Wit Generates High Hopes Heading Into Hopeful

There's no greater source of optimism in Thoroughbred racing than a good 2-year-old and on the final day of the Saratoga Race Course meet, Wit  will try to fill that bill.

Owned by Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable, and Gainesway Stable, the undefeated son of Practical Joke   enters the Sept. 6 $300,000 Hopeful Stakes (G1) for 2-year-olds with the kind of expectations that are attached to a select few juvenile runners.

"This is the time when you find out who are the stars of tomorrow and you always hope one of your 2-year-olds can get to that stage," Repole Stable owner Mike Repole said about Wit. "Everyone has loved this horse as a yearling. It's called the Hopeful and we're hopeful he's going to be a great 2-year-old and a great 3-year-old."

Though Wit has only raced twice, each trip to the post generated a dazzling result.

He won by six lengths in his June 5 debut at Belmont Park after breaking slowly and trailing by seven lengths.

He returned July 17 at the Spa and romped by an even bigger margin, rallying from 5 1/2 lengths back to take the Sanford Stakes (G3) by eight widening lengths at the Spa under Irad Ortiz Jr.

"It was special the way he blew by horses in the Sanford. You don't see many horses, no less a 2-year-old, come from that far back and win that easily in two straight races," Repole said about the May foal.

For Repole, though it is early in Wit's career, he is already seeing signs that the 2-year-old has the kind of potential he saw 11 years ago in juvenile champion Uncle Mo  .

"To me Uncle Mo was among the top five all-time 2-year-olds," Repole said. "He did everything he had to do and is turning out to be one of the great stallions. A horse like Wit can be anything. There's no doubt if he continues to progress and dazzle, why can't he win the Hopeful and Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and become a champion like Uncle Mo? He has the talent."

Though 10 rivals turned out to face Wit, they will be facing a rough challenge against a colt who is coming into the seven-furlong stakes in solid fashion.

"He's training really well. He's always been a good work horse and he continues to be," said trainer Todd Pletcher, who has already won the Hopeful three times. 

Of course, distance has been the Achilles Heel of many a juvenile stakes winner, and Wit will be asked to travel an additional furlong after winning the six-furlong Sanford. Being a son of 2016 Hopeful and Champagne Stakes (G1) winner Practical Joke out of the Medaglia d'Oro   mare Numero d'Oro, those extra yards would seem to be within his range.

"He has an impressive turn of foot so we're looking forward to the Hopeful," Pletcher said. "I thought his Sanford was super impressive.

"The key to these 2-year-olds is continued improvement. We targeted the Hopeful after the Sanford and things have gone according to plan."

Wit, a half brother to the grade 3 winner Barkley , was bought for $575,000 from the consignment of his breeder, Rosilyn Polan, at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. His dam has produced seven foals, including a weanling City of Light   colt.

Pletcher will also send out Power Agenda , an Aug. 14 maiden winner, for Repole and St. Elias.

"Power Agenda was game in his only start and he should be able to handle the distance," Pletcher said about the son of Nyquist   bought for $120,000 from the Paramount Sales consignment at the Keeneland September sale.

The second of two graded stakes winners in the field of 11 is LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable's High Oak , a Gormley   colt who registered a 4 1/4-length triumph in the Saratoga Special Stakes Presented by Miller Lite (G2) for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Gunite  was second in the Saratoga Special and the Gun Runner   colt will try to add a final sterling chapter to an unforgettable meet for trainer Steve Asmussen, who became North America's all-time leader in wins Aug. 7 at the Spa.

Asmussen has won the last two editions of the Hopeful with Jackie's Warrior  in 2020 and Basin  in 2019.

Breeze Easy's Headline Report  will tackle Wit for a second time after the Gormley ridgling finished a distant second in the Sanford.

"I know we're up against it with Todd's colt, who right now looks like the best 2-year-old in the country," said trainer Wesley Ward. "But you can never duck a race trying to get around one horse. Things happen in races. Even though on paper Todd's colt will certainly be odds-on and we'll certainly be much higher odds than him, this race should put me where I want to be for my next race."

The other six starters are coming off maiden races.

The Hopeful will be the 10th of 12 races on a closing day card that starts at 12:35 p.m. ET.

Entries: Hopeful S. (G1)

Saratoga Race Course, Monday, September 06, 2021, Race 10

• Grade I
• 7f
• Dirt
• $300,000
• 2 yo
• 5:38 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Volcanic (KY)	Dylan Davis	118	Mark E. Casse	30/1
2	2Defend (FL)	Luis Saez	120	Cathal A. Lynch	6/1
3	3Gunite (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	120	Steven M. Asmussen	8/1
4	4Kitodan (KY)	Chantal Sutherland	120	Jorge Delgado	30/1
5	5Street Fight (KY)	David Cohen	118	John D. Stephens	50/1
6	6Wit (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	122	Todd A. Pletcher	7/5
7	7Headline Report (KY)	John R. Velazquez	120	Wesley A. Ward	12/1
8	8High Oak (KY)	Junior Alvarado	122	William I. Mott	5/2
9	9Kevin's Folly (KY)	Jose Lezcano	120	Thomas M. Amoss	20/1
10	10Power Agenda (KY)	Manuel Franco	120	Todd A. Pletcher	10/1
11	11Big Scully (LA)	Eric Cancel	120	Dallas Stewart	30/1