Sainthood to Make Turf Debut in Pennine Ridge

WinStar Farm and China Horse Club's Sainthood  will make his turf debut May 29 in the $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes (G2T), a nine-furlong test for 3-year-olds over the inner turf at Belmont Park. The Todd Pletcher trainee last out was 11th in the May 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs.

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 & Slots, where he led at every point of call. He followed up with a late-closing second in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) March 27 at Turfway Park. 

Since the Kentucky Derby, Sainthood has worked twice over the inner turf at Belmont. 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.

Pletcher, who won the inaugural Pennine Ridge with Gala Award  in 2014, will also saddle Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable, Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, and Derrick Smith's maiden special weight winner Shaftesbury . The Uncle Mo   colt won at fifth asking traveling 1 1/16 miles April 24 at Belmont.

"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."

Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Shaftesbury from post 3.

Robert LaPenta, Augustin Stable, and Madaket Stables' Hard Love  proved stakes capabilities in his 2021 debut and will attempt to display his talent once more in the Pennine Ridge. The Kitten's Joy   ridgling trained by Jonathan Thomas utilized tactical speed in the Woodhaven Stakes April 17 at Aqueduct Racetrack, where he tracked a half-length behind the pacesetter along the rail before drawing off to a 1 1/4-length victory.

Following a two-length debut win over the Widener turf course Oct. 10, Hard Love finished second the Central Park Stakes Nov. 28 at Aqueduct. All three of his starts to date have been at 1 1/16 miles.

The Pennine Ridge is a local prep for the July 10 Belmont Derby Invitational (G1T), the first leg of the New York Racing Association's Turf Triple Series.

"Each race is a test and a stepping stone to the next," said Thomas, who saddled Catholic Boy to win the Pennine Ridge and Belmont Derby in 2018 for co-owner LaPenta. "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 prepared for the Pennine Ridge with a sharp half-mile work over the inner turf at Belmont May 23. In tandem with Burning Bright , he was timed in :47 3/5. Javier Castellano has the call from post 4. 

Completing the field are Shawdyshawdyshawdy , Step Dancer , Minuteman , Public Sector , Safe Conduct , and The Reds . 

Entries: Pennine Ridge S. (G2T)

Belmont Park, Saturday, May 29, 2021, Race 9

• Grade II
• 1 1/8m
• Inner turf
• $200,000
• 3 yo
• 5:12 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Shawdyshawdyshawdy (KY)	John R. Velazquez	118	Jorge R. Abreu	-
2	Step Dancer (NY)	Manuel Franco	120	Barclay Tagg	-
3	Shaftesbury (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Todd A. Pletcher	-
4	Hard Love (KY)	Javier Castellano	120	Jonathan Thomas	-
5	Sainthood (KY)	Joel Rosario	118	Todd A. Pletcher	-
6	Minuteman (GER)	Luis Saez	118	Thomas Albertrani	-
7	Public Sector (GB)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	Chad C. Brown	-
8	Safe Conduct (ON)	Jose Lezcano	118	Philip M. Serpe	-
9	The Reds (KY)	Kendrick Carmouche	120	John C. Kimmel	-