Saratoga colt Dr. Agne, named for late veterinarian who saved Lady Eli, wins emotional debut
Dr. Agne, a 2-year-old colt named for the late veterinarian who helped save champion mare Lady Eli from laminitis, powered to victory in a $100,000 maiden special weight Friday at Saratoga Race Course.
The seven-furlong contest marked an emotional full-circle moment for connections of the Into Mischief colt, who is the first foal from Lady Eli to race in the United States.
Trainer Cherie DeVaux, who had vowed to name a horse after Dr. Robert Agne following his tragic death in 2015, watched as her charge delivered on that promise with a determined stretch run under jockey Jose Ortiz.
“I knew he would be fine,” DeVaux said. “I felt like he would be ok, just getting a race under his belt. I was not surprised that he could win. Against dirt horses, it might be a lot different.”
Dr. Agne arrived in DeVaux’s barn in April after being scratched from auction and purchased privately by a partnership that includes some of Lady Eli’s original owners, including Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables LLC, Twin Brook Stables and Belladonna Racing LLC.
The Kentucky-bred colt completed the seven furlongs in 1:25.97, holding off a late charge from 2-1 favorite Epic Desire (Uncle Mo) under Irad Ortiz Jr. He returned $9.70, $3.80 and $2.90 as the 7-2 third choice.
Carrie Agne, widow of Dr. Robert Agne, traveled from Asheville, North Carolina, to witness the colt’s debut — her first visit to Saratoga since 2015. The emotional scene in the winner’s circle included tears and embraces between Agne and DeVaux.
“Oh, my God, he might pull this off!” Carrie Agne recalled thinking as the colt struck the front inside the eighth pole.
“Bob had such heart,” she added after a pause. “He loved racing, everything about horses. He gave his all.”
Dr. Robert Agne died at age 54 on Labor Day 2015 after being struck by a car while cycling in Vermont. He had worked alongside Dr. Bryan Fraley of Fraley Equine Podiatry in Kentucky to save Lady Eli from laminitis that same year.
DeVaux, then an assistant to trainer Chad Brown who conditioned Lady Eli, was with the champion filly throughout her recovery journey. Lady Eli would later return to racing and earn the 2017 Eclipse Award for champion Turf Female.
The race was originally scheduled for the inner turf course at a mile but was moved to the main track following heavy rain Thursday night. DeVaux indicated the colt’s next start would come on turf, following in the hoofprints of his dam.
“For me, we do this, we have a lot of 2-year-olds,” DeVaux said. “I try to manage my expectations with each of them accordingly. I wanted everything to go well for Carrie. This is like her first soiree, and I wanted to make her proud.”
