Red Oak Stable | Horse Racing Free Tips

Mind Control Snaps Losing Streak With Win In Nerud Stakes At Belmont

Mind Control had not seen the inside of a winner's circle since March 2020 when he won the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack in New York, N.Y. The 5-year-old horse had gotten close in his last eight starts, finishing second to Mischevious Alex in the Carter Handicap at Aqueduct back in April. Sunday, Mind Control dueled with favorite Firenze Fire throughout the seven furlongs of the Grade 2 John A. Nerud Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., never letting Firenze Fire get more than a half-length on him before battling back to win by a head and earn both a trip to the winner's circle and to the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 6.

From the break, it was all Firenze Fire and Mind Control, with American Power and Top Speed a length behind them. The two leaders battled through the first quarter in :23.05 and then the half-mile in :46.03, with Three Technique and Top Speed still within a length of the leaders until the stretch.

As they came out of the turn, Firenze Fire and Mind Control pulled away from the rest of the field, two lengths in front of the other four, but Firenze Fire on the rail could not shake Mind Control, who battled back for a head advantage. At the wire, the difference between a third straight victory for Firenze Fire and a long overdue trip to the winner's circle for Mind Control was a head. Three Technique, Top Seed, Wicked Trick, and American Power rounded out the field. The final time for the seven furlongs was 1:21.94.

Find the race's chart here.

Mind Control paid $12.60, $3.40, and $2.80. Firenze Fire paid $2.30 and $2.10. Three Technique paid $3.10 to show.

The Grade 2 John A. Nerud Stakes is a Win and You're In event for the 2021 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar in Del Mar, Calif. on Nov. 6. Winners received a guaranteed spot in the starting gate with all fees paid for the corresponding Breeders' Cup race.

Winning rider John Velazquez knew that Mind Control could get the win today. “I told Todd that if he broke well, I was going to use him to get into a good position. I knew Irad [Ortiz, Jr. aboard Firenze Fire] had to be pushed coming out of there, and if someone else wanted to go crazy then I would sit off of them. I knew there was enough speed, so I used him well enough to put his head in front and then Irad come after me. It was a two-horse race. That's the way it turned out and my horse was better than the other one today.”

Trainer Todd Pletcher knew that the break was key to winning the Nerud. “The first quarter was reasonable. We weren't necessarily intent on getting the lead but we did want to make sure we got away cleanly. You can't let a horse like Firenze Fire get away with an easy lead, so we were happy to see him [Mind Control] break alertly. He ran a great race.”

Mind Control is a 5-year-old horse by Stay Thirsty out of the mare Feel That Fire, by Lightnin N Thunder. He was bred in Kentucky by Red Oak Stable and is owned by Red Oak and Madaket Stables. The G2 Nerud is his eighth victory in 21 starts for career earnings of $1,259,229.

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It Can Be Done: Gregg Sacco Chasing Fast Start To Monmouth Meet

Now in his 33rd year as a trainer, Gregg Sacco knows that success or failure on the opening weekend of a new meet generally doesn't mean much in the long term. But the competitor in him still has that burning desire to get off to a fast start.

That's his hope for Monmouth Park's 76th season opener on Friday when he sends out It Can Be Done in the featured $100,000 Jersey Derby. First race post time for the six-race twilight card is 5 p.m.

“You always want to get off to a fast start opening weekend and win a race or two, especially at your home track,” said Sacco. “I think it picks up the morale of the barn and yourself. So in that sense it's important.”

The 78th Jersey Derby, scheduled for a mile on the grass, has drawn a field of eight 3-year-olds (plus one MTO) as Monmouth kicks off its 53-day meet with four straight days of live racing over the Memorial Day weekend. Post time for Saturdays, Sundays and special Monday holiday cards throughout the meet will be 12:15 p.m.

Even a forecast calling for rain, which could move the Jersey Derby to the main track, has Sacco undeterred.

“He broke his maiden on the dirt so we're running turf or dirt,” said Sacco. “He had a very good number on the dirt and he trains well on the dirt. He won the Nownownow Stakes here (at Monmouth on Oct. 4) on the turf last year so he has shown he can run well on either surface.

“We've kept him on the turf since he broke his maiden but he has proven he can handle both surfaces.”

A gelded son of Temple City-Gotham Girl by Freud, It Can Be Done sports a 2-2-2 record from seven career starts with earnings of $150,330. After breaking his maiden going six furlongs on the dirt at Monmouth Park on Sept. 22, It Can Be Done won easily at a mile on the turf in the Nownownow Stakes two weeks later.

Owned by Red Oak Stable, It Can Be Done returned at 3 with a solid second-place finish in a $50,000 optional claimer at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 24. He was then third, beaten just a neck, in the Cutler Bay Stakes on Florida Derby Day at Gulfstream Park March 27.

“He wintered great in Florida,” said Sacco. “He had a beautiful second comeback race at Gulfstream and we penciled in this race right after that. There were a few other options – the Penn Mile, a race in New York, another race in Kentucky — but we decided to stay at our home turf.

“He's a fresh, sharp horse. He's ready to go. It looks like a very competitive race but he's a talented gelding.”

Jose Ferrer has the mount for owners Red Oak Stable.

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Happy Saver Returns Friday at Belmont

Wertheimer and Frere's unbeaten Happy Saver (Super Saver), last seen winning the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup last October, will make his 4-year-old debut in an allowance at Belmont Park Friday.

“I'm happy to get his season under way,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “Hopefully, we've done enough with him to have him ready, but I'm looking forward to getting him going.”

Following some down time at WinStar Farm, Happy Saver began working regularly at Palm Beach Downs in early April before shipping to Pletcher's division in Saratoga. His most recent breeze was a five-furlong work in 1:01.70 (3/13) May 21 over the Saratoga main track.

Happy Saver will put his four-for-four record on the line in the third race–a one-mile optional claiming event–at Belmont Friday. The field also includes stakes-placed Three Technique (Mr Speaker) and recent allowance winner Locally Owned (Distorted Humor).

Pletcher has added Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables' multiple Grade I winner Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) to his stable. The 2018 GI Hopeful S. and 2019 GI H. Allen Jerkens S. winner, previously trained by Greg Sacco, is being pointed towards the July 4 GII John A Nerud S. at Belmont Park.

Mind Control, who opened 2021 with a runner-up effort in the Apr. 3 GI Carter H., was seventh last time out in the May 1 GI Churchill Downs S. He worked a half-mile in :48.30 (11/91) Saturday on the Belmont dirt training track.

“The John Nerud is what we're targeting at the moment,” Pletcher said. “He came to me in great shape and he's a very straightforward and good-training horse. He looks good.”

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King For A Day Retired To Irish Hill And Dutchess Views Stallions In New York For 2021

King for a Day (2016, Uncle Mo o/o Ubetwereven by, French Deputy), the only horse to beat 2019 champion 3-year-old male Maximum Security to the wire at three, was officially retired from racing as announced by Red Oak Farm's vice president and general manager, Rick Sacco.

King for A Day will be starting his stud career in 2021 under the management of Irish Hill and Dutchess Views Stallions LLC in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He will stand for $6,000 LFSN.

Stephen P. Brunetti's, Red Oak Stable campaigned the talented son of Uncle Mo and will remain actively involved in his stallion career including sending several quality mares to him.

King for a Day broke his maiden in his second start as a 2-year-old in a highly competitive Belmont Park, maiden special weight which contained the likes of future Triple Crown standout and graded stakes winner Tacitus. From there, it was on to a career in stakes company.

King for a Day would make his 3-year-old debut a winning one in the Sir Barton Stakes on the Preakness undercard. While drawing off to win the Sir Barton by 2 1/2 lengths, King for a Day would just miss the Pimlico track record for a mile and a sixteenth. Less than a month later, in his next start, King for a Day would press Maximum Security through a half-mile, then back off briefly before putting in a brilliant, sustained effort to defeat the future 3-year-old champion by a length in the TVG.com Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Todd Pletcher, who trained both King for a Day and his sire Uncle Mo, was quick to compare the two.

“King for a Day displayed big talent from day one,” the trainer said. “He not only strongly resembles his sire Uncle Mo but, he had a great mind to go with the talent. King had a high cruising speed just like his sire.

“[King for a Day] was precocious to win at two in a tough maiden special weight race at Belmont Park over Tacitus and others,” Pletcher continued. “His win over Maximum Security at three in the Pegasus elevated him to another level, and there is no doubt in my mind that this horse had the ability to win Grade 1 races.”

Uncle Mo is emerging as a true “stallion maker.” He is the sire of three of the top four leading freshman sires of 2020: Nyquist, Laoban and Outwork. King for a Day also comes from a strong female family which includes the black type-winning mare Feel That Fire who is the dam of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire, Mind Control.

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