You’re Never Alone
… after running for a tag? Digger was a lonely winner at Laurel last winter, photographed only with his jockey following back to back scores in the Northern Dancer and Jennings Handicap (not, I’m sure, that the horse cared, but this person found the empty scenes poignant). At Belmont on Wednesday, the same connections unable to get to Maryland for stakes races surrounded Digger in the winner’s circle, patting his head and scratching his nose, following his facile victory as the 7-10 favorite in the third, an unremarkable claiming event in which the 4-year-old gelding was entered for the bargain price of $30,000 (down from $100,000 more than two months before). Those strokes (whether of affection or relief) must have been goodbyes; Digger was claimed by trainer Enrique Arroyo.
