September, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Debut Winner Jack Christopher Tops Compact Field For ‘Win And You’re In’ Champagne

Impressive maiden winner Jack Christopher will put his talent to the test when he takes on a compact but quality field assembled for Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne for 2-year-olds going a one-turn mile at Belmont Park.

The Champagne, a “Win And You're In” qualifying event for the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile on November 5 at Del Mar, is one of two Grade 1, $500,000 events on Saturday's card along with the Woodward at nine furlongs 3-year-olds and up on the main track. The lucrative card is bolstered by the Grade 3, $200,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs on the grass along with the Grade 2, $200,000 Miss Grillo, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for juvenile fillies.

Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's Jack Christopher graduated on debut going six furlongs on Aug. 28 at Saratoga Race Course, producing a 92 Beyer Speed Figure. The chestnut son of Munnings was hustled out of the gate by jockey Jose Ortiz, and raced a close second to the outside of pacesetter Back to Normal down the backstretch before powering away to an 8 ¾-length victory over next-out winner Hoist the Gold.

Trainer Chad Brown will seek his third Champagne victory after saddling previous winners Practical Joke [2016] and Complexity [2018], the latter of whom also arrived at the Champagne off a debut score.

“Just off one race, he's going to have to take another step forward, but he was so brilliant with his debut,” Brown said of Jack Christopher. “We've had horses have success here before doing that – Complexity comes to mind. Off just one race he ran very well in the Champagne and won.”

Brown said Jack Christopher, who drilled five furlongs in 1:00 flat on September 25 at Belmont, should have no issue with stretching out in distance.

“The way he's training I don't think he'll have any difficulty getting the mile,” Brown said. “But it looks like it's shaping up to be a really strong field of horses with experience and some other horses that broke their maiden and look good. He was certainly one of the more impressive maiden breakers at Saratoga, I would say.”

Brown said Jack Christopher had trained forwardly into his debut, which garnered plenty of well-warranted hype.

“His works were eye catching and he's a horse that has a lot of white on him,” Brown said. “He's a flashy looking and unusual kind of unique horse with his markings. Between those two things, he's easy to put on peoples' radar.”

Ortiz will return to the irons from post 3.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen seeks his second straight Champagne win after scoring last year with Jackie's Warrior, sending out Gunite in attempt of a second Grade 1 victory for owner and breeder Winchell Thoroughbreds.

The son of leading freshman stallion Gun Runner graduated at third asking going six furlongs on June 26 at Churchill Downs ahead of a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special at 6 ½ furlongs on August 14.

Gunite handled a stretch-out in distance with flying colors when capturing the Grade 1 Hopeful on September 6 at Saratoga by 5 ¾ lengths. After being bumped out of the gate from post 3, jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. angled Gunite toward the inside, making up considerable ground down the backstretch and established command approaching the far turn before drawing away to victory.

“He'll be the horse in the field with the most experience so hopefully that does him well,” said Winchell Thoroughbreds racing and bloodstock advisor David Fiske. “Typically, horses that come out of Steve's parents training center [El Primero Training Center] in Laredo tend to break well from the gate. Facing all that adversity, that's something some of the other ones haven't faced. Hopefully, he's learned something from all of it.”

A strong effort from Gunite will likely result in a next-out endeavor in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, which is run at two turns going 1 1/16 miles. Despite having not yet raced going two turns, Fiske expressed no concern in handling the distance.

“Last year, someone on the broadcast said that not having two-turn experience going into the Breeders' Cup is not a hinderance, based off a lot of the previous horses that won it,” Fiske said. “About half of them that won it only had one-turn experience. I don't think it's an impediment for him.

“All the Grade 1 races in New York hold a special place on the racing calendar and seem to be the hardest ones to win,” Fiske added.

Santana, Jr. will engineer the trip from post 5.

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Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, a six-time winner of the Champagne, will saddle a trio of aspirants in Wit [post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], My Prankster [post 2, Luis Saez], and Commandperformance [post 6, Tyler Gaffalione].

Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable and Gainesway Stable's Wit endured his first defeat last out, when a troubled second as the favorite in the Grade 1 Hopeful. The dark bay or brown colt stumbled at the start and was forced out of position, but made up ground down the backstretch to pick up the runner-up spot.

Wit won his first two starts by a combined 14 lengths, capturing his debut on June 5 at Belmont Park en route to an impressive triumph in the six-furlong Grade 3 Sanford on July 17 at Saratoga.

“He's got learning experience in all three of his races,” Pletcher said. “He's gotten well-accustomed to getting some dirt in his face and dealing with some traffic. We're just hoping for a cleaner start. We tried to break well in his last race, he just grabbed himself a little bit and had to play catch up from there. The track wasn't kind to closers as well.”

Wit, a son of 2016 Champagne winner and first-crop sire Practical Joke, is out of the unraced Medaglia d'Oro mare Numero d'Oro. He was hammered down to $575,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Rosilyn Polan.

Robert and Lawana Low's My Prankster steps into stakes company following a 10-length maiden score going 6 ½-furlongs on August 21 at Saratoga. The son of leading sire Into Mischief graduated at first asking, settling in third in the early stages before powering home in the stretch to an in-hand triumph under Saez, which garnered a 92 Beyer.

Three of Pletcher's six Champagne winners arrived at their respective coups off a first-out graduation with Uncle Mo [2010], Havana [2013] and Daredevil [2014] all securing Champagne wins off debut victories.

Pletcher said My Prankster touted his first-out effort with a half-mile breeze from the gate in 47 flat on August 8 on the Saratoga main track.

“He's not an overzealous work horse,” Pletcher said. “If you hadn't seen that gate work, you might not have expected the debut he had, but he's a pretty laid back colt. It's always a big stretch to go from a one start maiden to a Grade 1 stake, but we've had some success doing that.”

Repole Stable and St Elias Stable's Commandperformance is the lone maiden in the field, finishing second to Don't Wait Up going six furlongs in his September 6 debut at Saratoga. The gray or roan son of Union Rags was compromised at the break and took some kickback toward the rear of the field, but powered down the lane to finish two lengths behind the winner.

Completing the field is Kavod, a chestnut son of Lea co-owned by trainer James Chapman with Tritain Biddinger. Following a two-length maiden victory at second asking in April at Belmont, Kavod was a close second in the Tremont on June 4 over Big Sandy. He enters off two distant fifth place finishes at graded stakes level at the Spa.

Kavod, who adds blinkers, will exit post 4 under Charles Roberts.

The Champagne is slated as Race 8 on Saturday's 11-race program, which offers a first post of 1 p.m. Eastern.

Inaugurated in 1867, the Champagne has seen a handful of Kentucky Derby winners score in the race during their 2-year-old season dating back to Azra in 1891. Riva Ridge [1971], Foolish Pleasure [1974], Spectacular Bid [1978] as well as Triple Crown winners Count Fleet [1942] and Seattle Slew [1976] won the Champagne before becoming household names.

The great Secretariat won the 1972 Champagne but was disqualified for interference with Stop the Music awarded the victory. The Champagne has also been used as a steppingstone to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile with Fly So Free [1990], Timber Country [1994], War Pass [2007], Uncle Mo [2010] and Shanghai Bobby [2012] notching the Champagne-Breeders' Cup Juvenile double.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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Brother To Luxembourg Tops Final Orby Session

KILDARE, Ireland–A hugely impressive Group 2 winner with Classic pretensions is just the kind of update every breeder dreams of within days of a major yearling sale, and that is exactly what Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) delivered in the Beresford S. at the Curragh on Saturday on only his second start. He had himself been sold by breeder Ben Sangster for 150,000gns but his brother, offered as lot 366 through the Castlebridge Consignment, caused the same buyer MV Magnier to dig deeper into his pockets for the colt to become the second seven-figure yearling this week at €1.2 million.

“I'm delighted for Ben, Lucy and all the Sangsters,” Magnier said. “This is a great result for them and they have supported our stallions for years. Luxembourg looks like something out of the ordinary. We couldn't believe how good he was on Saturday.”

Luxembourg is not the first good horse produced by his dam Attire (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), an eight-race maiden who was bred and raced by the Sangsters from the family of Breeders' Cup Classic winner Arcangues (Fr). Her second foal Leo De Fury (Ire) (Australia {GB}) won the G2 Mooresbridge S. for Yuesheng Zhang, while Sense Of Style (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) has been Group 3-placed this year. The 12-year-old mare also has a Camelot filly foal this year.

With each day's top lot added to the portfolio, Magnier was the top buyer at the sale, signing for six yearlings at an outlay just shy of €4 million.

A further €20,931,000 was added to the sale's aggregate from Wednesday's trade, when 182 of the 204 yearlings offered found a buyer at an average price of €115,005, with the median at €80,000.

Across the two days, 409 yearlings were offered and 372 of those were sold at a clearance rate of 91% for an overall tally of €40,581,500 (+74%). The average was €109,090 (+46%) and median was €75,000 (+44%). These figures represented a dramatic improvement on the disappointing results of the relocated 2020 Orby Sale, and were well on their way to recovering to the pre-pandemic returns of 2019, when €42,927,000 was spent on 364 horses. The average then was €117,933 and the median slightly lower than this year at €65,000.

Such a revival in trade unsurprisingly delighted Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby, who said at the sale's end, “It's good to be back. Very good indeed. The Irish National Yearling Sale obviously belongs in Ireland at Kildare Paddocks and it is simply wonderful to have returned with a sale of such depth and consistency over the two days after last year's hiatus. Indeed, Orby has reclaimed its rightful place at the top table of yearling sales with seven-figure top prices, a six-figure average and a staggering 91% clearance rate that points to a vibrant two days of bidding for the superb catalogue that was assembled.”

He continued, “We are indebted to many people and several entities. Firstly our vendors who placed their trust in the Goffs service at a time when several factors may have worked against making that decision as memories of last year's disappointment combined with Covid-induced uncertainty in the summer made the choice of sale more complicated than ever. That so many took that leap of faith is very gratifying and we are just delighted that we have been able to repay their trust with a really good sale whilst laying such solid foundations for the future.”

Beeby pointed to a boost in trade from the reinstated Goffs Million, adding, “Our buyers have embraced the sale with enthusiasm and a hunger for quality. Many have been driven on by the lure of Europe's richest two-year-old race, the Goffs Million next year, and we can't wait to see how the picture develops as next season progresses. Suffice to say that the concept has been a powerful tool in reinvigorating Orby and we will look to develop the model as the years progress with enhancements and additions for Orby 22 and beyond.

“As we reflect on two good days our mantra of 'we can't do it without you” is as relevant as ever as the focus of Orby must always be the horse because all the spin in the world is worthless without a catalogue of quality. Our vendors backed us and we threw everything at it with new agents, the Million, a variety of incentives and more as we recognised this was going to be a pivotal year for the sale. That said there is still so much to do to make Orby the clear first choice for more of the best yearlings in Ireland and we will not rest in our endeavours as we strive to improve and evolve. However I would venture to suggest that Orby 21 has made the point once again that we will deliver when we have the horses; in fact, not just deliver but exceed expectations and Irish breeders need look no further for a global market for the best.”

McPeek's Power Play

Frankel's sensational year could get even better on Sunday, with his two Derby-winning colts Adayar (Ire) and Hurricane Lane (Ire) in the top three in the betting for the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Owners from both sides of the pond were investing in his young stock on Wednesday, with Kenny McPeek extending his shopping spree significantly when signing up Marlhill House Stud's colt out of Belesta (GB) (Xaar {GB}) for €900,000.

The trainer, who was acting on behalf of Swiss Skydiver's owner Peter Callahan and Paul Fireman of Fern Circle Stables, said, “I spoke to both of them this morning and they were happy to play. We may get a couple of others involved. This is the kind of colt you could play at a high level and if he does it then he's a stallion prospect.”

It's no empty claim as lot 377 is already a half-brother to three black-type horses, including the G2 Herbert Power S. winner Adjusted (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). His dam, bought by breeder Eddie Irwin for 280,000gns from George Strawbridge, is a daughter of the Group 3 winner Bellarida (Fr) (Bellypha {Fr}) and thus a half-sister to In Clover (GB) (Inchinor {GB}), the dam of three Group 1 winners in With You (GB), We Are (Ire) and Call The Wind (GB), the latter also being a son of Frankel.

McPeek, one of a sizeable group of American buyers at Goffs this week, was the second-leading buyer at the Orby with four yearlings bought for €1.61 million.

He added of the Frankel colt, “My wife and I walked through the group and he was a 'wow' horse. He looks to have a great mind, too.”

Happy Days For Hayes

There was a very special start to the day for breeder John Hayes when the hammer came down at €650,000 for his filly by Frankel (GB) out of Sophie Germain (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}).

Hayes has owned the mare for almost all of her 14 years, having bought the daughter of the Oaks d'Italia winner Nydrion (Critique) at Goffs as a foal for €25,000. She never made it to the racecourse but has been a success in her secondary career, with her first foal, the Andrew Slattery-trained Creggs Pipes (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}), having won seven of her 23 starts, including the G2 Lanwades Stud S.

“This has exceeded my expectations, I'm absolutely thrilled with that result,” said Hayes after lot 254, consigned by Pa Doyle of Galbertstown Stables, was bought by Kieran Lalor to add to the half-sisters to the Classic winners Poetic Flare (Ire) and Mother Earth (Ire) bought on Tuesday for Al Shira'aa Farm.

He added, “Thanks to Pa who has brought her here in wonderful condition and to my long-suffering wife Una.

“It's a big responsibility having a mare of that quality. I was very lucky, I had no clue when I bought her mum here all those years ago, but her mother was a Group 1 winner and Roberto was on the bottom line of the page, whom I love. I'm really a student of pedigrees, that's my thing, and [the filly] is the product of all that study.”

A resident of Tipperary, Hayes has retained Creggs Pipes along with her half-sisters, the listed-placed Silver Spear (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) and In My Business (Ire) (Roderic O'Connor {Ire}). Their dam has a filly foal by Invincible Spirit (Ire) on the ground but did not get back in foal when returning to him this year.

Late in the session, Hayes sold a Sea The Stars (Ire) filly out of Creggs Pipes (lot 418) for €180,000 to Sunderland Holdings.

Lalor has been kept busy on behalf of Sheikha Fatima Bint Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan's Al Shira'aa Farm, which now also owns Meadow Court Stud in Kildare.

He said of his trio of purchases, “The two yesterday are from hardy, sound families and that's what we are looking for. The back end of their careers are what's important for our operation. We also have a half-sister to St Mark's Basilica (Fr).

“Then the Frankel filly today was the dream of this whole sale. I think I only slept a few hours last night praying and hoping that she would fall within my range, and the stars aligned and we have her. They all come from lovely farms and I think it's great business–€450,000 for two half-sisters to Guineas winners.”

Star Turn For No Nay Never

“He's the star of the show,” Timmy Hyde Jr told TDN in the days leading up to the Orby Sale of lot 276, outlining the No Nay Never colt's similarity to Group 1 winner Ten Sovereigns.

Bred by Camas Park Stud, Lynch Bages and Summerhill, Ten Sovereigns won the G1 Middle Park S. and G1 July Cup for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners, and the colt out of the listed winner Sweet Charity (Fr) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) will follow the same path to Ballydoyle after being bought by MV Magnier for €620,000.

Three lots earlier (273), a No Nay Never filly went the way of Alex Elliott and Ben McElroy, buying together for Amo Racing. Bought at €300,000, the Diamond Creek Stud-bred is a grand-daughter of the G3 Ballyogan S. winner Lesson In Humility (Ire) (Mujadil {Ire}), her dam Surprisingly (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) being a sister to Irish Derby and Melbourne Cup runner-up Tiger Moth (Ire).

Hot Cross For Newtown Anner Stud

A Galileo (Ire) filly out of a Scat Daddy mare topped the first day of trade at €1.5 million and the second bred on that pattern to be offered at Goffs by breeder Phoenix Thoroughbreds brought the more modest price of €360,000. Bids were exchanged for a time between Michael Donohoe and PJ Colville, with the latter finally succeeding in signing up lot 280.

“She's been bought for Maurice Regan of Newtown Anner Stud,” said Colville. “It's the same cross as the filly who made all the money yesterday. We liked both of them so we're very happy to get her.”

A first foal, the filly is out of Take Me With You, bought for $800,000 at the Fasig-Tipton breeze-up by Kerri Radcliffe and later a winner and placed in the G3 Albany S. for Jeremy Noseda and Phoenix Thoroughbreds.

Flag Flying High

U S Navy Flag started his stud career at Coolmore at €25,000, a fee which was halved for the 2021 breeding season. His first yearlings on offer at Goffs have been well received with all 13 sold for an average of €98,692.

They included the half-sister to the outstanding 3-year-old miler Poetic Flare (Ire), who sold on Tuesday for €220,000, and top of the list on Wednesday was a half-sister to another top-level winner, the G1 Del Mar Oaks victrix Going Global (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}).

Sold as lot 317, the filly bred by Nicky Hartery had also received updates from two other half-siblings after the catalogue was printed, with Finans Bay (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) having placed in the G3 Royal Whip S., while 2-year-old winner Mitbaahy (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}) has twice been listed-placed.

Dwayne Woods ended up as the successful bidder at €290,000 and confirmed that the filly will be trained in Newmarket by his brother Sean.

Beeby Looks To West

American interest continued to be strong during the second session of the Orby Sale, with Niall Brennan, Anthony Dutrow, Kim Valerio and DJ Stable, Ben McElroy and Jacob West all contributing to a strong middle to upper market.

Acting through Demi O'Byrne, Peter Brant's White Birch Farm picked up lot 382, an Acclamation (GB) half-brother to German Group 3 winner K Club (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). The colt out of Big Boned (Street Sense) had been pinhooked as a foal by Michael Fitzpatrick of Kilminfoyle House Stud for €195,000.

Lot 331 was bought by Deuce Greathouse and Pura Vida for €150,000 and represented a good result for the Irish National Stud's Mare Syndicate. The daughter of Night Of Thunder (Ire) was in utero when the Irish National Stud bought her dam Adhwaa (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) from Shadwell for €110,000 at Goffs two years ago. Since the catalogue was published her first foal, Mejthaam (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) has won for the second time and is now rated 84.

Acknowledging the American participation in the Irish yearling market, Henry Beeby said, “Orby has always been a magnet for global interest but we focused extra attention on the USA and we salute our new US Agent, Jacob West, who attracted unprecedented numbers from across the Atlantic. Happily they liked what they saw and really engaged with the promise of even more in future years as they were so enthused by the quality of the catalogue, the workability of the complex and the warm welcome and helpfulness of the Goffs Purchaser Attraction Team and our colleagues at Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, the latter of which have proved absolutely invaluable in making a trip to Ireland truly memorable for every visitor.”

The post Brother To Luxembourg Tops Final Orby Session appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Woodward: Maxfield ‘Should Love The Sweeping Turns’ At Belmont Park

With three graded stakes wins this year, Godolphin's Maxfield has established himself as one of the leaders in the older horse division. On Saturday, the son of Street Sense will vie to add a Grade 1 victory to his 4-year-old campaign in the 68th running of the nine-furlong $500,000 Woodward, which returns to Belmont Park for the first time since 2005.

The Woodward is one of two Grade 1, $500,000 events on Saturday's card along with the Champagne for 2-year-olds running one mile in a prestigious race, affording a spot in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile to the winner. The lucrative card is bolstered by the Grade 3, $200,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs on the grass along with the Grade 2, $200,000 Miss Grillo, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for juvenile fillies.

Previously held at Saratoga Race Course, the Woodward was inaugurated in 1954 at Belmont Park and also was run several times at Aqueduct before being moved to Saratoga.

Maxfield, who boasts a consistent 9-7-1-1 record with over $1.45 million in earnings, arrives off a runner-up effort to Knicks Go in the Grade 1 Whitney on August 7 at Saratoga. Trainer Brendan Walsh saddled the 4-year-old son of Street Sense to back-to-back scores in the Alysheba [105 Beyer] on April 30 and Stephen Foster [103 Beyer] on June 26, both Grade 2 events at Churchill Downs.

A winner on debut going a one-turn mile in September 2019 at Churchill Downs, Maxfield became a Grade 1 winner in his second career start when capturing the Breeders' Futurity going two turns at Keeneland, where he made up nearly ten lengths from ninth to win by 5 ½ lengths – his largest margin of victory to date.

Walsh said earning a Grade 1 triumph as an older horse is crucial for Maxfield.

“It's absolutely important, especially with a horse like him, who we always thought would get better as he gets older,” Walsh said. “For his stallion career and everything, it would be very important to get a Grade 1 win in him this year.”

Lightly raced for a horse of his level, Maxfield has done the bulk of his racing this year having raced a cumulative four times at ages two and three, all of which were wins. He kicked off a successful year with a 3 ¼-length win in the Grade 3 Mineshaft in February at Fair Grounds before suffering his first loss in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap three weeks later.

“I think it all has helped. Thinking back at this point last year, this horse had only run three times in his career and he was about to turn four,” Walsh said. “We've always been on the back foot as far as seasoning and racing experience goes. I think we saw an advance on him in the Whitney because he ran right through the wire, which I was pleased to see him do. It all bodes well for the races ahead.”

Walsh expressed no concern with cutting back to one-turn from the two-turn Whitney.

“I think it suits him if anything,” Walsh said. “He should love the sweeping turns here. He seems to run his turns very well, which is probably the strongest part of his races. A big horse like him with a big stride on him, I can't see why it wouldn't be to his advantage more than anything.”

Walsh, who previously worked for Godolphin as an assistant trainer in Dubai, spoke volumes of the world-class breeding and racing operation.

“They've been a big influence on my career,” Walsh said. “It's just a privilege to train for them and an even greater privilege to have a horse of this caliber for them in such a great year. Hopefully, we can keep it going for the next couple of months and make it even better.”

Maxfield will race with blinkers on for the Woodward, and will be piloted by regular rider Jose Ortiz from post 2.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will saddle a pair of top contenders in Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector and Don Alberto Stable's Forza Di Oro.

Art Collector has matched up 103 Beyers in his last two starts at nine furlongs, capturing the Alydar on August 6 at Saratoga and the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic on August 27. A seven-time winner from 14 starts, Art Collector has banked more than $1.2 million. Art Collector is a 4-year-old son of Bernardini, who sired previous Woodward victors To Honor and Serve [2012] and Alpha [2013].

Art Collector burst onto the scene during his sophomore campaign with victories in the Grade 2 Blue Grass last July at Keeneland and the Ellis Park Derby one month later for his former trainer Tommy Drury, Jr.

Art Collector arrives off a half-mile breeze in 49.49 seconds on September 25 over the Oklahoma training track.

“He looked good and smooth in his last work,” said Mott, who previously won the Woodward with Hall of Famer Cigar [1995-96], To Honor and Serve [2012] and Yoshida [2018]. “He's made no mistakes so far. He looks great and the horse is doing very well. We're very pleased with him.”

Forza Di Oro, a 4-year-old Speightstown chestnut, sports a ledger of 7-4-1-1 led by a score in the Grade 3 Discovery in November at the Big A. Last out, Forza Di Oro finished a pacesetting third in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on September 4 at Saratoga.

“It could have been the distance. We were concerned about that going in,” Mott said. “He's capable of a different running style. We'll leave that up to the jock.”

Luis Saez returns aboard Art Collector from post 3, while Junior Alvarado will ride Forza Di Oro from post 6.

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A victory from dual Grade 1-winner Code of Honor would give the Farish family their first Woodward win since Mineshaft in 2003. Last out, the 5-year-old homebred son of Noble Mission made his first start off a seven-month layoff a triumphant one in capturing the Grade 3 Phillip H. Iselin on August 21 at Monmouth Park, garnering a 105 Beyer.

Code of Honor boasts field-best lifetime earnings in excess of $2.8 million through a 17-7-4-2 record, highlighted by 2019 triumphs in the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers and Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup during his 3-year-old season.

“He's training as good as he could – as good as I've ever seen him,” McGaughey said. “I think two turns is probably better, but the mile and an eighth is fine. I think the way he's training right now, he's sharp and he'll be laying in the right spot to wait and make a move.”

Paco Lopez, aboard for his last out Iselin score, will return to the irons from post 5.

St. Elias Stable's Dr Post will attempt his first Grade 1 victory for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

The son of 2010 Woodward winner Quality Road arrives off a third in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on August 21 at Del Mar, where he considerably advanced position in the last two points of call coming from seventh to complete the trifecta. Piloted by Joel Rosario, Dr Post appeared to be losing considerable ground around the far turn.

“In the middle part of the race, he sort of backed up on us and came with a good solid late run,” Pletcher said. “Joel seemed to think that maybe he was struggling with the track a little bit in the middle part of the race for some reason. He seemed to get a hold of it well late in the race, but just put himself in a tough spot with too much to do. It wasn't a bad race by any means.”

Dr Post displayed a successful seasonal commencement when capturing the Grade 3 Westchester at Belmont on May 1 before taking the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup on July 17 two starts later.

Dr Post will race with blinkers in the Woodward, as he did in his previous two starts.

“After the first time, I thought they moved him up quite a bit, but they didn't seem to have the same effect the second time, or at least the middle part of the race,” Pletcher said. “We'll leave them on to keep him focused.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr., who piloted Dr Post to his first stakes win in the Unbridled last April at Gulfstream Park and a runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes last year, will be reunited with the four-time winner from the inside post.

Completing the field is Knight R.B. Stables' Mo Gotcha, a five-time winning 5-year-old son of Uncle Mo. Trainer Naipaul Chatterpaul claimed Mo Gotcha two starts back for $40,000 following a victory via disqualification on September 2 at the Spa and arrives off a third-place finish in his stakes debut in the Grand Prix American Jockey Club on September 18.

Returning pilot Jalon Samuel will ride from post 4.

The Woodward is slated as Race 10 on Saturday's 11-race card. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.

The prestigious event for older horses honors William Woodward, who was chairman of the Jockey Club 1930-50. Woodward also owned Bel Air Stud who campaigned father-son Triple Crown-winning pair of Gallant Fox and Omaha. Since its inception, the Woodward has been won by all-time greats Sword Dancer [1959-60], Kelso [1961-63], Buckpasser [1966], Damascus [1967] and Forego, who won four consecutive runnings from 1974-77. More recent prominent winners of the Woodward include Skip Away [1998], Mineshaft [2003], Ghostzapper [2004], Saint Liam [2005], Curlin [2008], Rachel Alexandra [2009], Havre de Grace [2011] and Gun Runner [2017] whose Woodward victories would help cement Horse of the Year honors in their respective years.

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Change of Plea Hearing Scheduled for Jordan Fishman

A Change of Plea Hearing for Jordan Fishman, a defendant in the federal doping conspiracy case USA vs. Navarro, was entered into the record Wednesday by Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil in United States District Court, Southern District of New York. The hearing has been scheduled for October 6, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. Jordan Fishman is charged with drug adulteration and misbranding conspiracy.

The request for the hearing likely indicates Fishman's desire to change his plea from not guilty to guilty, following similar change of pleas from Navarro, veterinarian Kristian Rhein, and drug distributor Michael Kegley Jr., all of whom initially pled not guilty in the case.

Jordan Fishman is charged by the government of the “illicit manufacture and distribution of PEDs…to Seth Fishman's specifications.”

“From at least in or about 2002 through at least in or about March 2020, Seth Fishman, Lisa Giannelli, Jordan Fishman, and Rick Dane, Jr., the defendants, and others known and unknown,
engaged in a corrupt scheme to create, manufacture, and distribute adulterated and misbranded PEDs to racehorse trainers and others in a systematic effort to improve race performance of racehorses, and obtain prize money as a result,” reads the indictment. “The defendants, created, marketed, and distributed a variety of PEDs, which were manufactured in an unregistered
facility, mislabeled, and/or administered with no valid prescription.”

In May, Vyskocil was emphatic about wanting to begin trials in the fourth quarter of 2021 for the first of four groupings of 14 defendants in the case, and later set a Nov. 15 start date for the trial of Seth Fishman, Lisa Giannelli and Jordan Fishman.

But during a Sept. 15 status conference, that schedule got reset to January 2022 for those defendants.

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