High Noon Rider drew off smartly in the stretch over Saratoga’s inner turf course to score by 3 ½-lengths in the $100,000 Better Talk Now S., the first stakes victory for the 3-year-old son of Distorted Humor.
High Noon Rider, who was already twice stakes-placed before Monday’s victory, is the 129 lifetime black type winner for his two-time champion sire. Distorted Humor has seven stakes winners, six of them graded winners, this year, with more than $5.1 million in progeny earnings.
Trained by George Weaver for R. A. Hill Stable, High Noon Rider was in control of the pace for the entire mile trip. After six furlongs in a moderate 1:13.30, the bay colt accelerated quickly through the final quarter mile, rolling home in :22.36 seconds to complete the mile in 1:35.66.
“We’ve always liked him. He’s got a lot of class and he’s a hard-trying colt,” said Weaver. “We’re proud that he’s a stakes winner. It’s important to hit these 3-year-old spots when you have him and for him to win one of these is big for us.”
The winner upped his lifetime mark to 3-1-2 in 11 starts and has earned $185,527.
High Noon Rider was bred in Kentucky by Flaxman Holdings Ltd. He is out of the A.P. Indy mare Modesty Blaise, a half-sister to three-time Grade 1 winner Aldebaran and four-time Graded stakes winner Good Journey, both of whom earned more than $1.7 million.
