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‘A Rewarding Win For The Whole Team’: Pletcher Reflects On Happy Saver’s Rapid Ascent, Jockey Club Gold Cup Victory

After numerous close defeats in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup including a disqualification from victory in last year's edition, trainer Todd Pletcher secured the elusive win Saturday when Wertheimer and Frere's unbeaten sophomore Happy Saver rode the rail to victory in the prestigious classic-distance race at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Pletcher, who had finished second in the Jockey Club Gold Cup previously with Keen Ice [2017], Palace Malice [2013], Stay Thirsty [2012], Quality Road [2010], Lawyer Ron [2007] and Newfoundland [2004], saddled Vino Rosso in last year's running. Vino Rosso crossed the wire first but was ultimately disqualified to second for interference with Code of Honor in the stretch run.

Pletcher said the long-awaited victory with the son of Super Saver was welcome.

“That was a race that had been alluding us for a while,” Pletcher said. “I thought we broke through last year only to be disqualified. Not only had we not won it, but we had seven seconds, a number of which were very close. It was a very rewarding win for the whole team and it was nice to do it for the Wertheimers, who have been loyal supporters of ours for a long time. He's by Super Saver and out of a mare we trained, so it was a great win all the way around.

“He looks good,” Pletcher said the morning after Happy Saver's win. “He seemed to bounce out of everything well. He's a little bit tired, which I would expect after running a race like that. It seems like he's in good shape.”

Following a debut victory on June 20 at Belmont Park, Happy Saver bested older winners going two turns at Saratoga en route to a triumph in the September 7 Federico Tesio at Laurel Park, ahead of the Jockey Club Gold Cup, where he earned a career best 100 Beyer Speed Figure.

Pletcher praised his newly minted Grade 1-winner on being able to make such a swift climb up the ladder.

“What he's been able to accomplish you don't see very many other horses do,” Pletcher said. “He went from a seven-furlong maiden on June 20 to a mile and an eighth allowance at Saratoga, to a mile and an eighth stake at Laurel and came back to Belmont and then to win a Grade 1 going a mile and a quarter against older horses is something you don't see very often.”

In winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup, a Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” event, Happy Saver earned an all-fees paid entry into the Grade 1, $6-million Breeders' Cup Classic on November 7 at Keeneland, which Pletcher said is under strong consideration.

“That's what we're going to think about,” Pletcher said. “We'll see how he bounces out of this and let him take us there when he wants to. Speaking to the Wertheimers last night, they're in no rush and they plan on racing him next year.”

Should Happy Saver make the trip for the Breeders' Cup, he would seek to give Pletcher a second straight win in the Classic after winning last year's edition at Santa Anita with Vino Rosso. Wertheimer and Frere have never won the Classic, but owned Breeders' Cup heroes Halfbridled, who took the 2003 Juvenile Fillies for Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, and international superstar Goldikova who captured three consecutive runnings of the Mile from 2008-10.

Happy Saver's sire Super Saver gave Pletcher his first triumph in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in 2010 after a slew of placings.

“I don't see a lot of similarities,” Pletcher said. “The one thing I would say is that from a physical standpoint, they're both very good-looking and well-balanced horses. Super Saver could get a little intense in the paddock and this one is more laid back.”

Other possible Breeders' Cup contenders for Pletcher include Grade 1-winners Valiance [Distaff] and Halladay [Mile] as well as impressive maiden winner Likeable [Juvenile] and Grade 2 Bourbon winner Mutasaabeq [Juvenile Turf].

Pletcher also spoke of recent first out maiden winner Malathaat, who gave Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez his 2,000th win at Belmont Park, and said that the $100,000 Tempted on November 6 going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct could be in play for the regally-bred daughter of Curlin out of the Grade 1-winning A.P. Indy mare Dreaming of Julia.

“I thought she ran really well the other day,” Pletcher said. “She's obviously bred to be a very nice filly.”

The post ‘A Rewarding Win For The Whole Team’: Pletcher Reflects On Happy Saver’s Rapid Ascent, Jockey Club Gold Cup Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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‘Nice And Consistent,’ Tiz The Law Breezes At Belmont Park

Sackatoga Stable's four-time Grade 1 winner Tiz the Law was back to work early Saturday morning, recording a five-furlong breeze in 1:01.54 over a fast main track at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The bay son of Constitution stepped foot on the track around 6:30 a.m. and broke off at the five-eighths pole with regular exercise rider Heather Smullen aboard, recording splits of 25 and 36.80 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.30 and seven furlongs in 1:29.14 for trainer Barclay Tagg.

“It was a great work. He went well,” Tagg said. “He's been very straightforward.”

The move was Tiz the Law's third work since finishing second Sept. 5 in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, where he finished three-quarters of a length behind Authentic. He scored in his prior four starts this season in dominant fashion beginning with the Grade 3 Holy Bull and Grade 1 Florida Derby, both at Gulfstream Park. Tiz the Law then posted a sensational 3 3/4-length victory in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 20, where he became the first Empire State-bred to win the American Classic in 138 years, and followed with a triumph in the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers on August 8 at Saratoga, which he won by 5 1/2 lengths.

During his juvenile campaign, Tiz the Law was a first-out winner against his New York-bred counterpart exactly one calendar year prior to his Runhappy Travers triumph en route to a score in the Grade 1 Champagne last October at Belmont Park. A $110,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred Yearling Sale, Tiz the Law has amassed $2,615,300 in purse earnings.

Smullen, who has been aboard Tiz the Law for his last several breezes since the Kentucky Derby, said she was pleased with the work.

“The horse was really good. It was early and the track was a little dry and cuppy,” Smullen said. “It wasn't the fastest, but he was really comfortable and did everything on his own. It was nice and consistent. He's getting back to feeling happy like he was before we went out to Churchill.”

Smullen praised Tiz the Law for his level of intelligence and said not all horses of his ilk are as easy to manage.

“He's very smart, but on top of being very smart, he's manageable which is nice,” Smullen said. “Some horses that are fast are not manageable like him. He's just smart in how he goes about life.”

The connections of Tiz the Law opted to bypass the Grade 1 Preakness and instead train up to the Grade 1, $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic on November 7 at Keeneland, where he will face older horses for the first time. He will attempt to become the 13th 3-year-old to score a victory in the Classic.

Bred in New York by Twin Creeks Farm, Tiz the Law is out of the graded stakes winning Tiznow mare Tizfiz.

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America’s Day At The Races To Broadcast Columbus Weekend Stakes From Belmont Park

America's Day at the Races, produced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports, will provide live coverage of a lucrative Columbus Day Weekend at Belmont Park beginning Saturday, Oct. 10 through Monday, Oct. 12.

The 3-day holiday weekend will feature seven graded events, including four Grade 1 Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” challenge races on Saturday led by the $250,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup, a 1 ¼-mile test offering a berth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic.

In addition to the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, Saturday's card is bolstered by the Grade 1, $250,000 Champagne at one-mile for 2-year-olds providing a spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. A loaded card also includes the Grade 1, $250,000 Flower Bowl at 10-furlongs for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up with a berth in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf on the line; the Grade 1, $250,000 Frizette, a one-turn mile for juvenile fillies offering a berth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies; and the Grade 2, $150,000 Sands Point for sophomore fillies at one mile on the turf.

Sunday, Oct. 11 is headlined by the Grade 3, $100,000 Futurity for 2-year-olds headed six furlongs on the turf with the victor earning a “Win and You're In” entry to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. The day will also feature the Grade 3, $100,000 Matron for 2-year-old fillies going six furlongs on the turf.

Columbus Day Monday's card will feature nine races to close out the holiday weekend.

Broadcast schedule for Columbus Day Weekend on America's Day at the Races (all times Eastern):

Saturday, Oct. 10
FS1: noon – 6 p.m.
MSG+: 12:30 – 6 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 11
FS2: 12:30 – 1 p.m. and 3 – 4 p.m.
FS1: 1 – 3 p.m. and 4 – 6 p.m.
MSG+: 12:30 – 6 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 12
FS2: 12:30 – 5:30 p.m.
MSG+: 12:30 – 5:30 p.m.

America's Day at the Races is also broadcast on NYRA's YouTube channel, which boasts more than 57,000 subscribers. Fans can subscribe to NYRA's channel and set a reminder to watch the show on YouTube Live. NYRA's YouTube channel also hosts a number of race replays, special features, America's Day at the Races replays and more.

NYRA Bets provides fans the opportunity to wager on racing from tracks around the world at any time. The NYRA Bets app is available for download for iOS and Android at NYRA Bets App. Watch and wager on the best racing while earning points on every bet. For details on how NYRA Bets players can earn a $20 bonus for a $25 win bet on a single horse in the Champagne and/or Frizette, visit http://www.NYRAbets.com.

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Tacitus Will Face Four Rivals In Saturday’s Jockey Club Gold Cup

Juddmonte Farms' three-time graded stakes-winning multimillionaire Tacitus will look to secure his first career Grade 1 triumph in Saturday's 102nd running of the Grade 1, $250,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup going the classic distance of 1 ¼ miles at Belmont Park.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup is a Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” qualifier offering an automatic entry into the Grade 1, $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic on November 7 at Keeneland.

The prestigious race is one of five graded stakes on Saturday's action-packed program, which also includes three other “Win And You're In” qualifying events along with the Grade 1, $250,000 Flower Bowl for fillies and mares going 1 ¼ miles on the inner turf, offering a berth in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf; the Grade 1, $300,000 Champagne for juvenile colts going one mile on the main track, providing a spot in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile; and the Grade 1, $250,000 Frizette for juvenile fillies going one mile on the main track, a qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The lucrative card is bolstered by the Grade 2, $150,000 Sands Point for sophomore fillies going one mile over the Widener turf.

Since its inception in 1919, the Jockey Club Gold Cup has been one of the most prestigious events on the racing calendar having been won by Hall of Famers Man o' War [1920], Hill Prince [1950], Nashua [1955-56], Sword Dancer [1959], Buckpasser [1966], Damascus [1967], Forego [1974], John Henry [1981], Easy Goer [1989], Cigar [1995], Skip Away [1996-97] and Curlin [2007-08]. The great Kelso won the Jockey Club Gold Cup a record five straight years from 1960-64. Nine Kentucky Derby winners have won the prized event, including Triple Crown winners Gallant Fox [1930], Whirlaway [1942], Citation [1948] and Affirmed [1979].

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, a three-time Jockey Club Gold Cup winner, Tacitus was third in last year's edition and was most recently second as the favorite in the Grade 1 Woodward on September 5 at Saratoga, where he chased a slow pace tracking a half-length off Global Campaign but was unable to catch the pacesetter, who strolled home a 1 ¾-length winner.

The 4-year-old son of Tapit out of 2014 Champion Older Mare Close Hatches made some noise on last year's Kentucky Derby trail with scores in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby and the Grade 2 Wood Memorial en route to being elevated to third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby. He followed with three runner-up finishes as the favorite, including a late-closing second in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and the Grade 2 Jim Dandy ahead of a prominent effort in the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers.

Two starts following an international endeavor in his 2020 debut when fifth in the Group 1 Saudi Cup on February 29, Tacitus added another graded stakes triumph to his ledger with an 8 ¾-length runaway win in the Grade 2 Suburban on July 4 at Belmont Park, which also is contested at the classic distance.

Tacitus has trained forwardly heading into Saturday's race, recently posting a half-mile drill in 47.20 on October 4 – the fastest of 77 recorded works at the distance.

Mott said he has no regrets regarding Tacitus' race tactics in the Woodward.

“Looking back, I don't think we did anything wrong,” said Mott. “The horse that beat him just ran a very good race. The only thing we could have tried differently, and I don't know that it would have changed the outcome was maybe go to that horse [Global Campaign] right away from the gate. I don't know that it would have changed anything. You sure weren't going to take him back more, the only thing would have been going on the attack early.”

Jockey Jose Ortiz, aboard for all three of Tacitus' graded stakes victories, will ride once more, drawing post 4.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup has had a long history of sophomores besting their elders in the event, and a pair of 3-year-olds will be making their debut against older horses this year with Godolphin's graded stakes winner Mystic Guide and Wertheimer and Frere's unbeaten Happy Saver.

Trained by Michael Stidham, Mystic Guide bypassed last Saturday's Grade 1 Preakness in favor of the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He was a last out winner of the Grade 2 Jim Dandy on September 5 at Saratoga, which was his only start where he was not made the favorite.

The well-bred chestnut son of Ghostzapper out of four-time Grade 1 winner Music Note has never finished off the board in five lifetime starts including a five-length triumph at second asking in his two-turn debut on March 21 at Fair Grounds. He was subsequently beaten by the same margin in his next effort against winners going a one-turn mile-and-a-sixteenth at Belmont to Tap It to Win before finishing third in the Grade 3 Peter Pan on July 16 at the Spa.

Mystic Guide registered a career-best 95 Beyer from his Jim Dandy score. The return to winning form was likely due to the addition of blinkers, according to Jimmy Bell who manages Godolphin's USA division.

“We were very, very pleased with his Jim Dandy run,” said Bell. “He stepped up and found his way to the top level. A little of it was the blinkers and getting him more involved in the race early not giving him too much to do at the end. We're looking forward to the distance of the Jockey Club Gold Cup.”

Bell said he is looking forward to seeing what the lightly-raced Mystic Guide can show as a 4-year-old and that he should relish the 1 ¼ miles.

“We're very much looking forward to his 4-year-old year,” Bell said. “We're really looking forward to the mile and a quarter race. He seems like a horse that will finish up well and not get tired.”

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, a three-time winning Jockey Club Gold Cup rider, will pilot Mystic Guide for the first time from post 5.

Trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle Happy Saver, who has won all three of his lifetime starts but will face graded stakes company for the first time.

The son of 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, who also was conditioned by Pletcher, was a 5 ½-length winner on debut going seven furlongs over Big Sandy before defeating winners in his two-turn debut at Saratoga at 1 1/8 miles.

Last out, he added “stakes winner” to his resume with a 1 ½-length score in the Federico Tesio at Laurel Park on September 7.

“He's a lightly raced 3-year-old going up against older horses, but he's done everything that we've asked of him so far,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher said he has taken a patient approach with the lightly-raced Happy Saver.

“He just had some baby setbacks,” Pletcher said. “We almost had him ready to run here last fall, but we had to give him a break. It just took him a little while to get ready, but he's certainly made up a lot of ground in a short period of time.”

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., who guided Happy Saver to his first two wins, has the mount from post 1.

A strong third-place effort against Grade 1 company has given veteran conditioner Jimmy Bond confidence to try Prioritize against such caliber once more, as he breaks from post 2.

Owned by William Clifton, Jr. the son of Tizway closed late to secure the show spot in the Grade 1 Woodward, where he was three lengths shy of the winner. Since moving to the main track, Prioritize has not finished out the money, having won his dirt debut for a $35,000 tag on December 20 at Aqueduct and secured a narrow allowance win at the Spa on July 25 over highly regarded Money Moves. When contesting on grass, he was twice third against stakes company in the 2018 Better Talk Now at Saratoga and the Grade 2 Hill Prince just over one month later at Belmont Park.

Jockey Luis Saez picks up the mount aboard Prioritize.

Rounding out the field is Colts Neck Stables' Name Changer, a 7-year-old Uncle Mo dark bay horse seeking his first win since the Queens County in December 2018 at Aqueduct.

Trained by Jorge Duarte, Jr., Name Changer has not won in four starts since said effort but has not finished worse than fourth. A winner of the 2018 Grade 3 Monmouth Cup, he arrives off a fourth-place finish to Pirate's Punch in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile on September 20 at Monmouth Park.

Jockey Manny Franco, who guided Discreet Lover to a 45-1 upset win in the 2018 Jockey Club Gold Cup, will attempt another longshot score in the race from post 3.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup is slated as Race 9 on Saturday's 11-race program, which offers a first post of 12:20 p.m. Eastern. America's Day at the Races will present daily television coverage of the 27-day fall meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete America's Day at the Races broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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