Sadler's Joy Makes 2021 Debut in McKnight

Woodslane Farm's homebred Sadler's Joy made his career graded stakes debut in the 2017 W. L. McKnight (G3T) 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 $150,000 W. L. McKnight on the Jan. 23 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 (G1T).

"He's training great. He's been very feisty lately, like he always is," trainer 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 Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream before going on to capture the Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course later that year.

In 27 graded stakes races, Sadler's Joy has finished in the money 19 times and finished fourth six 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 1/2-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 Oct. 18 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes Presented by Pattison (G1T) at Woodbine; Joseph Allen's Doswell, who finished a fast-closing second behind Largent in the Dec. 12 Ft. Lauderdale (G2T) 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.

Entries: W. L. McKnight S. (G3T)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, January 23, 2021, Race 10

• Grade IIIT
• 1 1/2m
• Turf
• $150,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 4:13 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Doswell (KY)	Junior Alvarado	118	Barclay Tagg	7/2
2	2Tintoretto (GER)	Paco Lopez	118	Thomas Albertrani	20/1
3	3Mirinaque (ARG)	Edgard J. Zayas	120	Maria C. Munoz	30/1
4	4Temple (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Michael J. Maker	8/1
5	5Sadler's Joy (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	120	Thomas Albertrani	3/1
6	6Sir Sahib (KY)	Luis Saez	118	Jose Corrales	6/1
7	7Tide of the Sea (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Michael J. Maker	10/1
8	8Sir Anthony (IL)	Julien R. Leparoux	120	Anthony Mitchell	12/1
9	9Succeedandsurpass (IRE)	John R. Velazquez	118	H. Graham Motion	12/1
10	10Clear Vision (KY)	Robby Albarado	118	Jeremiah O'Dwyer	20/1
11	11Channel Cat (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	120	Jack Sisterson	9/2

Always Shopping Heads Large Field in La Prevoyante

Earlier on the Pegasus card, a field of 12 older fillies and mares will square off in the $125,000 La Prevoyante Stakes (G3T). The La Prevoyante is a 1 1/2-mile turf contest.

Repole Stable's homebred Always Shopping, a grade 2 winner on the dirt, has won two of her last three starts on the turf for trainer Todd Pletcher. The Awesome Again filly captured the Monroe Stakes last September over the Gulfstream turf course before finishing a narrow second to Blame Debbie in the Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes (G3T) Oct. 18 at Keeneland in her first time routing 1 1/2 miles.

In the bay's last start, Always Shopping defeated fellow La Prevoyante rivals Court Return, Traipsing, Cap de Creus, and Cambeliza in the Dec. 19 Via Borghese Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Irad Ortiz Jr. retains the mount on Always Shopping and the pair will break from post 1.

Gary Barber and John Oxley's Heavenly Curlin looks to challenge Always Shopping. The lightly raced daughter of Curlin has won her last three starts, including a dominating victory in the Nov. 7 Maple Leaf Stakes (G3) going 1 1/4 miles over Woodbine's synthetic surface. In that effort, the $625,000 2018 Keeneland September yearling purchase circled the field to win by 5 3/4 lengths.

Heavenly Curlin has been breezing consistently at Palm Meadows Training Center for trainer Mark Casse, clocking 5/8ths on the turf course in 1:00.60 Jan. 8.

She will break from post 7 with Tyler Gaffalione in the irons.

Entries: La Prevoyante S. (G3T)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, January 23, 2021, Race 8

• Grade IIIT
• 1 1/2m
• Turf
• $125,000
• 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 3:09 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Always Shopping (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	120	Todd A. Pletcher	3/1
2	2Sister Hanan (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	118	Ben Colebrook	12/1
3	3Irony of Reality (MD)	Victor Lebron	120	Ron G. Potts	20/1
4	4Aunt Hattie (IRE)	Julien R. Leparoux	118	Rohan Crichton	30/1
5	5Lovely Lucky (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	Thomas Albertrani	10/1
6	6Cambeliza (KY)	Edgard J. Zayas	118	Arnaud Delacour	20/1
7	7Heavenly Curlin (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Mark E. Casse	9/2
8	8Delta's Kingdom (KY)	Junior Alvarado	118	William I. Mott	8/1
9	9Cap de Creus (KY)	John R. Velazquez	118	Todd A. Pletcher	12/1
10	10English Affair (KY)	Joe Bravo	120	George R. Arnold, II	10/1
11	11Traipsing (KY)	Joel Rosario	118	Christophe Clement	4/1
12	12Court Return (ON)	Luis Saez	118	Josie Carroll	10/1