McLaughlin off to rousing start at Saratoga

Kiaran McLaughlin stood atop the Saratoga leaderboard following two Opening Day wins on Friday, the only trainer to record multiple victories on the day.

Takaful registered his first win since his successful debut on October 29 at Belmont Park, besting the nine-horse field by 5 ½ lengths in a six-furlong allowance in Race 4.  Muqtaser, a 5-year-old bay gelding from Distorted Humor, was a high-priced winner in Race 7, an optional claimer on the inner turf course.

"It's always nice," McLaughlin said at his barn Saturday morning. "I give credit to the racing secretary for putting the races out and having them go. The weather has to cooperate too when you're on the turf. Pointing for races helps when you have a few weeks to do it and know that the races have a good change to go, plus the horses are doing well."

Takaful, a 3-year-old Bernardini colt, will return to Belmont for training under the care of assistant Joe Lee. McLaughlin said Takaful has been difficult to train but has developed a routine training downstate and will operate under the same program as he points towards the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on August 26 at the Spa.

"He came out of it in great shape and will go to Belmont in the next day or two," McLaughlin said. "Joe and the team have done a great job with him. He can be difficult, but we got him over the worst of it. He can just be hard to train, so I don't want to change anything. It's going good. He ships good. I don't want to chance it. But he ran super yesterday, so he'll train there for the Allen Jerkens."

Takaful was entered for his return in a similar spot two weeks ago at Belmont, but was scratched by the veterinarian after he ran off with jockey Jose Ortiz during the post parade.

"He was unlucky that day. He got away from the pony," McLaughlin said. "I just told him [Friday] to jog him to the gate. We put a lip cord on him and just jogged him to the gate. Last time, he just had a fight with the pony boy and just got unlucky. But it worked out because we [returned to] the winner's circle."

McLaughlin said he is hoping his early Saratoga success last year is a harbinger for another fast start. In 2016, McLaughlin won with seven of his first 10 starters and finished with 13 for the meet, which was third-most behind Pletcher and training title-winner Chad Brown.

"It's hard to believe, I don't think we can get it again but we'll see," McLaughlin said.

Source: NYRA Communications