Belmont at the Big A Notes 10/17

NYRA PRESS OFFICE —-

Belmont at the Big A Notes

Brothers Fierceness, Mentee work at Saratoga for Breeders’ Cup
Far Bridge tunes up for Breeders’ Cup with Saratoga breeze
Governor Sam logs final breeze at Saratoga for Breeders’ Cup
Mott has four graded stakes-winners on target for Breeders’ Cup
Sacco sings praises of stakes-bound Duboff
Barksdale tries turf sprinting in $135K Carle Place; Minaret Station on target for G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf
Moonlit Lady short rest, big chance in Listed $150K Glen Cove

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Repole Stable will be well-represented at this year’s Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar as they send out a pair of homebred brothers in reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Fierceness and Mentee, last-out winner of the Grade 3 Futurity at Belmont at the Big A.

The talented City of Light colts, both trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, have been making their preparations for the Breeders’ Cup at Saratoga Race Course’s Oklahoma training track over the past few weeks, and each turned in works over the fast surface on a brisk autumn morning Thursday.

Fierceness, who was last seen winning a thrilling renewal of the Grade 1 DraftKings Travers on August 24, has remained at Saratoga since and was the first of the two to post his work this morning.

He breezed five furlongs to the outside of stakes-placed Classic Catch [1:02.25 seconds], breaking off about one length behind his workmate before coming to even terms with him in the turn. Fierceness was nudged along in the lane to overtake Classic Catch and drew off from him through the wire, completing the five furlongs in 1:01.69 and galloping out in 1:14.67, according to NYRA clockers.

“It was another excellent breeze, pretty much what we’ve become accustomed to seeing from him,” Pletcher said of Fierceness. “Very relaxed throughout, finished up nicely, galloped out well. He’s always been a really exceptional work horse, pretty push-button. It seems like he does it so easily.

“We wanted a good, solid work today, and I thought we got that,” Pletcher added.

Fierceness is among the leading sophomore contenders for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic, boasting a resume this year that includes his Travers score, another Grade 1 victory in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, and a Grade 2 conquest in the Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun at the Spa. He completed his 2-year-old campaign with a victory in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November at Santa Anita.

Pletcher said Fierceness has benefited from the gap between the Travers and the Breeders’ Cup.

“I think physically, he’s done really well,” Pletcher said. “He’s gotten bigger, stronger, and put on weight. You can see him maturing into a fall 3-year-old. I’m very pleased with his overall condition.”

Shortly after Fierceness wrapped up his work, 2-year-old colt Mentee breezed a half-mile in company with Breeders’ Cup possible Noble Confessor. Mentee was about a half-length back to the outside of his workmate through the turn, but the pair came together to finish up in tandem down the lane, completing the four furlongs in 49.39 before Mentee inched clear past the wire for the gallop out in 1:02.58.

“I thought it was a good work from him,” Pletcher said. “It looked like he was moving well. He’s got a great personality and is very laid back and easy to train.”

Mentee broke the Aqueduct main track record for five furlongs in a debut victory in June, winning by a nose over Colloquial in a final time of 56.97 seconds. He went on to finish a distant sixth in the Grade 1 Hopeful on September 2 at the Spa before a successful switch to turf when taking the six-furlong Futurity by 3 1/2 lengths after a pace-pressing trip engineered by Hall of Famer John Velazquez.

The victory awarded Mentee with a berth into the five-furlong Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, but Pletcher said his preference is the Grade 1 Juvenile Turf at one mile.

“I think right now the plan would be to enter the Juvenile Turf first preference and the Juvenile Turf Sprint second preference, just to keep our options open,” Pletcher said.

Fierceness and Mentee are both out of the winning Stay Thirsty mare Nonna Bella – a Repole homebred.

As for St. Elias Stable’s Noble Confessor, Pletcher said the maiden son of Quality Road, who was a neck second to Zulu Kingdom in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Pilgrim on September 28 at the Big A, could also be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup.

“He’s a possibility, but I’ve got to talk to St. Elias and see,” Pletcher said. “He’s still a maiden, maybe an unlucky maiden last time. I think it’s worth considering.”

Pletcher also noted that Whisper Hill Farm’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf hopeful Grand Sonata has been training forwardly since winning the Grade 2 Kentucky Turf Cup on September 7 at Kentucky Downs and is likely to breeze on the Oklahoma turf tomorrow.

“He’s doing well. He’s had a lot of near-misses in some big races, so it was good to see him win a big one,” Pletcher said.

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Far Bridge tunes up for Breeders’ Cup with Saratoga breeze

LSU Stables’ three-time Grade 1-winner Far Bridge posted a five-furlong breeze Thursday over Saratoga Race Course’s Oklahoma turf training track, covering the distance solo in 1:01.47, according to NYRA clockers.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the son of English Channel posted his first work since capturing the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic by a half-length over War Like Goddess on September 28 at Belmont at the Big A. He is being pointed to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf, which he secured a berth into when winning the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer in August at the Spa.

Miguel Clement, son of and assistant to Christophe, said he was pleased with the effort from the talented 4-year-old.

“I’m very happy. It was a typical work from him,” Clement said. “He had his ears up, playing and looking happy. His next work will be in company next Friday. He does it so naturally and he enjoys it out there. Every furlong he was picking it up – he’s enjoying it, he’s thriving, and that’s what we like to see.”

Along with his two Grade 1 wins this year, Far Bridge scored at that level as a sophomore in the Belmont Derby Invitational at its namesake oval when in the care of Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. He boasts a lifetime record of 13-6-3-2 with over $1.7 million in total purse earnings.

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Governor Sam logs final breeze at Saratoga for Breeders’ Cup

Bregman Family Racing and Swinbank Stables’ three-time stakes-winner Governor Sam returned to the work tab Thursday at Saratoga Race Course for the first time since winning the Listed Indian Summer on October 6 at Keeneland.

The son of Improbable covered a half-mile solo in 50.66 seconds over the Oklahoma training turf in what was his final work before the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on November 1 at Del Mar.

Trainer George Weaver said he was satisfied the work will serve well as his lone piece of serious exercise between the Indian Summer and the Breeders’ Cup.

“We’re 15 days out and he just ran 11 days ago – turf sprinters need to be on their toes, so we’ll leave it at that,” Weaver said. “He’s an easy horse to be around, he has a lot of class and handles shipping well.”

Governor Sam follows a similar path to that of stablemate No Nay Mets, who graduated on debut last year in the Royal Palm Juvenile at Gulfstream Park. He notched wins in the Tyro at Monmouth Park and Rosies at Colonial Downs en route to a fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Governor Sam only managed a sixth in the Royal Palm Juvenile on debut, but has been perfect in four starts since, including wins in the Tyro and Rosies.

“We kind of had a rushed program to make his debut in that stake at Gulfstream and are doing a repeat pattern as No Nay Mets,” Weaver explained. “He just ended up needing the race, and ever since then, he’s been uncomplicated. He’s a fast horse, he’s got some class about him, and he’s put together a good resume going into the race. We’re liking how things are coming together.”

Governor Sam boasts earnings of $340,048, already surpassing his purchase price of $275,000 at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

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Mott has four graded stakes-winners on target for Breeders’ Cup

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will likely have four horses representing his stable on November 1 and 2 at Del Mar for this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships, including Grade 1-winners Arthur’s Ride and War Like Goddess, and Grade 2-winners Scylla and Scythian.

Glassman Racing’s Arthur’s Ride is targeting the Grade 1 Classic off a pacesetting fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in September at Saratoga Race Course. The 4-year-old Tapit gray notched his first top-level score in August’s Grade 1 Whitney at the Spa, where he won by 2 1/4-lengths over Crupi.

“He’s been doing well. His works have been useful and he seems to be happy,” Mott said. “[He’ll work] this weekend.”

Arthur’s Ride most recently breezed five furlongs over the Spa’s Oklahoma dirt training track in 1:02.87 on Sunday.

George Krikorian’s multiple Grade 1-winner War Like Goddess has returned to Saratoga after finishing a close second to Far Bridge in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on September 28, a race she won the past two years. The 7-year-old English Channel mare is likely for the 1 3/8-mile Grade 1 Filly and Mare Turf, which she last contested in 2021 when a half-length third.

Mott said despite the mare wrapping up her 7-year-old campaign, he has seen no sign of regression in her talented form.

“She’s good. She’s been back on the track and it seems like she’s doing well. I thought she ran well and we can’t take anything away from the horse that beat her last time,” Mott said. “I’d have to say she ran pretty well.”

War Like Goddess had her first work back since the Joe Hirsch on October 12, covering a half-mile in 51.66 over the Oklahoma dirt.

Lawrence Goichman’s New York homebred Scythian earned her spot in the Grade 1 Juvenile Fillies Turf for a win in an eventful running of the Grade 2 Miss Grillo on October 6 at the Big A, where Marvelous Madison bore out sharply in the final turn and carried out two other contenders with her. Scythian was unaffected by the incident with inside position, and ran on strongly through the wire to win by 2 1/2 lengths.

“She had a good trip. Whether the other two horses that got carried out were going to be a factor in the race, I don’t know,” Mott concluded.

Mott added Scythian is also likely to breeze this weekend at Saratoga.

Juddmonte’s Scylla has not raced since finishing a game second to Society in the Grade 1 Ballerina on August 24 at the Spa. The daughter of Tapit and the 2014 Champion Older Mare Close Hatches has worked four times since the Ballerina, and looks to put an exclamation point on a campaign that includes wins in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis and Grade 3 Shawnee, both in June at Churchill Downs.

Mott said she remains on target for the Grade 1 Filly and Mare Sprint.

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Sacco sings praises of stakes-bound Duboff

Impressive maiden winner Duboff is slated to make her stakes debut next out on turf at Belmont at the Big A. The Gregg Sacco trainee is currently entered in Sunday’s Listed $150,000 Chelsey Flower at 1 1/16-miles but is also under consideration for the six furlong $135,000 Stewart Manor on Saturday, November 2.

“We’re still undecided. We’re going to watch her train tomorrow in Delaware and then make a decision,” Sacco said. Entries for the Stewart Manor will be taken on Sunday.

The 2-year-old New Jersey-bred daughter of Handsome Mike, owned by Cal-Ram Racing and Sacco’s son and assistant William Sacco, is named after Sacco’s late step-father, Steven Duboff, who was a singer-songwriter of prominence responsible for co-writing Crispian St. Peter’s “The Pied Piper” as well as “The Rain The Park and Other Things” and “We Can Fly” by The Cowsills.

“He was a singer-songwriter in the ‘60s and was a record producer for Tom Petty, Steely Dan, The Turtles – he wrote for everybody,” Sacco said. “I was telling my son about him and how he was such a cool guy, so why not name a horse after him. He was a native New Yorker, wrote a lot of music and played with a lot of bands.”

The equine Duboff faced adversity in her September 14 debut sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs against open company at Monmouth Park when steadied and shuffled back to 10th-of-12 under Melissa Iorio. However, the talented bay persevered and rallied to finish third at odds of 40-1, landing 3 3/4-lengths back of the victorious I’mwishingonastar.

Duboff returned on six days’ rest at the Meadowlands to wire a field of fellow state-breds traveling five furlongs over firm footing, showing the way through splits of 22.29 seconds and 44.84 en route to a 4 1/2-length score under Iorio in a final time of 56.70. The winning effort registered a 52 Beyer Speed Figure.

“Based on her action we thought she’d like the grass,” Sacco said. “She ran super the first time – she came out of it really well – and we brought her back in six days as it was the only race in the book for New Jersey-breds. We took advantage of it, and she ran the way we thought she would that night and she won pretty convincingly. Now, we’ll look to tackle a little bit better and see how far she progresses.”

Sacco said that although the $4,500 OBS June 2-Year-Old and Horses of Racing Age Sale purchase graduated gate-to-wire, her troubled debut demonstrated potential for versatility even on a stretch out in distance.

“On debut, we told Melissa to break in a position to finish up,” Sacco said. “When she got shuffled back, that wasn’t the plan, but I love that when she swung her out she came rolling and really was impressive through the stretch run that day.

“She won pretty convincingly and has come out if it well,” Sacco added. “She was a bargain for $4,500 and she’s done everything right so far. She’s a nice, easy filly to train.”

Duboff is out of the stakes-placed Pico Central mare Marquet Madness, who is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire New York-bred Discreet Marq, who captured the 2013 Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks going nine furlongs.

“Discreet Marq stretched out really nice and we think she can stretch out, too,” Sacco said.

The Estate of Stephen Brunetti’s New York-bred sophomore filly My Magic Wand earned an 80 Beyer for her second-out graduation here sprinting 6 1/2-furlongs over the main track on September 27.

The Gun Runner chestnut was off a step slow when fifth in her August 2 debut against fellow state-breds at Saratoga Race Course but was a convincing gate-to-wire maiden winner against older, open company with Hall of Fame John Velazquez at the helm.

Sacco said My Magic Wand touted herself with a five-eighths breeze in 1:00.90 on September 20 over the Belmont Park dirt training track.

“First time out, I blame myself – she missed a gate work and then broke a little flat footed that day and rushed up,” Sacco said. “She had a super work at Belmont when we shipped in and that’s when we opted to go to open company. We didn’t necessarily think she was going to win so convincingly in that race, but she had trained well and is a regally-bred filly.”

My Magic Wand is out of the Trappe Shot mare Gun Club, who is a half-sister to stakes-winner Mr Palmer. She worked back a half-mile in 48.41 October 13 over the Belmont dirt training track and is on target for a state-bred allowance sprint here on November 1.

“She had a great work here last weekend in 48 and change. We’ll see if she moves forward from there,” Sacco said.

Sacco noted his son will oversee his New York string this winter while he focuses on their Tampa Bay operation. Among the notable New York-based contingent is

Donna Wright and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s multiple stakes-placed Crazy Mason, who was last seen finishing third in the Long Branch on May 11 at Monmouth.

The Kentucky-bred Coal Front colt graduated last July at Saratoga and subsequently was stakes placed when third in last October’s Rocky Run at Delaware and the Inaugural in December at Tampa Bay Downs.

Crazy Mason covered three-eighths in 38.86 October 13 in his first work back over the Belmont dirt training track.

“He needed a freshening having been in training from his 2-year-old year to mid-3-year-old year,” Sacco said. “We look forward to him coming back in an ‘a-other-than’ in December. After that, hopefully we’ll have him back in stakes after that.”

Crazy Mason is out of the graded stakes-placed Maria’s Mon mare Izshelegal, who is a half-sister to graded stakes-placed Comfort. His third dam is dual graded stakes-winner Katz Me If You Can, who captured the 2001 Grade 2 Genuine Risk Handicap at Belmont Park.

***

Barksdale tries turf sprinting in $135K Carle Place; Minaret Station on target for G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

Cypress Creek Equine’s Barksdale has competed over a variety of surfaces and distances, but never a turf sprint and is set for Friday’s $135,000 Carle Place, going six furlongs on the outer turf for sophomores, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Will Walden, the Street Sense gelding enters from an off-the-board effort in a six-furlong optional claimer over the Churchill Downs dirt on September 18. He was previously eighth in the one-mile turf Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame on August 2 at Saratoga Race Course.

He set the pace in both aforementioned starts before fading. Barksdale has shown the way or attended the pace in 6-of-7 starts this year, including when tenth in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun sprinting seven furlongs on dirt in June at the Spa.

Walden said the Hall of Famer Mark Casse-trained Little Ni, who switches to turf after a series of dirt sprints including a heart-breaking defeat to Grade 1-winner Book’em Danno in the Jersey Shore at Monmouth Park, could challenge on the front end.

“I have to wonder about the Casse horse switching to turf. That horse has plenty of speed, he showed it in that race at Monmouth where he almost beat Book’em Danno. I guess we’ll find out,” said Walden. “Barksdale went 43 [seconds] flat in the Woody Stephens, his speed is out there on paper, and it is tough to match. I hope he is the controlling speed.”

Walden said Barksdale may appreciate turf sprinting, and at least deserves another shot on the lawn after his ambitious Hall of Fame attempt.

“The turf race at Saratoga was a complete Hail Mary. I thought he lacked a little longevity and finish on the dirt. We are hoping that on the turf he can sustain and carry that speed,” Walden explained. “With the cutback in distance and the surface change, we are just hoping that run lasts a little longer.”

Barksdale will exit post 6 in rein to Ramon Vazquez, tabbed at morning line odds of 12-1. Vazquez piloted his last-out defeat at Churchill Downs, where Barksdale broke slowly before quickly hustling to the lead.

“He completely missed the break. Ramon asked him pretty aggressively and the horse just took off. Before they even hit the run up, he went from last-to-first,” said Walden. “He has an explosive second, third, fourth, fifth step – you are best off just breaking and letting him take you to the lead on his own.”

OXO Equine’s Minaret Station is Breeders’ Cup bound after a last-out 38-1 upset score in the Grade 2 Bourbon on October 6 at Keeneland – a “Win and You’re In” event for the Grade 1 Juvenile Turf in November at Del Mar.

“He’s doing great. He is a very straightforward horse. He still has his baby quirks about him, and some maturity to gain, but I think that’ll come in his 3-year-old year and with racing,” Walden said. “He is a very talented horse. I could be wrong, but I truly believe what he is doing now is on ability – that he still has quite a bit to figure out about the game and how he is supposed to run a race.”

Minaret Station is an Instilled Regard bay out of the multiple graded stakes-winning and multiple Grade 1-placed Sir Prancealot mare Beau Recall, a classy Brad Cox-trainee who earned in excess of $1.4 million.

“My wife Tessa is an assistant for Brad Cox, and she worked with Beau Recall directly. While the similarities weren’t there physically, she’d see him train in the morning with me and say how serious she took her morning gallops and training, and he is very much that way,” said Walden. “In the afternoons, he sometimes gets to looking around and gets a little lost out there, but in the mornings, he showed he had some ability.

“We never really questioned what surface we were going to run him on. Obviously, Instilled Regard did a good body of his races on the dirt as a 3-year-old, but when it came time that everyone was fully mature, he went to the grass at the elite level. I’m hoping this horse comes together like his mom and dad did,” Walden continued.

Walden said Minaret Station will likely work next week at Turfway Park before heading west in pursuit of his first Breeders’ Cup score.

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Moonlit Lady short rest, big chance in Listed $150K Glen Cove

Cypress Creek Equine’s Kentucky homebred Moonlit Lady was a neck second in a 12-horse Keeneland allowance on October 4 and returns quickly for Friday’s re-scheduled Listed $150,000 Glen Cove, a six-furlong outer turf test for sophomore fillies, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, the Malibu Moon dark bay has set the pace in her past two efforts, winning a 5 1/2-furlong Ellis Park allowance in August ahead of the aforementioned runner-up finish at Keeneland to dual stakes-placed Cloudwalker.

“She is a horse with a lot of speed. I don’t think we have any chance to change how she runs,” said Gutierrez. “So, something important is to have a good start and give her the chance to run free.”

Gutierrez said that in the last-out near miss, which garnered a second consecutive 87 Beyer Speed Figure, Moonlit Lady did not seem to appreciate the footing listed as firm that followed a rainy week.

“She got into a very strong field, and you know what I think affected her more? The days before having a strong rain in Lexington. So the condition for the turf was very soft,” Gutierrez said. “I think in other conditions, she can extend that speed she has. Anyways, she made a great effort. That was the point we decided when this stake was canceled, to travel and go there and take the risk after 14 days.”

The chart denotes that Moonlit Lady was finishing on her left lead.

“Since she started her career, she has had that situation. She takes more time to switch. I hope now we can put more attention on this thing,” Gutierrez explained. “She’s a good, sound horse. I hope she likes the course. I’m very happy to run there and when I have this possibility, I immediately take it.”

Moonlit Lady will exit post 3 in rein to Ramon Vazquez, tabbed at a morning line assessment of 8-1 in a field headlined by the dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox pupil Ellen Jay [post 5, Flavien Prat, 2-1 ML].

“The Brad Cox horse, we have almost the same speed, the same numbers, both ran at Ellis Park, but we’ll see. We don’t have the chance to change too much so I think everything depends on how she breaks from the gate,” Gutierrez said, adding that returning on short rest could be a plus for Moonlit Lady. “She has the previous effort near. After that, she’ll just jog, relax, and I think she’s in much better condition.”

Moonlit Lady, out of the Grade 1-winning Forestry mare Diplomat Lady, boasts a lifetime record of 8-3-1-1 with $211,261 in earnings.

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