Breeders' Cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

Bright Future Repels Proxy in Jockey Club Gold Cup Thriller, Earns Breeders’ Cup Classic Berth

Bright Future delivered a career-defining performance Saturday at Saratoga when grabbing the lead into the stretch, then digging in to barely hold off hard-charging Proxy and win the $1-million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) in a thriller.

After tracking pacesetter Warrior Johny from second early, the Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable colorbearer landed the first stakes victory of his career by a nose under Javier Castellano and entered off an allowance victory July 21 at the Spa.

Bright Future, a 4-year-old son of Curlin, returned $9.50 to win after covering 1¼ miles in 2:03 flat.

Proxy held on for second and Tyson was third.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup is a Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win And You're In” qualifier, and Proxy gained automatic entry into the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on November 4 at Santa Anita.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Bright Future has a 4-0-0 record from seven career starts.

Bright Future was bred in Kentucky by Clearsky Farms. Produced by the Bellamy Road mare Sophia's Song, his breeder sold him for $250,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Jockey Club Gold Cup Quotes

Todd Pletcher, winning trainer of Bright Future (No. 8, $9.50): “He's a horse that we've always thought a lot of. I've got to give the Violas and the Repoles [owners] a lot of credit because we've had to kind of tap on the brakes a few times along the way and they gave him time to develop. We probably got a little ambitious when we tried the Brooklyn, maybe didn't have quite the foundation to be ready to go a mile and a half at that stage. We regrouped with the allowance race here and I thought it was a powerful performance, so from that time on we've been pointing for this and the horse has trained exceptionally well. Coming into it, we were optimistic he was ready to make a move forward.

“It wasn't real clear how much speed there was on paper. So, we wanted to get into the race and get into a good position, get in a good rhythm which he was able to do.

“Javier [Castellano] has had a phenomenal year. He's making all the right decisions and it is great to see him back in top form after taking some time off for an injury. He's riding as good as ever.

“It was a good spot to try a Grade 1 and he delivered a big performance. In order to go to the next one, he's going to need to make another move forward. It appears to be pretty wide open, the older horse division. I guess we will learn a little more in California tomorrow or Monday. We'll see.”

On a potential next start in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic on November 4 at Santa Anita Park: “I would think so. I doubt we'd do anything in between.”

Mike Repole, winning co-owner of Bright Future (No. 8): “Just a really nice effort. A horse we had high hopes for last year. He's a Curlin. He was winning at a mile, so we decided to try him in the Brooklyn and we looked at each other and said, 'What were we doing?' Something happened that day but there's nothing wrong. He didn't work well, but he got the two starts here and he backed up his last win very impressively.

“He's a Curlin. I had a horse by Curlin named Vino Rosso that couldn't put it together at three, but now [Bright Future] has put it together at four. I named the horse Bright Future for a reason. I knew he was going to be a later 3-year-old, 4-year-old horse and so far his name is fitting right now.”

Javier Castellano, winning jockey aboard Bright Future (No. 8): “I really like the way he did it and the way he finished. I had a lot of confidence after the way I rode the horse last time. He gave me the impression he was going to step up the ladder a little bit, the level. I had a lot of confidence because this is a good horse and I thought he can do it. I'm very happy that everything went through. I had a beautiful trip and a good post today. It worked out great.

“I felt great because we went pretty quick [early] and had to hustle a little bit to put him in a good spot because we were way, way outside. I took forward position and I could use my spot to get in the clear. I think that's why I used my horse a little bit but we backed it up a little bit just to give a little break. I think it was the key to win the race.”

On winning another Grade 1 this year: “Thank God. I've been blessed, very lucky and very fortunate to ride the best horses, especially with Todd Pletcher, one of the best trainers in the country. He gave me the opportunity to ride this horse and that's the key. Keep positive and working hard, and see everything come around.”

Joel Rosario, jockey of runner-up Proxy (No. 1): “He ran a big race. It was a very good performance for him. I don't think it was really quick [pace], but it seemed like it was OK for me there. He was more in the race like he did last time and when he's like that, he runs better. I was happy where he was.

“I thought for a second we got it done.”

Manny Franco, jockey of third-place Tyson (No. 6): “He ran a good race. The first two finishers are very good horses and it was the first time on the dirt for my horse. I was pleased with the way he run.”

Winning margin: nose

Final time (1 1/4 miles): 2:03

Fractions: 22.25, 48.86, 1:14.10, 1:38.59

Full order of finish: 8-1-6-5-7-4-3-2

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Parnac Romps Gate To Wire In Flower Bowl, Earns BC Filly & Mare Turf Berth

West Point Thoroughbreds and Dream With Me Stable's Parnac made the grade with a gate-to-wire performance to hold off Grade 1 winner McKulick in Saturday's $500,000 Flower Bowl (G2), an 11-furlong inner turf test for older fillies and mares at Saratoga Race Course.

In victory, the 4-year-old French-bred daughter of Zarak, trained by Christophe Clement and expertly piloted by Dylan Davis, earned a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) in November at Santa Anita Park.

It was the second stakes win of the meet for Davis, who guided the Clement-trained New Ginya to victory last weekend in the state-bred Yaddo Handicap.

“Our plan was to come out running. I knew the three horse [Tamarama] was the other speed. She was able to break – inside post really helped us here get dominance for the lead,” Davis said. “The three came up to me, but didn't really want to continue on, and I was able to take control from there. After that, she got real comfortable with easy fractions with no pressure and she's kind of a grinder type – that's what I heard and [saw] watching her videos. I was able to pick her up into the last turn, get her running going before they got too close to her, and then she was able to hold them off.”

Parnac led through fractions of :25.19, :51.33 and 1:18.92 over the firm footing with 9-1 shot Tamarama in second, McKulick, the 2-5 mutuel favorite saving ground in third, and the Clement-trained Amazing Grace last-of-4.

She continued to dictate terms into the final turn as Tamarama was asked for her best by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano with Irad Ortiz Jr. giving McKulick her cue and the Joel Rosario-piloted Amazing Grace following suit. McKulick angled wide for the stretch run and took dead aim at the leader, but there was no reeling in Parnac, who posted the 1 1/4-length win in a final time of 2:18.60. McKulick completed the exacta by a neck over Amazing Grace with Tamarama another length back in fourth.

“The Clements had her ready. She's a great horse and she likes the distance,” Davis said. “They had her ready today and I just was listening to them and what I needed to do. I hadn't been on her before, so I watched replays and she was there for me when I asked her. She was able to pick up that last eighth of a mile to finish it up.”

Parnac launched her career with a pair of wins in October 2021 in Germany for conditioner Andreas Wohler before being purchased privately and transferred to the Clement barn last summer. She notched a rallying allowance score at fourth asking for new connections in October at Belmont at the Big A and was freshened following a seventh-place finish in the Winter Memories in November at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Parnac opened her current campaign with an even fourth in the Monroe in May at Gulfstream Park ahead of a rallying neck score in an 11-furlong optional-claimer on June 11 at Belmont Park. She entered from a close third-place finish over soft going in the 11-furlong Robert G. Dick Memorial (G3) on July 1 at Delaware Park.

Tom Bellhouse, Executive Vice President of West Point Thoroughbreds, credited Clement and his son and assistant, Miguel Clement, for having Parnac ready to run.

“We came out of the Dick Memorial, where a lot of horses had issues. We were asked to scratch from a race here a few weeks ago and we went ahead and did our due diligence,” Bellhouse said. “We got a full scan and passed with flying colors. Then Miguel and Christophe started putting their heads together to find the next spot for us. Sometimes, you get lucky in spite of things. Bad things happen, but good things happen to good people, too. They've done a phenomenal job with this filly.”

Klaravich Stables' McKulick now sports a 4-2-2-0 record over the Spa turf, beginning with a maiden score in August 2021 ahead of her last-out score in the Grade 2 Glens Falls here on August 3. The Chad Brown-trainee ran second behind With The Moonlight in last year's Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational.

Ortiz said he was hindered by the slow pace but was reluctant to force the issue with last year's Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) winner.

“She put me there. If they run away from me in the first part of the race, if I try to move that's probably going to be a premature move, I don't really want to do that, so I just rode my race,” Ortiz, Jr. said.

Clement said Parnac has a number of options going forward, including the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, the Long Island (G3) in November at Aqueduct or the E. P. Taylor (G1) on October 8 at Woodbine – a race he teamed up with Davis to win in 2021 with Mutamakina.

“We have a quite a few choices. Let's enjoy this for a few days,” said Clement, who secured his eighth stakes win of the meet.

Bred in France by Jean-Pierre Dubois, Parnac was produced by the Sageburg mare Passing Burg. She banked $275,000 in victory while improving her record to 11-5-1-1. She returned $18.40 for a $2 win bet.

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Jockey Club Gold Cup: Rattle N Roll Needs ‘To Take Things To A Higher Level’

Trainer Kenny McPeek is hopeful that Lucky Seven Stable's Rattle N Roll can put together a Breeders' Cup worthy performance in Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup, at Saratoga Race Course. The 10-furlong test for 3-year-olds and up offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Santa Anita Park.

The 4-year-old Connect colt has proven that he does not have to take his racetrack with him, having won five graded stakes over four different racetracks. Rattle N Roll won his stakes debut in the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity in October 2021 at Keeneland and earned a triumph in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park nearly one year later.

But Rattle N Roll's 4-year-old season appears to be his best one yet, having put together a string of three graded stakes triumphs this year. After making a successful return to the site of his lone Grade 1 coup in the Grade 3 Ben Ali on April 22, he shipped to Pimlico Race Course to secure a narrow triumph in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special. Both efforts earned a career-high 101 Beyer Speed Figure. From there, he won the Grade 3 Blame on June 3 going nine furlongs at Churchill Downs.

Rattle N Roll has not raced since finishing second beaten a half-length by West Will Power in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster on July 1 at Ellis Park. McPeek said a strong performance would warrant targeting the Breeders' Cup Classic, with a possible start in the Grade 2 Lukas Classic on September 30 at Churchill Downs.

“He's a horse that ran hard all spring and every time we led him over there, he did great,” McPeek said. “We just felt that if we were going to make the Breeders' Cup Classic, we should space his races a little bit. Let's see what he does this weekend. If he runs really well with the two-month spacing, he might not run again until Breeders' Cup. We can always come back in the Lukas Classic if we choose to, but he's done everything we asked him, and he continued to thrive.”

McPeek said he was selective about where to run his talented colt this year.

“We were really conservative with him as a 3-year-old and even as an older horse,” McPeek said. “We were trying to find soft spots and let him continue to win. At this stage, you got to take things to a higher level. At this point it's up to him, but he's been a fantastic horse to be around. How many horses win graded stakes at 2, 3 and 4? He's been a constant professional. He can win anywhere you want to go.”

Rattle N Roll has banked $1,697,741 through a 19-8-2-2 lifetime record. He was selected by McPeek for $210,000 out of the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the Johannesburg mare Jazz Tune, who has a Liam's Map yearling colt entered in this year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale listed as Hip 1300.

McPeek will have the chance to double up on Grade 1 scores at Saratoga when he saddles first-out maiden winner Wonder Ride in Sunday's seven-furlong $300,000 Spinaway. The 2-year-old Gun Runner filly broke her maiden going the Spinaway distance on August 13, coming from just off the pace en route to a half-length score. The triumph produced a 72 Beyer Speed Figure.

Wonder Ride, owned and co-bred by Walking L Thoroughbreds with Fest Miles, is out of the graded stakes winning New York-bred Wonderment, who was campaigned by McPeek. Wonder Ride was raised on McPeek's Magdalena Farm in Central Kentucky. He said breeding to Gun Runner was a no-brainer.

“That wasn't a hard decision,” McPeek said, with a laugh. “But physically, I felt that Gun Runner was going to help the mare and maybe contribute a little added balance and speed and he's done it. He's a once in a lifetime stallion. He's a very well made horse. Whether you breed him to a big mare or a little mare, I think he adds his influence.”

McPeek also reported that he will keep a string of about 20 horses at Belmont Park following the conclusion of the Saratoga meet. He said he plans on running at the Belmont at the Big A meet through the fall and possibly into Aqueduct's fall and winter meet.

“I think we have the numbers to be able stay and I have some horses that I want to run up there in New York, so we decided to set up a division there,” McPeek said. “I think it's ideal for us to leave some horses up there during the fall and maybe even the winter if all goes well.”

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‘If Ever There Was A Time To Take A Shot, It’s Now’: Josie Carroll Enters Tyson, Duke Of Love In Jockey Club Gold Cup

Trainer Josie Carroll, who was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2019, will send out a pair of strong contenders in Tyson and Duke of Love in Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup. The 10-furlong test for 3-year-olds and up offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Santa Anita Park.

Carroll teamed up with Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame jockey Robert Landry to win the 2009 Grade 1 Alabama here with the flashy grey Careless Jewel, who entered on a trio of frontrunning wins topped by a score in the Grade 2 Delaware Oaks.

“It was one of the most exciting races I've been a part of – what sticks out in my mind is her dumping the rider twice before the race and that fear that we were even going to get to run,” recalled Carroll, with a laugh. “She stumbled leaving there and didn't assume her usual position which just worked out fortuitously for her. She was brilliant that day.”

Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and Stretch Run Ventures' Kentucky homebred Tyson has raced exclusively on synthetic surfaces, entering from a pair of wins over Tapeta at Woodbine Racetrack with a rallying effort in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Dominion Day on July 1 and a prominent score in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Seagram Cup on July 29.

“He came out of his last race really well. It didn't take a lot out of him and he's had plenty of time in between. I'm happy to be here with him,” said Carroll, who also enjoyed NYRA-circuit success with Springside, who captured the 2008 Grade 2 Demoiselle in rein to the late Hall of Famer Garrett Gomez at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Tyson has won 4-of-5 starts, graduating in March 2022 over the Gulfstream Park synthetic while in the care of Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The 4-year-old Tapit colt then transferred to Carroll and captured an optional-claiming route in May at Woodbine while racing from a more than one-year layoff. His lone non-winning effort came when third in June in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Eclipse at Woodbine.

Tyson has breezed on dirt over the winter in Florida, but has worked exclusively over Woodbine's Tapeta surface in preparation for the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He trained over dirt here this morning under exercise rider Tyler Gaskin.

“He breezed all winter on dirt at Payson Park and he handled it well,” Carroll said. “I'm pretty comfortable with the way he gets across it, but you don't know until you run. He trained here this morning and my exercise rider said he dragged him around there.”

Tyson is out of the Smart Strike mare Honouring – a full-sister to Grade 1-winner Streaming as well as being a half-sister to Modeling, whose fifth offspring Arcangelo captured this year's Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets and Grade 1 Travers. His third dam, Better Than Honour, produced Hall of Famer Rags to Riches and Belmont Stakes-winner Jazil.

It's a family Carroll is familiar with having trained Tyson's second dam, Teeming.

“I probably go back three generations with the family and they've all been incredibly talented horses. It's really exciting to have one in a Grade 1,” Carroll said.

Manny Franco has the call from post 6 aboard Tyson, who is listed at 5-1 on the morning line.

“Manny has been incredibly strong at this meet,” Carroll said. “Tyson is a very kind horse to ride and he'll do whatever the rider asks. It's a nice position to be in with an outside post where he can see how the race unfolds and judge from there.”

My Racehorse's Duke of Love, bred in Ontario by Caldara Farm, Patrick Costello, David Whitford and Tom Zwiesler, was purchased for $85,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

The 4-year-old Cupid colt boasts a record of 12-4-1-0 for purse earnings of $443,817 and is a perfect 2-for-2 on dirt with wins over a muddy and sealed main track in last year's 1 3/16-mile Prince of Wales – the middle leg of the Canadian Triple Crown at Fort Erie – and a last-out score in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 West Virginia Governor's over a good main track on August 6 at Mountaineer.

Duke of Love entered his Mountaineer score from a fading seventh in the Dominion Day after attending a swift early pace.

“He had run well in the Dominion Day but maybe got a little tired – he was forwardly placed. We saw the Governor's and thought it was a good spot to try him on the dirt again, and he was tenacious. He really impressed me, so if ever there was a time to take a shot it's now. He's on his game,” Carroll said.

Luis Contreras, who captured the 2017 Grade 3 Schuylerville here with Dream It Is, will guide Duke of Love from post 7 with a 15-1 morning line assessment. The multiple Sovereign Award-winning jockey has ridden Duke of Love through each of his past two outings.

“Luis seems to get along really well with Duke of Love,” Carroll said. “He runs with his head a little high, a little cocked. Luis throws his head away and the horse seems really comfortable running for him.”

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