Tag: Racing

Trainer Michael Stidham expressed a strong sense of pride in Godolphin's homebred Proxy who, despite lacking racing room down the backstretch, was able to launch a strong stretch drive to come up a nose shy of victory in Saturday's Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga. The gutsy effort garnered a 103 Beyer Speed Figure.

Proxy, a son of multiple champion-producing sire Tapit, added to a consistent record during his 5-year-old season which includes victories in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in April and the Monmouth Cup (G3) in July. His lone off-the-board efforts this season took place in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) in January at Gulfstream Park [fifth] and the Stephen Foster (G1) on July 1 at Ellis Park [eighth], where he drew the rail both times. Proxy also drew post 1 in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

“The one-hole has been a huge detriment to us all year long,” Stidham noted. “If you look at his only bad races, they were both from the one-hole in the Pegasus and the Stephen Foster. When I saw we drew the one hole again here, it was very depressing, but he did overcome a lot of it yesterday and almost won in spite of it.”

Nevertheless, Stidham couldn't be happier with his talented horse's effort and said the performance was worthy enough to try the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on November 4 at Santa Anita Park.

“He certainly stamped himself in that top group to go to the Breeders' Cup,” Stidham said. “I would say right now, we're looking at just going straight to the Breeders' Cup.”

Prior to the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Proxy's lone 1 1/4-mile start took place in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) in March, where he made up eighth lengths to finish second beaten a neck to Stilleto Boy.

“The mile and a quarter definitely helps him,” Stidham said. “He just came up short both times. It's right in his wheelhouse. We'll see how it sets up, but we just hope we don't draw the one hole again.”

Proxy's strong run of form is nothing new. As a 3-year-old, he finished second in Fair Grounds Race Course's Grade 3 Lecomte and Grade 2 Risen Star. He returned as a 4-year-old to post a 6-2-2-2 record, including a triumph at the end of the year in the Grade 1 Clark at Churchill Downs.

“As trainers, we are all striving to get to the very highest level,” Stidham said. “A horse that's been able to do the right things since he was a 2-year-old is still around at the top level as a 5-year-old is what we all dream about getting to in the industry. I couldn't be happier or prouder of the horse. The whole situation is a dream come true.”

The post Gutsy JCGC Runner-Up Proxy Could Go ‘Straight To The Breeders’ Cup’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's newly minted Grade 1 winner Bright Future garnered a lifetime-high 103 Beyer Speed Figure for his gutsy nose victory over the late-running Proxy in Saturday's Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga Race Course.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said he was pleased with the effort from the 4-year-old son of Curlin and that he emerged from the race in good order.

“He looks excellent and came out of the race well,” said Pletcher. “Happy guy.”

Bright Future placed his name in the conversation of top older horses with a prominent score in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, guided by Javier Castellano from one length off the pace set by Warrior Johny to claim the lead at the one-mile call before facing a strong challenge from post-time favorite Proxy in midstretch. Bright Future dug in gamely to the inside of Proxy and fended off his foe by a nose in a final time of 2:03.

“He got the trip we were hoping to get in a good stalking position and a good rhythm,” said Pletcher, who won his second Jockey Club Gold Cup after taking the 2020 edition with Happy Saver. “He had to fight to the wire – I was happy [he got] his nose down just in time.”

Pletcher added he was not surprised to see such determination from Bright Future, who entered from a strong 4 3/4-length score in a nine-furlong optional claimer on July 21 at the Spa after a distant off-the-board effort in the 12-furlong Brooklyn (G2) in June.

“He's always been competitive and he's essentially run well in all of his races except the Brooklyn,” said Pletcher. “That [the Brooklyn] was kind of a trip that he was always kind of bottled up and never really able to get into a comfortable rhythm, which seems to be a key component to having any success in those type of races. Aside from that, he's always been very competitive.

“[His last race] was a rebound from the Brooklyn and showed that he liked the track and handled the mile and an eighth well,” Pletcher continued. “He galloped out well, too, and kind of gave us the encouragement that he could handle the mile and a quarter. It was something where usually you don't go immediately from an allowance race thinking you're going to go into a Grade 1, but in that case we did because we thought it was a good enough performance and the timing of the Jockey Club seemed to fit.”

For his victory Bright Future secured a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park, where he will likely face his champion stablemate Forte. Pletcher said Bright Future will train up to the Classic and that he believes the charismatic colt belongs in the mix of top older horses.

“I haven't discussed it all with the team, but that [training up] would be my first reaction,” said Pletcher. “It appears to be a wide-open division at the moment, so I think he's improving at the right time.”

Bright Future capped a memorable day at the races for his owners and trainer, who also sent out impressive second-out maiden winner Agate Road to capture Saturday's sixth race, a 1 1/16-mile turf maiden special weight for juveniles.

The son of Quality Road, out of Grade 1 winner Yellow Agate, went wide throughout from post 10 under Irad Ortiz Jr., but was aided by the trip in the stretch when several foes bumped and lost position well to his inside. Agate Road swept past his troubled rivals to land the neck score in a final time of 1:46.79.

“It was a wild race and we were wide throughout, but that probably benefitted us in the end because that horse came out and then shied away, and it left him clear of all the traffic,” said Pletcher of green moves from Walley World and Vin Santo. “He had a pretty good head of steam built up by that point, and it was an impressive finish.”

Pletcher said Agate Road will now target the$200,000 Pilgrim (G2) on October 1 at Belmont at the Big A, a “Win and You're In” for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

The post ‘I Think He’s Improving At The Right Time’: Bright Future To Train Up To Breeders’ Cup Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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