. I was happy to see Dylan get him in the race with the blinkers. To take pressure from both sides and still be able to fight on at the end, that was definitely impressive.”

Sharp indicated he plans to bring Flint Ridge back to Kentucky for the fall. Another maiden winner from Sharp’s barn was Lady Danae, who came off the pace on the turf course to win her first start by two lengths with Luis Saez aboard Aug. 13. While Sharp trained her mostly on the dirt, Saez believed the 2-year-old was a possible turf horse.

“At Keeneland she was working really fast on the dirt,” Sharp said. “When we got up here the track was a lot deeper. Luis Saez had worked her a couple of times in the morning, and he said it twice: ‘I really like her, but I think she’s turf.’ That was as impressive as it was with a first-outer that I’ve had from a horse.”

Just like with Fast Boat, Sharp indicated Lady Danae is also being pointed for a stakes race at Kentucky Downs. He also said Classic Lynne will pass on Friday’s Seeking The Ante in favor of another maiden race.