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Mind Control Noses Out Hot Rod Charlie in Salvator Mile Thriller

OCEANPORT, NJ–It was an unseasonably cool and windy June day at the Jersey Shore for Monmouth Park's GIII Salvator Mile S. and the match up on display for Saturday's marquee race was just as unusual as the weather. It is not often the Salvator Mile attracts a pair of Grade I winners, but that is exactly what the Monmouth Park fans were treated to Saturday with Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) meeting Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) for the first time. And what a treat it was!

GI Pennsylvania Derby hero Hot Rod Charlie, who was making his first start since the finishing second in the G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 26, was hammered down to 1-5 favoritism. Meanwhile, his older, more experienced rival was a gift at 2-1.

With no other speed signed on, Hall of Famer John Velazquez made the astute decision to send the versatile Mind Control straight to the front from his rail draw. Hot Rod Charlie was away a breath slow beneath Mike Smith from post three and moved up to track his older foe from second through a :23.60 first quarter. Mind Control was still well within himself when Hot Rod Charlie turned up the heat as the half went up in :46.66.

Velazquez was still sitting chilly as Hot Rod Charlie and Smith drew even with Mind Control at the quarter-pole and the stage was set. The top two betting choices were well clear of the rest of the field as they battled stride-for-stride down the lane. Hot Rod Charlie even headed Mind Control halfway home–much to the delight of his enthusiastic group of owners cheering loudly at the wire–but his gutsy elder relishes a dog fight. The Red Oak team was equally passionate with their cheers as Mind Control dug in on the fence, determinedly forging past Hot Rod Charlie in the final strides to win by a head. It was 6 1/4 lengths back to GI Maker's Mark Mile winner Shirl's Speight (Speightstown) in third.

“Todd [Pletcher] said exactly what just happened, put him on the lead and try to steal it,”said Anthony Sciametta, Pletcher's Monmouth-based assistant. “He is a nice horse. He tries all the time. I actually thought he was beat there for a minute, but he came back. He likes Johnny.”

“My thought was, there wasn't much speed in the race, so I wanted to come out of there running and get a good position,” Velazquez said. “Todd texted Anthony and said, 'Tell Johnny to do what he needs to do.' I said, 'Thank you, that's what I needed to know.' He had the same thought as me. When he is on, he is a fighter. He is really tough to go by. Sometimes they go in front of him and he comes back at it. [Hot Rod Charlie] had almost half a neck in front of him and Mind Control came back at him.”

“He is a proven commodity,” said Red Oak's Rick Sacco. “He always brings his game and we are pleased to be back on our home turf. We grew up around here and it is such a historic race. We are pleased to be here and win it. We are proud of the horse.”

As for what's next, Sacco said, “There is nothing on the horizon right now. We will ship him back to Belmont and then get him to Saratoga and pick something out.”

As for the beaten favorite, trainer Doug O'Neill said, “We are obviously disappointed but we're just so proud of him getting back to the races. We want to thank Monmouth. They really rolled out the red carpet for us. We're grateful for the day and looking forward to the future.”

“He didn't run badly,” said Smith. “Credit to the winner. He was gallant. My horse fought with him. I thought Mind Control would get the lead over us. He is coming out of a sprint. We got him to stand still in the gate and he did that–he stood still. I kind of missed the break. I think that's what happened to him in Dubai too. That's why he was so far back there. Ability-wise I know what he is capable of, so that is the reason I am not pleased. I know what he can do and this was not it.”

Winner of the GI Hopeful S. back in 2018 and the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. in 2019 for previous trainer Greg Sacco, Mind Control was transferred to Pletcher in the spring of 2021. He won the GII John A. Nerud S. last July and was fourth next out in Saratoga's GI Forego S. Concluding his season with a win in the Parx Dirt Mile S. in September, the bay kicked off this term with a third in Aqueduct's GI Carter H. Apr. 9 and was a non-factor fifth last time in the May 7 GI Churchill Downs S.

Pedigree Notes:
Mind Control is the only North American Grade I winner for his expatriated sire Stay Thirsty. His stakes-winning dam Feel That Fire is a half to MSW & GSP King For a Day (Uncle Mo) and a full to SW Ima Jersey Girl. The 15-year-old mare is also the dam of MGSP Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft), who was second in both the GII Fair Grounds Oaks and GII Gulfstream Park Oaks this season. Feel That Fire is also responsible for the juvenile filly White Hot Gold (Candy Ride {Arg}) and a 2022 filly by Uncle Mo.

Saturday, Monmouth
SALVATOR MILE S.-GIII, $147,500, Monmouth, 6-18, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:35.79, ft.
1–MIND CONTROL, 118, h, 6, by Stay Thirsty
                1st Dam: Feel That Fire (SW, $147,280), by Lightnin N Thunder
                2nd Dam: Ubetwereven, by French Deputy
                3rd Dam: Raysor Lake, by Private Account
O-Red Oak Stable (Brunetti) & Madaket Stables, LLC; B-Red
Oak Stable (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-John R. Velazquez.
$90,000. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 26-10-3-5, $1,561,279.
*1/2 to Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft), MGSP, $221,875. Werk
Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Hot Rod Charlie, 124, c, 4, Oxbow–Indian Miss, by Indian
Charlie. ($17,000 Ylg '19 FTKFEB; $110,000 Ylg '19 FTKOCT).
O-Boat Racing, LLC, Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck),
Roadrunner Racing & William Strauss; B-Edward A. Cox (KY);
T-Doug F. O'Neill. $30,000.
3–Shirl's Speight, 124, h, 5, Speightstown–Perfect Shirl, by
Perfect Soul (Ire). O/B-Charles Fipke (KY); T-Roger L. Attfield.
$15,000. 'TDN Rising Star'
Margins: HD, 6 1/4, 11HF. Odds: 2.30, 0.30, 8.50.
Also Ran: Phat Man, Mohaafeth. Scratched: Confessor, Helium.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Speaker’s Corner Seeks First Grade I in Deep Carter

Speaker's Corner (Street Sense), a perfect two-for-two to start the year, led by a dominating victory with a 106 Beyer over next-out GIII Ghostzapper S. winner Fearless (Ghostzapper) in the GII WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile S. Mar. 5, headlines Saturday's GI Carter H. at the Big A.

Always held in high regard by his connections, the Godolphin homebred has found his calling around one turn this year after concluding his sophomore season with a drifting second in the 1 1/8-mile Discovery S. here Nov. 27. Drawn widest of all in post eight, the 8-5 Carter morning-line favorite is conditioned by Hall of Famer Bill Mott.

“He showed plenty last year. We tried stretching him out, but it wasn't really what he wanted to do,” said Godolphin bloodstock director Michael Banahan. “We got him back out to one-turn miles and he was impressive in both of those. That's [one-turn contests] what it looks like he wants to do.”

Green Light Go (Hard Spun) is just a head short of a three-race winning streak since re-joining the Jimmy Jerkens barn. The narrow 2021 GIII Fall Highweight H. runner-up delivered a front-running tally in the local Stymie S. last time Feb. 26.

The MGISW 6-year-old Mind Control (Stay Thirsty), second in this race last year, posted head victories in the GII John A. Nerud S. July 4 and Parx Dirt Mile S. last out Sept. 25. He was forced to sit out the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile after spiking a fever.

Rail-drawn 'TDN Rising Star' Reinvestment Risk (Upstart), runner-up in both the GI Runhappy Hopeful S. and GI Champagne S. at two, finished third in his lone start at three. He returned off a subsequent seven-month layoff with a sharp win with a career-best 103 Beyer in an optional claimer at Gulfstream Feb. 26.

Fellow 'Rising Star' First Captain (Curlin), winner of last summer's GIII Dwyer S. and third-place finisher in the Curlin S., also returned from the bench with a well-timed optional claiming victory in Hallandale Feb. 27.

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Mind Control Out of Breeders’ Cup With Spiked Temperature

Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables' multiple Grade I winner Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) was found to have an elevated temperature Monday and will not be able to compete in the GI Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile for trainer Todd Pletcher. It is the third consecutive year where issues have kept him from running in the Breeders' Cup.

“He spiked a temperature and his blood count is not right,” Pletcher said. “We had no choice but to start him on some treatment and not enter. He wasn't acting himself this morning. His temperature was a little elevated and as the morning went along it continued to go up.”
Mind Control has won two of three starts since being moved to Pletcher's barn this year. He was headed to the Dirt Mile after winning the Parx Dirt Mile S. Sept. 25 and shipped from Pletcher's base at Belmont to Del Mar Sunday.

“I'm sure the flight was a bit stressful for him. That probably triggered it,” Pletcher said. “He will respond quickly to treatment and we will hopefully be able to regroup and be ready in time for the Cigar Mile. First things first, we will make sure he is well and go from there.”

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Breeders’ Cup Notes: Brown Brigade, Europeans Begin To Arrive

Max Player – George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corps' Max Player completed his final preparations for the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) by working a half-mile in 50 just after the renovation break as he looks to extend his win streak to three. His stablemate, Bloom Racing Stable's Snapper Sinclair, also worked a half mile, going in 49 4/5 over a fast track. He was pre-entered in both the Dirt Mile and Mile.

“They were both typical, easy half-mile works,” assistant trainer Scott Blasi said. “Snapper Sinclair went in 49 and 4 and Max Player went in 50 flat. They are both getting over the surface really well. They had their big works at Santa Anita last week. This was just to get them acquainted with the racetrack. We weren't looking for too much. All of our horses seem to be doing really well.”

Stilleto Boy – Steve Moger's Stilleto Boy had an easy gallop under Jose Sandoval following the morning track renovation session for trainer Ed Moger Jr.

Runner-up to Classic rival Medina Spirit in the Awesome Again in his most recent start, Stilleto Boy is scheduled to work Tuesday morning.

Blue Stripe (ARG) – Pozo De Luna Inc.'s Blue Stripe had a walk day at trainer Marcelo Polanco's barn at Del Mar.

A Group 1 winner in her native Argentina, Blue Stripe is scheduled to breeze Tuesday morning in preparation for the $2 million Longines Distaff.

Letruska – St. George Stable's standout mare Letruska galloped 1 1/2 miles with the pony Monday morning, two days after her final timed work for the Distaff, 5f in 1:01 1/5, over the Del Mar track.

Letruska opened the season Jan. 31 with a victory in the Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston Park. She finished second by a head in the Azeri on March 13 at Oaklawn Park and has since put together a five-race winning streak. Four of those victories have come in four Grade 1 races run at four tracks.

Trainer Fausto Gutierrez said that Letruska appears to like the surface at Del Mar.

Mind Control – Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables 5-year-old horse Mind Control was found to have an elevated temperature Monday and will not be able to compete in the Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile for trainer Todd Pletcher. It is the third consecutive year that issues kept the son of Stay Thirsty from running in the Breeders' Cup.

“He spiked a temperature and his blood count is not right,” Pletcher said. “We had no choice but to start him on some treatment and not enter.

“He wasn't acting himself this morning,” Pletcher added. “His temperature was a little elevated and as the morning went along it continued to go up.”

Mind Control has won two of three starts since being moved to Pletcher's barn this year. He was headed to the Dirt Mile after winning the Parx Dirt Mile on Sept. 25. After 18 races around one turn, the Parx Dirt Mile was his first start around two turns since he finished seventh in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs.

Mind Control shipped from Pletcher's base at Belmont Park in New York to Del Mar on Sunday.

Chad Brown – Four-time Eclipse Award champion trainer Chad Brown had 11 of his 14 Breeders' Cup runners on site in Barn DD at Del Mar on Monday morning, each going to the track for light exercise. The remaining three, coming from Kentucky, are scheduled to arrive later Monday in California, per the conditioner.

On site are Portfolio Company and Verbal (Juvenile Turf), Consumer Spending (Juvenile Fillies Turf), Jack Christopher (Juvenile), Pocket Square and My Sister Nat (FR) (Filly & Mare Turf), Raging Bull (Mile), Royal Flag (Distaff), and the Longines Turf-bound trio of Tribhuvan, Rockemperor and Domestic Spending.

Jack Christopher, one of the favorites for the TVG Juvenile presented by TAA, especially made a sharp impression while galloping a circuit of the Del Mar dirt at about 6:30 a.m., followed closely by stone-gray stablemate Consumer Spending.

Brown reported that Blowout (GB) (Mile), Dunbar Road (Distaff) and Haughty (Juvenile Fillies Turf) will arrive Monday after shipping from Keeneland.

All going well, 14 will be a personal record for Breeders' Cup starters for Brown. He has twice started 13 horses, in 2017 and 2020, and will have double-digit starters in eight of the past nine Breeders' Cups.

Dr. Schivel – Multiple stakes-winning sprinter Dr. Schivel, unbeaten in three starts at Del Mar, is coming into his upcoming start in the $2 million Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint in peak form, according to trainer Mark Glatt. “His last race (Santa Anita Sprint Championship) was his best race yet, and I'm hoping he's got an even better one in him for Saturday.”

The 3-year-old son of Violence, who has reeled off five consecutive victories, including two Grade 1's in the 2020 Del Mar Futurity and this year's Bing Crosby Handicap versus older horses, finished up his serious work with a quick 5f drill at Santa Anita Saturday timed in :58:20. “I know he likes this track, which would possibly be to our advantage. Jackie's Warrior is the one to beat, but they're all runners in this race,” Glatt continued. “I wouldn't change places with anyone.”

European Report
The first of the European horses touched down at Del Mar racetrack quarantine barn Friday afternoon arriving at 4.30. All connections reported their horses traveled over well and there were no issues. Godolphin's horses arrived Saturday afternoon with Aidan O'Brien's team touching down in quarantine just before midnight Saturday night.

The first group of European horses cleared quarantine Sunday night and went onto the main track Monday morning. Both Godolphin and O'Brien horses will be on the track Tuesday morning.

All horses that have cleared quarantine did light exercise getting used to the surroundings. Three 2020 Breeders' Cup winners, Glass Slippers (GB) (Turf Sprint), Audarya (FR) (Filly & Mare Turf) and Tarnawa (IRE) (Turf) were all out on the track Monday morning.

Glass Slippers was very fresh having some small bucks up the stretch, but looked in great condition. Kevin Ryan, Glass Slippers' trainer travels from the UK Monday and will be on track Tuesday morning. Tom Eaves will once again take the ride and arrives Tuesday alongside Ryan.

Audarya and Tarnawa both took in their surroundings extremely well, having a good look around and seemed to enjoy their exercise.

Trainer David Loughnane, who has two runners at this year's Breeders Cup, rode Go Bears Go (IRE) (Juvenile Turf Sprint) himself on the main track and was accompanied by his other runner Hello You (IRE) (Juvenile Fillies Turf).

Loughnane said: “Go Bears Go and Hello You both traveled over really well. The trip probably took a bit more out of Hello You. Go Bears Go is like an old pro with this sort of stuff as he takes everything in his stride. They were both in good form on track, moving very well and it was good to get them out exercising after quarantine. It's a huge opportunity for us to be here with two live chances taking on some of the best horses in the world. I feel very lucky and very privileged to be here. I'm going to go and walk the turf track this afternoon. We just need a nice post position for them both now and fingers crossed they run big races.”

Qatar Racing's Sheikh Fahad Al Thani, owner of Mise En Scene (GB) (Juvenile Fillies Turf), Hierarchy (Juvenile Turf Sprint), Ocean Road (IRE) (Filly & Mare Turf) and Shedaresthedevil (Distaff) was on track this morning to see his horses exercise. He said, “I flew over yesterday and it's great to be back at the Breeders' Cup. It's one of my favorite weeks of the year and to have some nice runners is very exciting. The horses look fantastic and reports are that they traveled over really well.”

Michael O'Callaghan was the first of the European trainers to land in America arriving on Thursday evening. O'Callaghan who trains Twilight Jet (IRE) (Juvenile Turf Sprint) was on track to watch exercise. O'Callaghan said, “I'm delighted to be here, it's been an ambition for a while to get here with a live contender. The facilities and organization of everything is second to none, the track is in great order and I'm quite surprised by how good a cover of grass there is on the turf course. We couldn't have been happier with how Twilight Jet handled his first day training on the main track this morning. We're very much looking forward to lining up on Friday.”

Leigh Roche who will take the ride on Twilight Jet on Friday rode him this morning and said, “He's in super order. He felt brilliant on the track, very fresh and well but that's him every day. He just loves his work. The traveling doesn't seem to have bothered him at all.”

A Case of You (IRE) (Turf Sprint) who recently won the Prix de l'Abbaye at ParisLongchamp was ridden on the main track doing a light canter, looked in great condition.

Work rider Ian Brennan said: “A Case Of You traveled over super. He has recovered from the long journey and has settled in great. We were just out for a leg stretch this morning with some trotting and a light canter. He moved well and took in all his surroundings. He's very professional and he's a pleasure to deal with.”

Trainer Brian Meehan was on track riding the pony alongside Vertiginous (IRE)(Juvenile Turf Sprint). The Oasis Dream filly was very settled on the training track accompanied by Armor (GB) (Juvenile Turf Sprint).

Reports from the Japanese team have been very positive since their arrival in Del Mar. Matera Sky (Sprint) and Jasper Great (Juvenile) exercised alongside each other, both doing light canters.

All international runners will be on the main track Tuesday morning for exercise. Many owners and trainers are traveling in the next couple of days to Del Mar.

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