Rivera Took a Cab to the finish line – again

If Luis Rivera is asked how he came to win two in a row at Parx Racing with a 5-year-old Handsome Mike gelding, he might get a laugh with the comeback “I took a cab.”

Rivera had a fairly easy time yesterday with Took a Cab, who out-gamed a slew of rivals to the first quarter, all of whom had designs on the lead. But Took a Cab beat them to the front in a first quarter of :22.53 seconds, and never looked back. In the stretch, the gelding bred by long-time Florida horseman Joel W. Sainer held off four rivals, including 1/2 favorite Irish Colonel, who had been chasing him throughout the six-furlong trip. He prevailed by three-quarters of a length in 1:11.86, and his Equibase speed figure of ’84’ is his best ever over 35 starts.

With his second victory of 2022, Took a Cab earned a check for $10,800, increasing his career total to $96,150. In his 35 starts, he’s amassed a record of 5-4-8. Despite his previous score on Jan. 12, when he paid $10.80, this time his faithful backers were able to cash in to the tune of $26.