Yoshida Stays on Dirt for Saratoga's Woodward
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Photo: Mathea Kelley/Dubai Racing Club
Yoshida trains at Meydan prior to his start in the Dubai World Cup
Having a racehorse versatile enough to win grade 1 stakes on both dirt and turf can be a blessing.
It could also create a variety of ways to campaign the horse.
In the case of Yoshida, the 5-year-old Heart's Cry horse has racked up four of his five wins on turf, topped by a victory in the 2018 Old Forester Turf Classic Stakes (G1T).
On dirt, he's 1-for-5 with one second, and at Churchill Downs he owns a fourth in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and a sixth in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2).
But at Saratoga Race Course, let's just say the dirt is greener for Yoshida.
Yoshida won the 2018 Woodward Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) at the Spa and was second on the same racetrack this month in the Whitney Stakes (G1), explaining why, even with a wealth of opportunity on the turf, trainer Bill Mott is placing him in a familiar spot Aug. 31.
"He's going to the dirt this next time," he said.
More specifically, Yoshida will be trying to become the first winner of back-to-back editions of the Woodward since Lido Palace in 2001-02 when he tackles eight rivals in the $750,000 1 1/8-mile stakes on the final Saturday of the Spa's 40-day meet.
Yoshida, a winner of five of 16 starts for China Horse Club, WinStar Farm, and Sol Kumin's Head of Plains Partners, comes into the Woodward off a strong effort in the Aug. 3 Whitney in which he launched a wide rally and finished second—1 3/4 lengths behind multiple grade 1 winner McKinzie—under jockey Joel Rosario.
"He seems to be feeling really good," Mott said.
Yoshida certainly felt good a year ago when he rallied nine wide in a field of 14 and took charge in the stretch to win the Woodward by two lengths.
"Last year in this race, he fired a monster effort, and then his last race in the Whitney was tremendous. He didn't have a perfect trip, but he came flying," Kumin said. "He loves it here, and this seems a logical spot for him."
While the Breeders' Cup is the goal, there's no shortage of preps or races at the World Championships that could be in the future for the Northern Farm-bred runner.
"I think we'll know more about future plans after this race," Kumin said. "I think he can run anywhere from a mile to a mile and a quarter on turf and dirt, and it puts a lot of things into play. There's a lot of potential spots."
The Whitney marked an improved performance by Yoshida, who was sixth in his three prior 2019 starts: the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T), Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1), and Stephen Foster.
Purchased by WinStar for $765,160 from the Northern Farm consignment at the 2015 Japan Racing Horse Association Sale of Yearlings and Weanlings, he has earned $2,370,770.
Vino Rosso, owned by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, also exits the Whitney. He finished third, 4 3/4 lengths behind Yoshida.
A 4-year-old son of Curlin bred in Kentucky by John D. Gunther, Vino Rosso will be making his second start since winning the Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (G1) in late May for trainer Todd Pletcher.
GMB Racing's Tom's d'Etat also exits a sharp race at the meet. The 6-year-old son of Smart Strike posted a length victory in the Aug. 2 Alydar Stakes at the Woodward distance of nine furlongs. He was third in the Stephen Foster.
Centennial Farms' Preservationist will look to rebound from a fourth-place finish in the Whitney when he was washy in the post parade and finished 1 1/4 lengths behind Vino Rosso.
In his previous start, the 6-year-old Arch horse notched a breakthrough 4 1/2-length victory over Catholic Boy in the Suburban Stakes (G2) July 6 at Belmont Park.
Journeying to the Spa from California is Mongolian Stable's Mongolian Groom, a 4-year-old son of Hightail who was third two weeks ago in the TVG.com Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) at Del Mar. He was second in the San Diego Handicap (G2) two starts back.
Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 31, 2019, Race 11Entries: Woodward S. Presented by NYRA Bets (G1)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Mr. Buff (NY)
Jose Lezcano
118
John C. Kimmel
8/1
2
2Bal Harbour (KY)
Javier Castellano
118
Todd A. Pletcher
15/1
3
3Vino Rosso (KY)
John R. Velazquez
122
Todd A. Pletcher
7/2
4
4Mongolian Groom (KY)
Luis Saez
118
Enebish Ganbat
15/1
5
5Preservationist (KY)
Junior Alvarado
120
James A. Jerkens
7/2
6
6Forewarned (OH)
Anthony Salgado
118
Uriah St. Lewis
30/1
7
7Yoshida (JPN)
Joel Rosario
124
William I. Mott
5/2
8
8Wooderson (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
118
Todd A. Pletcher
12/1
9
9Tom's d'Etat (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
118
Albert M. Stall, Jr.
4/1
