Doc Sullivan’s Gritty Victory Honors Late Trainer Joe Lostritto
In a poignant moment at Saratoga Race Course, Enn lostritto of Tristar Farm accepted the trophy for Doc Sullivan’s second career stakes victory, dedicating the win to his late father, Joe Lostritto, a respected former trainer. Joe Lostritto passed away just a month prior, leaving behind a legacy deeply intertwined with horse racing.
“I lost my dad a month ago,” Enn Lostritto shared, his voice thick with emotion. “His whole life was horse racing – training and breeding with my mom. This horse, he followed through the last few years of his life. He had a vacation – the horse – and my dad passed away a month ago – every day I spoke to him, he’d ask, ‘how is Doc doing?'”
Guided by Hall of Famer Joel Rosario, the 4-year-old Solomini dark bay navigated the muddy and sealed main track from post position 9.Doc Sullivan was positioned third early on, trailing pacesetter Light Man, with Grade 1-placed The Wine Steward to his inside. The opening quarter-mile was clocked in 22.92 seconds.
Light Man maintained the lead through the turn, with Doc Sullivan and The Wine Steward in close pursuit. Caldo Candy and the favored Whatchatalkinabout were positioned just behind them, preparing for thier runs.
At the top of the stretch, The Wine Steward, under a ground-saving ride from Flavien Prat, took the lead. Doc Sullivan, who had been stalking the pace, began to close the gap as Light Man relinquished command after the half-mile mark in 46.04 seconds.
The Wine Steward appeared poised to secure a consecutive local state-bred stakes win for trainer Mike Maker, following My Mane Squeeze’s victory in the Johnstone on Wednesday. However, Doc Sullivan demonstrated remarkable determination, steadily gaining on his rival.In a thrilling finish, Doc Sullivan surged ahead to win by a head, crossing the finish line in a final time of 1:22.69.”He fought and for a second, I thought the horse was going away on the lead but he kept getting there,” Rosario commented on the colt’s performance. “Getting up there little by little and then he got there so yeah, he ran great.”
Light Man secured third place, finishing 3 3/4 lengths behind the winner, with Caldo Candy completing the superfecta. The remaining finishers were Bank Frenzy, Shadow Dragon, Whatchatalkinabout, Sheriff Bianco, Wynstock, and Cicciobello. Dr. Kraft,Jackson Heights,and Quick to Accuse were scratched from the race.
Lostritto expressed his belief that his father would have been immensely proud of Doc Sullivan’s tenacity. “I feel him here today,” he stated. “He was here for the Mike Lee last year and it was the highlight of his year.He was so sick last year and the only thing he wanted to do was get up to Saratoga and watch Doc run.” He added, “That last push… I couldn’t be prouder of the whole team.”
Bred by Seamus Coughlan, Doc Sullivan is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Queen Frostine. He was acquired for $59,000 at the 2023 OBS June Sale of 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age. The victory earned him $82,500, improving his career record to 15 starts with 5 wins, 5 seconds, and 2 thirds. Doc Sullivan returned $12.60 for a $2 win bet.
live racing at Saratoga Race Course continues on Friday with a 10-race card, highlighted by the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes in Race 7. The first post is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
Saratoga Live will provide comprehensive coverage and analysis of the summer meet on the FOX Sports networks. Broadcast schedules and channel information can be found at https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/.
NYRA Bets serves as the official wagering platform for Saratoga Race Course,offering a convenient way to bet on every race of the summer meet. The NYRA Bets app is available for download on iOS and Android devices at www.NYRABets.com.
