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Sainthood Finds Sloppy Going To His Liking In Pennine Ridge

Grade 1 Kentucky Derby-participant Sainthood was expected to make his turf debut on Saturday, but instead the Mshawish colt capitalized on a race moved to the main track. Sainthood earned his first stakes win by besting The Reds in a stretch duel for a one-length score in the Grade 3, $200,000 Pennine Ridge at 1 1/8 miles for sophomores at Belmont Park.

The seventh running of the Pennine Ridge, originally slated for two turns on the inner turf course, was moved to a one-turn dirt contest due to heavy rain earlier in the day. It was automatically downgraded to Grade 3 because of the surface switch, although the American Graded Stakes Committee will review this year's running to consider reinstatement of its original grade.

Winstar Farm and CHC's Sainthood, making his first start since running 11th in the “Run for the Roses” for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, broke sharp under jockey Joel Rosario, leading the pared-down five-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 24.75 seconds on the sloppy and sealed track.

Shawdyshawdyshawdy, who tracked in second position, challenged the pacesetter under Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez from the rail and earned the lead, posting a half-mile in 48.56.

Rosario urged Sainthood up approaching the far turn, overtaking Shawdyshawdyshawdy from the outside. But The Reds, under Kendrick Carmouche, kept pressing from the outside, with the duo linking up at the top of the stretch and challenging eye-to-eye into the last furlong. Sainthood responded to Rosario's left-handed encouragement, gaining separation near the final sixteenth and repelling The Reds' re-rally attempt to complete the course in 1:50.57.

“He handled it [the slop] well. He broke on top and I was just looking to follow somebody,” Rosario said. “He was moving really well and I know the other horse [The Reds] had the jump on me, but I kept riding and I was hoping he would fight back and he did.

“I thought maybe he got me, but I knew I hadn't asked him for everything he got, so I knew he'd have a little more in the end,” he added.

Sainthood, who broke his maiden at second asking in February on dirt at Fair Grounds before running second in the G3 Jack Ruby Steaks on Tapeta in March at Turfway Park in his Derby prep, improved to 2-2-0 in five starts and more than doubled his bankroll to $201,900.

“I think he's a versatile colt, much like his sire Mshawish, who we trained and won graded stakes on dirt and turf for us,” Pletcher said. “This horse has run well on dirt and synthetic and slop today. I thought he actually ran a solid race in the Derby. He didn't disgrace himself by any means for a colt as lightly raced as he was. His two works here on the turf I thought were pretty impressive. We came into today hoping to get him on the turf, but it's also great to have one as versatile as he is who can run on just about anything.”

Sainthood, the 4-5 favorite, returned $3.80 on a $2 win wager. Pletcher said the effort could facilitate a start in the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Derby going 1 1/4 miles on turf in the opener of the Turf Triple series for sophomores on Saturday, July 10 at Belmont.

“We got a good prep for it if we decide to go that way,” Pletcher said. “It's good to have a horse with this many options. We'll talk to the team and come up with a plan, but that will be towards the top of the list.”

Flanagan Racing's The Reds traveled wide throughout after exiting from the outermost post 5. Trained by John Kimmel, The Reds finished five lengths clear of Shawdyshawdyshawdy in his first start since being elevated from second to first in the Federico Tesio in April at Pimlico Race Course after Excellorator's disqualification.

“The post didn't cost him, the best horse won the race,” Carmouche said. “Just no pace. My horse ran well, if we had a little more pace it would have been better for him.”

Safe Conduct and Minuteman completed the order of finish.

Step Dancer, Shaftesbury, Hard Love and Public Sector all scratched.

Live racing continues Sunday with a nine-race card and a 1 p.m. Eastern first post. The $100,000 Paradise Creek for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs on the Widener turf course is slated for Race 8 at 4:40 p.m.

Starting on May 1, Belmont Park re-opened to a limited number of spectators. All admission must be purchased in advance at nyra.com/belmont/tickets/.

For comprehensive information on health and safety protocols in effect for the Belmont Park spring/summer meet, please visit: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/visit/plan-your-visit.

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Sainthood Game to Get Mshawish First Stakes Win in Pennine Ridge

Sainthood, 11th last time in the GI Kentucky Derby, became the first black-type and graded stakes winner for his sire (by Medaglia d'Oro) with a resilient victory in this off-turf prep for the GI Belmont Derby Invitational S.

Beaten a head dirt sprinting at Gulfstream Jan. 9, the dark bay scored by a nose around two turns on the Fair Grounds main track Feb. 13. He earned a spot into the Derby starting gate with a runner-up finish in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks over Turfway Tapeta Mar. 27, and appeared to more or less run his race in the Derby at 43-1.

Favored among the five who stayed in here over put-up Federico Tesio S. winner The Reds, Sainthood broke on top but was well held by Joel Rosario and eventually conceded pacesetting duties to Shawdyshawdyshawdy. The Reds ranged up with a menacing move after a :48.56 half, prompting Rosario to give Sainthood his cue. The Reds poked a head in front and seemed to have all the momentum, but Sainthood boxed on gamely and pulled away late.

“I think he's a versatile colt, much like his sire Mshawish, who we trained and won graded stakes on dirt and turf for us,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said of his charge. “This horse has run well on dirt and synthetic and slop today. I thought he actually ran a solid race in the Derby. He didn't disgrace himself by any means for a colt as lightly raced as he was. His two works here on the turf I thought were pretty impressive. We came into today hoping to get him on the turf, but it's also great to have one as versatile as he is who can run on just about anything.”

The 2021 Hall of Fame inductee continued, “When he broke his maiden, he was really green and didn't appreciate being alone. He's better with a target. One thing I told Joel [Rosario] in the paddock was that I wasn't sure who the target was going to be. That was my biggest concern. I told Joel to just be aware that he was better with a target and if he was fortunate enough to make the lead, he might idle a bit. Part of it was, when he made the lead he got a little bit lost and [The Reds] put a head in front of him and he fought back.”

As for whether or not Sainthood would make his delayed turf debut in the July 10 Belmont Derby, Pletcher said, “”We got a good prep for it if we decide to go that way. It's good to have a horse with this many options. We'll talk to the team and come up with a plan, but that will be towards the top of the list.”

Saturday, Belmont Park
PENNINE RIDGE S.-GIII*, $194,000, Belmont, 5-29, 3yo, 1 1/8m (off turf), 1:50.57, sy.
1–SAINTHOOD, 118, c, 3, by Mshawish
            1st Dam: Lemon Hero (SP, $129,819), by Lemon Drop Kid
            2nd Dam: Bright Gold, by Hold for Gold
            3rd Dam: Bright 'n Early, by Northern Jove
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($100,000
Ylg '19 KEEJAN; $90,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP; $62,000 Ylg '19
OBSOCT). O-WinStar Farm LLC and CHC INC.; B-Edward Taylor
& Springland Farm (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Joel Rosario.
$110,000. Lifetime Record: 5-2-2-0, $201,900. *First black-
type and graded stakes winner for sire (by Medaglia d'Oro).
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–The Reds, 120, c, 3, Tonalist–Ash Zee, by Exchange Rate.
($14,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEEJAN; $115,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP;
$130,000 2yo '20 OBSAPR). O-Flanagan Racing; B-R. S. Evans
(KY); T-John C. Kimmel. $40,000.
3–Shawdyshawdyshawdy, 118, c, 3, Summer Front–Shea
Darby, by Street Sense. O-Lawrence & Jennifer Goichman;
B-Larry Goichman (KY); T-Jorge R. Abreu. $24,000.
Margins: 1, 5, 7. Odds: 0.90, 1.95, 14.40.
Also Ran: Safe Conduct, Minuteman (Ger). Scratched: Hard Love, Public Sector (GB), Shaftesbury, Step Dancer. *Automatically downgraded when taken off the turf. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:

Globe-trotting Mshawish was a stakes winner and group-placed in France and then Group 2 winner on turf in Dubai for Mikel Delzangles before joining the Pletcher barn for the second half of 2014. He took the 2015 GI Gulfstream Park Turf H. and was third in that year's G1 Dubai World Cup before annexing the GI Donn H. on the Gulfstream dirt the following season. Mshawish is finishing up his third year at Taylor Made Stallions.

The winner's dam won twice on the dirt but was stakes-placed sprinting on the sod. The daughter of MSW Bright Gold and half to SW Satin Gold (English Channel) sold for $15,000 at the 2019 Keeneland January sale carrying a Midnight Storm colt now named Onemoreandthecheck.

Sainthood becomes the 73rd stakes winner (24th group or graded) out of a mare by Lemon Drop Kid. He is bred like GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint upsetter Bar of Gold (Medaglia d'Oro).

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Sainthood Switches to Grass for Pennine Ridge

Sainthood (Mshawish), runner-up in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks over the Turfway synthetic Mar. 27 and 11th-place finisher in the GI Kentucky Derby, makes his grass debut in Saturday's GII Pennine Ridge S. at Belmont Park.

Sainthood breezed twice over the Belmont lawn since, including a four-furlong move around the dogs in :49 (4/12) May 22. His dam Lemon Hero (Lemon Drop Kid) was stakes-placed over the Hollywood Park lawn.

“He and Mshawish have similar physiques, and like Mshawish, this one seems pretty versatile,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We've had turf in the back of our minds with this one all along. With him being out of a Lemon Drop Kid mare and being by Mshawish, his breeding suggested that. I thought his two works on the turf here were really good.”

Hard Love (Kitten's Joy) is the 9-5 favorite on the morning-line after kicking off his sophomore season with a popular win in Aqueduct's Woodhaven S. Apr. 17.

Last term's GII Pilgrim S. second Public Sector (GB) (Kingman {GB}) was second behind Safe Conduct (Bodemeister) in his first start this term in a Belmont optional claimer May 2.

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Hard Love Stretches Out In Saturday’s Pennine Ridge

Hard Love proved stakes capabilities in his 2021 debut and will attempt to display his talent once more against eight others in Saturday's eighth running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Pennine Ridge, a nine-furlong test for 3-year-olds over the inner turf at Belmont Park.

Owned by Robert V. LaPenta and George Strawbridge, Jr.'s Augustin Stable, Hard Love utilized tactical speed last out in the Woodhaven on April 17 at Aqueduct, where he tracked a half-length behind pacesetter Original along the rail before drawing off in the stretch to a 1 ¼-length victory.

Following a two-length first out debut win over the Widener turf course on October 10, the Kitten's Joy ridgling finished second to Never Surprised in the Central Park on November 28 at Aqueduct.

Hard Love will stretch out slightly in the nine-furlong Pennine Ridge, with all three of his starts having taken place going 1 1/16 miles. Trainer Jonathan Thomas, who saddled Catholic Boy to a Pennine Ridge triumph in 2018 for LaPenta, said the horse will relish any added distance that comes his way.

“My guess is that the further the races get, the closer to the pace he'll be,” Thomas said. “He seems to have pretty good tactical speed. I would imagine the further the run, the better he's going to get. His strength is his stamina.”

The Pennine Ridge is a local prep for the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Derby Invitational on July 10, which is the first leg of NYRA's Turf Triple series.

Thomas has the 10-furlong event in mind for Hard Love with a strong effort on Saturday.

“Each race is a test and a stepping stone to the next,” Thomas said. “We're trying to get to the Belmont Derby but the Pennine Ridge is no slouch of a race either. He's going to have to show up and run really well. Obviously, we have our dirt classics, but NYRA bringing this series to the forefront is great. There are some really good grass races and some really, really good turf horses. Each task gets taller as it goes on.”

Hard Love put the final touches on his Pennine Ridge preparations with a sharp half-mile work over the inner turf on Sunday morning in tandem with Burning Bright. The pair completed the four furlongs in 47.60 seconds.

“Overall, I thought the work was pretty good,” Thomas said. “I thought his last two five-eighths works were very good as well. From a preparation standpoint, he's dead fit and it will be a matter of trip and everything else.”

Hard Love will be reunited with Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano from post 4.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, who won the inaugural Pennine Ridge with Gala Award in 2014, will seek his second win in the race when he saddles graded stakes-placed Sainthood and maiden special weight winner Shaftesbury.

Owned by WinStar Farm and China Horse Club, Sainthood will make his turf debut after an 11th-place finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

A son of second crop sire Mshawish, a Grade 1- winner on dirt and turf also trained by Pletcher, Sainthood won at second asking in his two-turn debut at Fair Grounds Race Course, where he led at every point of call. He followed up with a late-closing second to Like the King in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks on March 27 over the all-weather surface at Turfway Park.

Since the Kentucky Derby, Sainthood has worked twice over the inner turf at Belmont Park. Pletcher said Sainthood has the potential to succeed on turf given his pedigree, being out of the turf stakes-placed Lemon Drop Kid mare Lemon Hero.

“He and Mshawish have similar physiques and like Mshawish, this one seems pretty versatile,” Pletcher said. “We've had turf in the back of our minds with this one all along. With him being out of a Lemon Drop Kid mare and being by Mshawish, his breeding suggested that. I thought his two works on the turf here were really good.”

Sainthood will break from post 5 under jockey Joel Rosario.

While Sainthood brings stakes experience to his next engagement, Shaftesbury will dive into deeper waters after making his fifth start a winning one travelling 1 1/16-miles on April 24 at Belmont Park.

Owned by Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable and Coolmore partners Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith, the bay son of Uncle Mo broke his maiden by 2 ¾ lengths after finishing behind solid runners such as dual stakes-winner Annex at second asking.

“He's held good company,” Pletcher said. “His last race was a good race and hopefully was a breakthrough race to lead us into some better things.”

Breaking from post 3, Shaftesbury will be ridden by jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Trainer Chad Brown will seek a record extending third Pennine Ridge triumph with Klaravich Stables' Public Sector.

The bay son of European champion Kingman earned black type when finishing second to Fire At Will in the Grade 2 Pilgrim on October 3 at Belmont Park, which came after defeating eventual graded stakes winner Scarlett Sky by two lengths on debut at Saratoga.

After a distant 12th in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, Public Sector received a freshening and came back on May 2 to finish second beaten 2 ½ lengths to fellow Pennine Ridge rival Safe Conduct [post 8, Jose Lezcano].

Jockey Jose Ortiz has the mount from post 7.

Completing the field are Shawdyshawdyshawdy [post 1, John Velazquez], Step Dancer [post 2, Manny Franco], Minuteman [post 6, Luis Saez], and The Reds [post 9, Kendrick Carmouche].

The Pennine Ridge is carded as Race 9 on Saturday's 10-race program at Belmont Park. First post is 1:00 p.m.

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