As you view the playback of the sixth contest at Saratoga Race Course from July 11 (refer to the footage provided below), you’ll begin to perceive some excited vocalizations shortly after the assembly of 2-year-old maidens reaches the initial quarter-mile marker. The intensity of these sounds amplified as No. 3, Dr. Agne, piloted by Jose Ortiz, initially attempted to discover an opening along the inner rail to advance from their third-place position. This reached its peak when the bay colt maneuvered to the outside, seizing the lead at the sixteenth pole and ultimately crossing the finish line a length ahead to secure victory.
The auditory input that rivaled Frank Mirahmadi’s race commentary emanated from a prime box situated directly at the finish line. This collection of sounds encapsulated sentiments of deliverance, jubilation, emotional release, apprehension, sorrow, and optimism. The source of these sounds was trainer Cherie DeVaux, who had devoted the summer of 2015 at Belmont Park to the care of Dr. Agne’s dam, Lady Eli. DeVaux earnestly wished for the then-undefeated Lady Eli to overcome a severe episode of laminitis, a condition that arose after she stepped on a stray nail while being led back to trainer Chad Brown’s stable after her triumph in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes.
Subsequently, DeVaux, Brown’s seasoned Belmont assistant, became a prominent figure in the racing community due to her rapport with the filly, as did Dr. Bryan Fraley, an equine podiatrist, and Dr. Robert Agne, a veterinarian associated with Saratoga’s Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital.
The narrative of Lady Eli culminated positively. Not only did she recuperate successfully, but she also made a return to racing, clinching four additional graded stakes contests – three of which were Grade 1 events – before her retirement in early 2018. Later, she was acquired for $4.2 million at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale that year while carrying a foal by War Front.
Lady Eli had resumed racing at Saratoga on Aug. 27, 2016, securing a second-place finish, trailing the winner by less than a length, in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa Stakes. Tragically absent from her cheering contingent that day was Dr. Agne, who had tragically lost his life after being struck by a vehicle while cycling in Vermont in September 2015. Agne was unable to witness Lady Eli’s return to the winner’s circle, nor did he get to see her receive an Eclipse Award in 2017 as the champion turf female.
On that Friday at Saratoga, Agne’s widow, Carrie, shared a box with DeVaux, both eager to observe her late husband’s namesake making his inaugural appearance.
“It was simply extraordinary,” she conveyed, standing in the winner’s circle, her emotions palpable in her expression and tone. “I had learned from Cherie that they harbored great expectations for him, and we enthusiastically cheered him on. Regardless of the outcome, we were committed to being pleased for him.”
Dr. Agne, sired by Into Mischief, was acquired as a yearling for $185,000 by Eddie Woods’ Quarter Pole Enterprises. Subsequently, DeVaux’s Belladonna Racing partnership, in collaboration with Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables, attempted to procure him privately.
“The asking price was excessively high,” Kumin remarked. “We had observed him at the sale and maintained our attention on him, but we were unable to finalize the transaction.”
A minor laceration prevented him from participating in the 2-year-old sales. When DeVaux’s husband, David Ingordo, who also manages Belladonna, reconnected with Woods, they successfully reached an agreement, forming a partnership with Madaket and Twin Brook Stables.
Kumin also held an ownership stake in Lady Eli, so when DeVaux sought permission to name the colt in honor of Dr. Agne, the response was an immediate and unambiguous “yes.”
John Sikura, the owner of Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm, had previously held an interest in Lady Eli. He served as her consignor at the 2018 sale and eventually acquired her himself.
“She was an exceptional race mare,” Sikura stated. “We generally favor owning American dirt mares, but Lady Eli stands as a unique exception. She possessed remarkable talent, unwavering courage, and consistently demonstrated top-tier performance over three years. In the present market landscape, I anticipate that her offspring will attract interest from around the globe, considering the significance of turf racing outside of America.”
In the paddock preceding the race, DeVaux voiced her disappointment that the race had been removed from the turf course due to one of Saratoga’s signature thunder and hailstorms the previous evening. However, she chose to keep Dr. Agne in the race because of his exceptional training on dirt.
Despite the victory, DeVaux intends to redirect the colt toward a turf race for his upcoming start.
“I believe that turf will prove to be his preferred surface,” she explained. “He showcased considerable ability against other turf horses, and he has accumulated a substantial amount of training. He is remarkably professional and precocious, qualities that I believe contributed to his victory.”
“Regardless of his performance on dirt, I anticipate that he will excel even further on the turf,” Sikura commented. “He displayed exceptional professionalism yesterday. He navigated inside, positioned behind other horses, and gaining the experience of a race under his belt alleviates some of the pressure when he races again.”
After posing for photographs in the winner’s circle, Carrie Agne approached the colt, gently lowering her head to his nose and cradling his head in her hands, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding commotion. She had only met him earlier that morning at DeVaux’s barn, but the connection was profound, a moment of poignant solace amidst enduring sorrow.
“My husband had a deep passion for racing,” she expressed. “He cherished every aspect of horses and dedicated himself entirely to their care.”
And on that Friday afternoon at Saratoga, his namesake mirrored that dedication.
