SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Shannon Hill Farm's Evie's Prince won the $100,000 Michael G. Walsh Novice Stakes at Saratoga on Wednesday, Aug. 28.
Graham Watters celebrates near wire in the Walsh Novice Stakes (Photo by Tod Marks)
Graham Watters got the ride on the horse trained by Neil Morris when Jack Fisher had no horse entered in the race.
This was Evie's Pince's seventh start over fences and his third win, all of which came this year.
Evie's Prince had previously run on the flat for three years, mainly in claiming races.
Watters gave the 7-year-old gelding a good ride, tracking the leader, Hold Hard, until after the last fence and then taking command, drawing clear around the final turn and into in the stretch to win by 2 1/4 lengths.
Hidden Path.trained by Ricky Hendriks and ridden by Parker Hendriks was second with Westerland, trained by Kathy Neilson and ridden by Jamie Bargary third in the eight horse field.
This win brings Evie's Prince's record to five wins, two seconds and six thirds from 26 starts and earnings of $214,341.
The win extended Watters lead in Riders, Races Won to15, with Bargarys econd with 11 wins.
Watters also leadsin Money Won with $711,550 over Bargary with $561,700.
Leslie Young leads Trainer, Races Won with 22 wins to Fisher's 14 wins and Keri Brion's seven wins.
