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Jesus’ Team To Start In City Of Dania Stakes At Gulfstream Park

Grupo 7C Racing Stable's Jesus' Team, the gritty claimer-turned-Grade 1-stakes performer, is scheduled to return to action in next Sunday's City of Dania at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The 4-year-old son of Tapiture, who has been freshened since his sixth-place finish in the $10 million Grade 1 Dubai World Cup March 27, tuned up for the mile overnight handicap with a five-furlong breeze in 1:00.65 Saturday at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

“The work was perfect. Jesus has been training great for the City of Dania,” trainer Jose D'Angelo said. “He looks great. He put on weight and is very strong.”

Jesus' Team captured a $25,000 claiming race at Gulfstream in his first start for D'Angelo in May 2020 before taking a tour of the East Coast and Midwest to compete against the best horses in training and amass more than $1.3 million in purses. The Kentucky-bred colt finished third in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. and the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., before finishing second behind Knicks Go in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. He returned to Gulfstream to win the Claiming Crown Jewel before finishing second again behind Knicks Go in the $3 million Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational during the 2020-2021 Championship Meet.

“I think Jesus is ready to have a very good year,” D'Angelo. “The goal again is the Breeders' Cup.”

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Albertrani Gets Win With Wolfie’s Dynaghost, Prepares Sadler’s Joy For Monday’s Grand Couturier

Woodslane Farm's Wolfie's Dynaghost capitalized on the weather conditions on Saturday, besting a seven-horse field of optional claimers by two lengths in a 1 1/16 mile-contest that was moved off the turf at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The effort marked the second win in three career starts for the sophomore Ghostzapper colt, who won his debut going seven furlongs in November over an off Aqueduct track in his only race as a juvenile. After being elevated in class in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 3 Peter Pan on May 8 at Belmont, Wolfie's Dynaghost ran fifth over a fast track.

Wolfie's Dynaghost was set to make his first start on turf before the weather altered plans. Instead, the Kentucky homebred earned a personal-best 87 Beyer for his win over the sloppy and sealed Big Sandy, improving to 2-for-2 on off tracks.

“He came out of it in really good shape and I thought it was a very impressive race out of him,” trainer Thomas Albertrani said. “We weren't quite sure what his preferred surface is. He's won twice on wet tracks. The Peter Pan was a bit of a head-scratcher; we don't know if it was the dry track he didn't prefer or maybe we were throwing him in the deep end. We always felt he had a lot of talent, but maybe it wasn't the right race to prep him up to.”

Wolfie's Dynaghost is a half-brother to stablemate Sadler's Joy, a four-time graded stakes-winner on the turf. Albertrani said he wanted to see if Wolfie's Dynaghost might agree with running on the grass but will likely keep him on the main track for now.

“I still have my doubts whether he might be a grass horse or not, but I think going forward, we'll probably run him back on the dirt again until he runs a bad run and then maybe change surfaces again and try the turf,” Albertrani said. “In the Peter Pan, he was galloping along on the lead and threw in the towel early. That's why we were a little confused and thought maybe the switch to turf might have been the way to go. But he showed yesterday that he does run well on a wet track as well, so we'll see what's in store next. We'll definitely try the dirt until he runs a bad one.”

Sadler's Joy has been unlucky with the weather, with rain and the prospect of soft turf preventing him from racing since finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Pan American on March 27 at Gulfstream Park. Despite rain over the weekend at Belmont, Albertrani said the forecast for Monday's holiday card at Belmont should be dry, allowing the 8-year-old veteran to compete in the 1 1/2-mile $150,000 Grand Couturier over the Widener turf.

“Luckily, it looks like tomorrow will be a good day for the turf, hopefully we don't have any more rain in the forecast,” Albertrani said. “He's doing well. We're looking forward to getting him back on track. He runs well fresh and he always tries. Hopefully, we get a little racing luck with him.”

Sadler's Joy, set to make his 37th career start, has won graded stakes in 2017, 2018, and 2019 and he crossed the wire first in the 2020 Grade 2 Bowling Green at Saratoga before being disqualified and placed fourth for interference.

Albertrani was set to run Sadler's Joy back in the $400,000 Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup going two miles on June 4. Inclement weather forced him to skip that contest but a start in the inaugural running of the Grand Couturier could set up a return engagement during the 40-day summer meet at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. that commences July 15 and runs through Labor Day, September 6.

Sadler's Joy drew post 3 in the 10-horse field on Monday and is listed at 5-1 on the morning line with Jose Ortiz set to ride.

“He does well fresh. I was looking forward to running him in the Belmont Gold Cup with the two miles, but the rains came and we already know he doesn't like soft turf, so we didn't want to try him there,” Albertrani said. “Hopefully, he does well there and we can look forward to Saratoga with him.”

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Truth Hurts Has Options For Next Start After Perfect Sting Win

Truth Hurts, trained and co-owned by Chad Summers with J Stables, flourished in the slop, posting a 5 3/4-length score in Saturday's off-the-turf $100,000 Perfect Sting at one-mile for older fillies and mares at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Entered for the main track only, Truth Hurts drew in and tracked the early speed of Piedi Bianchi under a sharp steer by Luis Saez. Truth Hurts was asked for her best into the turn and responded with a smart turn-of-foot to secure the win, garnering a 76 Beyer.

Summers said the addition of blinkers has honed the Ontario-bred daughter of Tonalist's natural pace.

“I think adding blinkers put a little more speed into her. She's been really good in the morning time since we put blinkers on her,” said Summers. “She's been more aggressive than she has been in the past.

“She's happy with herself this morning,” Summers added. “She cooled out really quickly and is real happy this morning, bouncing around the shed row.”

Summers said he will consider many options for Truth Hurts, including the $200,000 Grade 2 Honorable Miss, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on July 28 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; or possibly the seven-furlong Grade 3 Seaway on the Tapeta at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario on August 21.

“I don't want to go a mile and an eighth with her anymore. I think a mile is as far as she wants to go,” Summers said. “With that in mind, it's just a matter of seeing what's out there. We could look at a race like the Honorable Miss cutting back to three quarters. We'll take a look around and evaluate the filly sprint division and if she comes back and needs more time, we can wait. There's plenty of options out there.”

Summers said he will have 15 stalls at Saratoga for the upcoming 40-day summer meet that kicks off on July 15.

“We have a lot of exciting babies and we want to take our time with them and do right by them and get them in the right spots,” said Summers. “Saratoga has my favorite races over there, the maiden auction races for horses bought for $45,000 or less. So, we'll take a look at the condition book and see what shakes free.”

NYRA Maiden Allowance Auction Series races are restricted to horses that sold or RNA'd for $45,000 or less at their most recent auction.

The Maiden Allowance Auction Series races offer purses of $80,000 and will also include up to $13,920 in New York Breeding Fund open company owners awards for New York-breds finishing first through third.

Summers said he is looking forward to the debut of Cee Are Em, a $25,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The bay daughter of Orb is out of the Known Fact mare Database, who produced the multiple graded stakes winning turfer Data Link.

“She's going to run in the auction race on the grass in book two,” said Summers. “She works well on the dirt, but with her pedigree being a half to Data Link, we'll want to take a shot on the grass first time out.”

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Pletcher Eyes Whitney For Happy Saver, Prepares Following Sea For Haskell

Hall of Fame Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out Wertheimer and Frere's Happy Saver and Repole Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Moretti to finish third and fourth, respectively, in Saturday's Grade 2 Suburban at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Happy Saver, who bested Mystic Guide in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in October at Belmont, entered Saturday's test undefeated in five starts.

Leaving from the outermost post 6 in the Suburban under Irad Ortiz, Jr., Happy Saver tracked in fourth position, outside of Mystic Guide, as Moretti set the early splits.

Mystic Guide made a strong inside move into the turn but the four-wide Happy Saver failed to fire his best shot, closing to complete the trifecta as Max Player upset Mystic Guide by a neck.

“I thought Happy Saver ran well,” said Pletcher. “He was stuck wide the whole way around there from that post. It was a little bit of a tricky start but I thought he put in an honest effort. They both came back very well.”

Pletcher said he'll take some time to consider options, although the nine-furlong $1 million Grade 1 Whitney Stakes on August 7 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. is a possibility.

“We'll see how he bounces out of it and consider the Whitney and the Jockey Club and play it by ear,” said Pletcher.

The Whitney offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar in Del Mar, Calif.

A number of Pletcher stars were on the work tab Sunday at Belmont, including Spendthrift Farm's Following Sea, a Runhappy colt, who is pointed to the nine-furlong $1 million Grade 1 Haskell Invitational on July 17 at Monmouth Park.

Following Sea breezed five-eighths in 1:00.80 over a dirt training track rated good.

“He breezed well and we're still on target for the Haskell,” said Pletcher.

Pletcher said Shadwell Stable's Malathaat, who worked a half-mile in :49.49 on the dirt training track, remains on target for the $500,000 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies on July 24 at Saratoga

“She looked great. Everything is going smoothly with her,” said Pletcher.

Shadwell Stable's Mahaamel, who was slated to start in Monday's $250,000 Grade 3 Dwyer, was clocked in :49.90 on the dirt training track.

“We were thinking about the Dwyer and unfortunately he got a bit of a cough and knocked us off a breeze last week. We'll consider an allowance race for him,” said Pletcher.

Pletcher's potential starters in Saturday's Turf Triple series races breezed a half-mile Sunday on the dirt training track with Con Lima [:50.59] targeting the $700,000 Grade 1 Belmont Oaks and CHC and WinStar Farm's Sainthood [:49.65] eyeing a turf debut in the $ 1 million Grade 1 Belmont Derby.

“They both breezed well and are on track for next weekend,” said Pletcher.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph Graffeo, Del Toro, Eric Nikolaus, and Troy Johnson's Con Lima is exiting a sharp win in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Wonder Again on June 3 on the Belmont turf, while Sainthood captured an off-the-turf edition of the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge on May 29.

“We were hoping to get that turf try in the Pennine Ridge but it ended up working out OK, so we'll find out next week,” said Pletcher.

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