It’s that time of year for horse racing when it seems every weekend has a litany of graded stakes races throughout North America and the world.
To kick off the Labour Day long weekend, Saturday has huge cards of racing all over and the biggest name in action is the unbeaten FLIGHTLINE (Tapit) who competes in the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar, a ‘Win and You’re In’ Race for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Hronis Racing and partners’ big 4-year-old colt by top sire Tapit has gone four-for-four in runaway style in his ever-blooming career, including a pair of Grade I scores on both coasts. Patiently handled by veteran trainer John Sadler – the winner of three of the last four TVG Pacific Classics – Flightline has drilled remarkably well at Del Mar this summer giving every indication that the best might be yet to come as he tries the classic distance of a mile and one quarter for the first time. The “big horse” will be reunited with his regular rider, Flavien Prat, who will jet in from his current racing headquarters in New York for the race, which is scheduled to go off at approximately 8:50 p.m. Eastern.
In New York, a cumulative baker’s dozen graded stakes victories will comprise Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup field, where Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will unleash a competitive quartet for the prestigious 10-furlong test for 3-year-olds and upward at Saratoga Race Course.
The Jockey Club Gold Cup, offering a “Win and You’re In” spot in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in November at Keeneland, is slated for Race 11 [5:45 p.m. Eastern] and will be broadcast live on NBC as part of a special 90-minute broadcast from 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. that will include the Grade 2, $600,000 Flower Bowl [Race 10] which offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf . A stacked card includes the Grade 3, $200,000 Saranac in Race 4.
The Jockey Club Gold Cup, which celebrates its 104th renewal, has been won by all-time greats Man o’ War [1920], Gallant Fox [1930], War Admiral [1938], Whirlaway [1942], Citation [1948], Hill Prince [1950], Nashua [1955-56], Kelso [1960-64] Buckpasser [1966], Damascus [1967], Shuvee [1970-71] Forego [1974], Affirmed [1979], John Henry [1981], Easy Goer [1989], Cigar [1995], Skip Away [1996-97] and Curlin [2007-08].
Leading the Pletcher tetrad is Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable and Phipps Stable’s Dynamic One, who captured the Grade 2 Suburban on July 9 at Belmont Park over returning rivals First Captain and Untreated, who also is trained by Pletcher. The 4-year-old chestnut son of Union Rags, who finished 18th in last year’s Kentucky Derby, earned his first career stakes victory in the Curlin last July at the Spa, displaying a late kick to defeat Miles D and First Captain by 1 3/4 lengths ahead of a distant seventh in the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers.
Dynamic One returned to action with vigor this season when a respective second and third to Scalding in the Grade 3 Challenger in March at Tampa Bay Downs and the Grade 3 Ben Ali at Keeneland. From there, he added a pair of stakes wins to his ledger in the nine-furlong Blame on June 4 at Churchill Downs before his Suburban victory.
WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.’s reigning New York-bred Horse of the Year Americanrevolution returns to his native state for the first time since capturing the Grade 1 Cigar Mile presented by NYRA Bets on December 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The 4-year-old Constitution chestnut captured three stakes against fellow New York-breds during last year’s campaign, including an 11 3/4-length conquest against elders in the Empire Classic at Belmont Park, where he earned a career-best 108 Beyer Speed Figure. Americanrevolution made both of his starts this year at Churchill Downs, finishing fourth in the Blame in June off a six-month layoff and second in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster on July 2.
Initially scheduled to enter the Commentator on May 30 at Belmont Park, Pletcher was forced to regroup when the race did not fill.
After a successful debut for Pletcher last out, Keepmeinmind will seek his first graded stakes victory since a maiden-breaking performance in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club in November 2020 at Churchill Downs. Previously trained by Robertino Diodoro, the son of Laoban competed in nothing but graded stakes events last year with his best finishes taking place when third in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby and a game second to dual champion Essential Quality in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at the Spa. He was beaten a half-length in both races.
Keepmeinmind fired off an 11-month layoff with a last out victory in a first-level allowance on July 22 at Saratoga.
Rounding out the Pletcher contingent is Team Valor International’s Untreated. While he is the only Jockey Club Gold Cup contender without a graded stakes win, the son of Nyquist came close in his last three starts, when a pacesetting third in the Suburban and finishing three-quarters of a length behind Dynamic One. He showed early speed when third in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special on May 20 and was beaten 1 1/4 lengths.
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will saddle four-time graded stakes winner Olympiad, who will strive to make amends following a distant fourth in the Grade 1 Whitney on August 6 at Saratoga.
By Speightstown, who sired 2010 Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Haynesfield, Olympiad brags the most graded stakes victories in the field as well as field-best earnings of $1,472,560 through an 11-7-1-1 record. Olympiad won five straight races entering the Whitney, four at graded stakes level. He captured the Grade 2 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs by 2 1/4 lengths over Americanrevolution, producing a field-best and career-best 111 Beyer Speed Figure, one start following a triumph over 2020 Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Happy Saver in the Grade 2 Alysheba on May 6 at the Louisville oval.
A 7 1/4-length winner of his 2022 debut going two turns at Gulfstream Park, Olympiad followed with triumphs in Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots’ Grade 3 Mineshaft on February 15 and the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic on March 26. Olympiad is owned by Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable and LNJ Foxwoods.
Junior Alvarado will retain the mount from post 2.
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The BARBADOS DERBY at the Garrison Savannah will be held for the 83rd time on Saturday and the 3-year-old HURRICANE seeks to become the 8th Triple Crown winner in Barbados. The Nation news writes, “While the Gay Smith-owned colt lines up against 11 of the best three-year-olds, the charges of trainers Kenny John, Eddie Belle, Phillip Batson, Remell “Perkins” Lovell and Robert Peirce should not be underestimated.”
The bay son of Storm Arrow (Storm Boot) from the Thady Quill mare Angelic Peace has won four of five starts.
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