Mind Control Breezes; Cigar Mile Field Taking Shape

Multiple grade 1 winner Mind Control, trained by Gregg Sacco for Steve Brunetti's Red Oak Stable and Sol Kumin's Madaket Stables, posted a five-eighths work in 1:01.85 Nov. 22 on the Belmont Park dirt training track in preparation for the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) for 3-year-olds and up Dec. 5 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Sacco said Mind Control, a 4-year-old son of 2012 Cigar Mile champ Stay Thirsty, is likely to enter the Cigar Mile, although the six-furlong Fall Highweight Handicap (G3) Nov. 29 at the Big A remains under consideration.

"He worked well. He went five-eighths in 1:01 and change and out in 1:15. The track was a little heavy this morning," Sacco said. "I'll talk it over with (racing manager Rick Sacco), Steve Brunetti, and Sol Kumin, but it looks like we're going to point him to the Cigar Mile."

A four-time winner at Aqueduct, Mind Control captured the one-mile Jerome here in his first sophomore start and ran second to Haikal at one mile in the 2019 Gotham Stakes (G3) ahead of a score in the seven-furlong Bay Shore Stakes (G3). He continued his good form this year with wins in the Toboggan Stakes (G3) Jan. 18 and Tom Fool Handicap (G3) March 7.

Last out, in the Lafayette Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select at Keeneland, Mind Control was in range to strike when a horse fell in front of him at the quarter pole, causing Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez to take up his mount.

Sacco said he is hopeful Mind Control can return to winning form at Aqueduct against an expected field that includes top contenders Performer and Firenze Fire.

"He's won at a mile early in his 3-year-old career in the Jerome, and he was a good second in the Gotham," Sacco said. "We always thought between seven-eighths and a mile was his best distance. Three-quarters is a little short for him, even though he's won at that distance and ran a dynamite race in the Vanderbilt (G1) at Saratoga."

Trainer Jack Sisterson saddled his first grade 1 winner this summer with Vexatious in the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) at Saratoga and said he is hoping to double up when he sends out Calumet Farm's True Timber and Bon Raison in the Cigar Mile.

True Timber, a 6-year-old son of Mineshaft , will be making his third Cigar Mile appearance following a close second to Patternrecognition in 2018 and a third a year ago in an event won by Maximum Security .

A veteran of 28 starts, True Timber has a record of 4-5-9 with purse earnings in excess of $1 million. He joined the Sisterson barn this season following the retirement of former trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

In four starts with Sisterson, True Timber has two thirds and a closing second last out in the Lafayette.

"He's a lovely horse. … He really deserves to win a big race. He's definitely got the talent to do it," Sisterson said. "He's very workmanlike in the morning, so I've learned to let him just put his feet where he wants to put them and keep him happy."

His lone off-the-board effort for Sisterson was a fourth in the Vosburgh Stakes (G2) Sept. 26 at Belmont when leaving from the inside post in a race won by Firenze Fire.

"He didn't like being stuck down on the rail at Belmont two races back (in the Vosburgh), and that's just him. Put a line through that race, and he's run some competitive races with us," Sisterson said. "He seems to be peaking into his best possible performance to date with us. He has one more breeze here next week, and if all goes to plan, I definitely expect him to run as good in there as he has done in the past. He's probably looking forward to getting up there."

Bon Raison, a 5-year-old Raison d'Etat  horse, is a Calumet homebred, who returned to the fold in July when claimed for $80,000 from an allowance optional claiming sprint at Saratoga.

A veteran of 44 starts, Bon Raison has a record of 11-4-7 with earnings of $674,534. He captured the 6 1/2-furlong Peeping Tom Stakes at Aqueduct as part of a marathon 21-race campaign last year that also included a score in the six-furlong Tale of the Cat Stakes at Saratoga. This year, Bon Raison picked up graded black type when third to Mind Control in the Tom Fool.

Last out, Bon Raison was a nonthreatening 10th in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland under Adam Beschizza. He exited that effort to work a half-mile in :49 2/5 Nov. 21 on the Keeneland dirt.

"If you look closely at the Breeders' Cup Sprint, Adam Beschizza got off him and said, 'Jack, you have to watch the replay. I didn't even touch him with the whip. I had nowhere to run,'" Sisterson said. "So he didn't have a tough race coming out of the Breeders' Cup Sprint, and he worked great yesterday."

Sisterson said Kendrick Carmouche will have the call aboard True Timber, and Jorge Vargas Jr. will pilot Bon Raison.