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Sadler’s Joy Retired To Stand In Turkey

Grade 1-winning turf specialist Sadler's Joy has been retired from racing and sold to stand in Turkey for breeder Arif Kurtel, the Turkish publication Yaris Dergisi reports.

The 8-year-old son of Kitten's Joy finished his career with seven wins in 37 career starts, with earnings of $2,679,910.

A homebred for Woodslane Farm and trained by Tom Albertrani, Sadler's Joy's career took off at age three, when he Grade 1 Sword Dancer Stakes and G2 Pan American Stakes, and finished in the money in two additional Grade 1 races. He came back at four to win the G2 Mac Diarmida Stakes and the G3 Red Smith Stakes, and hit the board in four Grade 1s, including a third in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Turf at Churchill Downs.

Sadler's Joy raced for two more seasons, and notched three more in-the-money finishes.

Sadler's Joy is out of the the unraced Dynaformer mare Dynaire, who is the dam of five winners from seven foals to race, also including stakes-placed Lunaire and Dyna Passer. His second dam is the German-born Binya, who was a Grade 3 winner in the U.S., and a Group 3-placed stakes winner in France. His extended family includes Grade 1 winner Sabin.

Kitten's Joy has has seen his influence grow among Turkish breeders. Sadler's Joy joins fellow Kitten's Joy son Catapult among Kurtel's stallion holdings, the latter of which was purchased as a stallion prospect at the 2019 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

In recent years, Kurtel has also imported stallions to Turkey including Bluegrass Cat, Air Vice Marshal, Tizway, Avery Island, and War Correspondent.

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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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Sadler’s Joy Back For More In Pan American

Four years after earning the first graded-stakes victory of his long career in the same race, Woodslane Farm's Grade 1 winner Sadler's Joy returns looking to snap a nine-race losing streak in Saturday's $200,000 Pan American (G2) presented by Rood and Riddle at Gulfstream Park.

The 60th running of the 1 ½-mile Pan American for 4-year-olds and up on turf is part of a blockbuster program that includes 10 stakes, six graded, worth $1.85 million anchored by the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa, one of the country's premier Triple Crown preps.

Post time for the first of 14 races is 11:30 a.m.

Now 8, Sadler's Joy won the Pan American in 2017 and was fourth in 2018, but did not run in either of the past two years as trainer Tom Albertrani has looked to spread out his stable star's races. The Kitten's Joy gelding has started once this year, closing to be fourth by 2 ¼ lengths in the 1 ½-mile W.L. McKnight (G3) Jan. 23 at Gulfstream.

“He's doing as well as ever so hopefully we'll get another good trip out of him and go from there,” Albertrani said. “We just keep him on a regular routine, training-wise. You look at his work tab and you don't see the fancy, fast works or anything; just normal, kind of routine works just to keep him ticking over between races.”

Sadler's Joy is, by far, the richest horse in the Pan American with a bankroll of more than $2.6 million from 35 starts, with seven wins, four seconds and 11 thirds. All but one of his last 29 races have come in graded-stakes, his most recent win coming in the Red Smith (G3) at Aqueduct in the fall of 2019.

Last year, Sadler's Joy went 0-for-8 with four thirds including the Mac Diarmida (G2) at Gulfstream and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) and Manhattan (G1) at Belmont Park, and was disqualified from first to fourth for interference in the Bowling Green (G2). He won the Mac Diarmida in 2018, the year after becoming a Grade 1 winner in the Sword Dancer at Saratoga.

“If he wasn't in the barn, it'd be pretty strange. When that day comes, it's going to be a sad day when we don't see him walking down the shedrow anymore,” Albertrani said. “He's just been one of those types of horses that tries every race. He puts everything into every time he runs and its' just a pleasure having a horse like that.

“He puts up a game effort every single time, whether he gets beat a neck or a head in so many of these close races. And it's only because of his running style that prevents him from getting up in time,” he added. “We just need to get everything to work, as always.”

Albertrani also won the Pan American in 2013 with Twilight Eclipse, who set the world record for 1 ½ miles on the grass (2:22.63). Twilight Eclipse raced until the spring of his 8-year-old season, making the last of his 40 career starts for trainer Graham Motion.

“It would be nice to chalk up another win in there. That was just a really great day. I didn't actually know it until I heard the announcer say it was a track record. Then when we found out it was a world record, it was great, and for a horse like him, too,” Albertrani said. “He was another warrior. We've had a few and the ones that stuck around the barn a long time, they're more of a pleasure to have around.”

Jose Ortiz is named to ride from Post 3 in the field of eight.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott has won the Pan American six times including twice with the same horse, Fraise (1993, 1994) and Newsdad (2012, 2014), and will send out Summer Wind Equine's stakes-winning homebred Moon Over Miami.

Moon Over Miami, 4, began racing on dirt before making the switch to turf in the one-mile Cutler Bay on last year's Florida Derby program, running eighth. Fourth by two lengths in the Hall of Fame (G2) at Saratoga, he captured the 1 5/16-mile Dueling Grounds Derby prior to a disappointing effort in the 1 ¼-mile Belmont Derby (G1) to cap his sophomore season.

In his lone start this year, Moon Over Miami overcame traffic trouble to be third by 1 ¼ lengths in the Feb. 27 Mac Diarmida. Junior Alvarado rides from Post 7 at co-topweight of 122 pounds.

“We stretched him out at Kentucky Downs last fall in their derby and he won that. That was a little longer race. He doesn't seem to run the turns real well, so it seems like the slower pace of the longer races helps him get around the turns a little better,” Mott said.

“His last race was a mile and three-eighths and he was finishing up very well when he finally got out, which was a little late in the game. He came running and got up for third and deserves a chance in the Pan American,” he added. “I think he's going to turn into a useful horse going that trip.”

Bemma's Boy sprung a 9-1 upset of Grade 1-winning stablemate Zulu Alpha in last year's Pan American, and trainer Mike Maker will have another pair of contenders this year in Cross Border and Temple.

“That's why you need two or three of them,” Maker said. “Zulu didn't have the greatest trip last time and we were fortunate to have Bemma's Boy pick up the pieces.”

Three Diamonds Farm's Cross Border exits a strong third behind Colonel Liam and Largent in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) Jan. 23 at Gulfstream, a race Zulu Alpha won in 2020. Colonel Liam came back to win the Muniz Memorial Classic (G2) March 20.

“He ran another big race last time and was flattered the other day by Colonel Liam,” Maker said. “We expect another strong effort from him.”

Cross Border was beaten a neck by Spooky Channel in the W.L. McKnight last winter, and became a graded-stakes winner upon the disqualification of Sadler's Joy in last summer's Bowling Green. Tyler Gaffalione gets the riding assignment from Post 1.

“He's run well here, but he shows up everywhere,” Maker said. “He's a horse that never disappoints and loves his job.”

Paradise Farm Corp.'s Temple will be making his fourth start of the Championship Meet following seconds in the Claiming Crown Emerald and McKnight and a fourth, beaten 1 ¼ lengths, in the Mac Diarmida. The 5-year-old gelding has been worse than third just once in 11 career tries over the Gulfstream course, four of them wins, the most recent in an optional claiming allowance last April.

Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call from Post 2.

Completing the field are 2020 Mystic Lake Derby runner-up Angelus Warrior; Feb. 11 Gulfstream allowance winner Churn N Burn; Grade 3-placed Rijeka, with two wins and two seconds in five tries at the distance; and Sir Sahib, placed in four graded-stakes including the 2020 Northern Dancer (G1) and most recently fifth in the Mac Diarmida.

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‘Very Feisty’ Sadler’s Joy Ready For Saturday’s W. L. McKnight Stakes

Woodslane Farm's homebred Sadler's Joy made his career graded-stakes debut in the 2017 W. L. McKnight at Gulfstream Park, and 27 graded-stakes starts later, the Tom Albertrani turf warrior is still going strong.

The resilient 8-year-old son of Kitten's Joy is scheduled to make his 2021 return to Gulfstream Park for the $125,000 W. L. McKnight (G3) on Saturday's 12-race program that will be co-headlined by the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1).

“He's training great. He's been very feisty lately, like he always is,” trainer Tom Albertrani said. “He's not showing any signs of wear and tear, that's for sure.”

Sadler's Joy finished second by a quickly diminishing margin of a head in the 2017 McKnight and came right back to capture his first graded-stakes victory in the Pan American (G2) at Gulfstream before going on to capture the Sword Dancer (G1) at Saratoga later that year.

In 27 graded-stakes races, Sadler's Joy has finished in the money 18 times and finished fourth six more times.

“He's a tough horse to place because of his running style. He likes to come from out the back. It's always a matter of getting a good trip and getting the right pace,” Albertrani said. “Sometimes all that doesn't work out, but he always comes with a late run and has been always right there in all his races.”

Sadler's Joy started in last year's Pegasus World Cup Turf, only to have his chances at victory wiped out while being bumped back to last after breaking from the gate. He battled back to finish sixth, beaten two heads for fourth.

“That was only a mile and three-sixteenths, so the distance was against him overcoming the bad start at the break,” Albertrani said. “He still came with a run, like he always does.”

The 1 ½-mile distance of the McKnight should be far more suitable for Sadler's Joy, who has amassed earnings of more than $2.6 million.

Albertrani, who is also scheduled to saddle German-bred Tintoretto for the McKnight, has named Jose Ortiz to ride Sadler's Joy.

Stronach Stables' Sir Sahib, who closed with a rush to finish second in the 1 ½-mile Northern Dancer (G1) at Woodbine; Joseph Allen LL's Doswell, who finished a fast-closing second behind Largent in the 1 1/8-mile Fort Lauderdale (G2) over the Gulfstream Park turf; and Calumet Farm's Channel Cat, a veteran graded-stakes performer who finished off the board in last year's Pegasus Turf, are among the top contenders in the 11-horse McKnight field.

The McKnight, carded as Race 10, will be preceded by two other turf stakes on the card with seven graded stakes – the $125,000 Marshua's River (G3), a mile turf race for older fillies and mares in Race 7; and the $125,000 La Prevoyante (G3), a 1 ½-mile turf stakes for older fillies and mares in Race 8..

Sackatoga Stable's Niko's Dream and Al Shaqab Racing's Tuned, who finished first and second, respectively, in the Dec. 12 My Charmer at Gulfstream, and Heider Family Stable LLC's Zofelle, a Brendan Walsh-trained Irish-bred who raced against Grade 1 company last time out; are among the more prominent entries for the Marshua's River, which is carded as Race 7.

Repole Stable's Always Shopping, who captured the Dec. 19 Via Borghese by three lengths at Gulfstream; Ivan Dalos' Court Return, a close second in the E. P. Taylor (G1) at Woodbine before disappointing in the Via Borghese; and Gary Barber and John Oxley's Heavenly Curlin, winner of the Nov. 7 Maple Leaf (G3) on Woodbine's synthetic surface; are prominent contenders in a field of 12 for the La Prevoyante.

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