Woodward a G1 Breeders' Cup Tuneup for Life Is Good
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coglianese Photos
Life Is Good claims the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
The name of the race is different. So is the racetrack.
Yet in one regard, the way Life Is Good is prepping for his upcoming engagement at the Breeders' Cup is quite similar to his path to the World Championships in 2021.
A year ago, it was a paid workout against three overmatched rivals, only two of whom finished the race, in the mile Kelso Handicap (G2) that propelled the son of Into Mischief toward the $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). A winner by an easy 5 1/2 lengths as a 1-20 favorite on that September afternoon at Belmont Park, he went on to take the Dirt Mile by a slightly bigger margin of 5 3/4 lengths.
On Oct. 1, some of those elements will once again come into play when CHC and WinStar Farm's multiple grade 1 winner will be a huge favorite over four pedestrian rivals in the $500,000 Woodward Stakes (G1) at Belmont at Aqueduct.
"You can't control those things like field size. You run against who is there. You try to pick the right spot for your horse and hopefully Life Is Good confirms those capabilities," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "He ran great in winning the Whitney (Stakes, G1), and we're excited about running him Saturday."
The stakes will be higher Saturday for Life Is Good both literally and figurately. The Woodward is a richer grade 1 stakes as opposed to the grade 2 Kelso and the ultimate goal for the $4-million earner at the Breeders' Cup is the centerpiece $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) where a highly anticipated showdown with the undefeated Flightline awaits.
"Flightline is an awesome horse and couldn't be more impressive than he was in the Pacific Classic (G1), but we've always been big believers in Life Is Good," Pletcher said.
The 4-year-old Life Is Good has won eight of 10 career starts and owns handy grade 1 wins this year in both the Aug. 6 Whitney and the Jan. 29 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by 1/ST BET (G1), two of the year's most important stakes for older horses. Yet in the latest National Thoroughbred Racing Association Top 10 poll, he's second behind Flightline, a unanimous No. 1 selection after a stunning 19 1/4-length win earlier this month in the TVG.com Pacific Classic (G1).
The Woodward likely became a better fit for a Classic hopeful such as Life Is Good when the Belmont Park fall meet was shifted to Aqueduct due to construction at the Elmont, N.Y., track. At Belmont, the Woodward was contested at a one-turn 1 1/8-mile distance, while Saturday's race at the Belmont at the Big A meet will be run at the same 1 1/8 miles but around two turns.
Given that configuration and with Life Is Good and regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr. breaking from the rail Saturday, the handsome bay colt should be able to control the pace while saving ground, adding to the gargantuan challenge facing his foes.
Life Is Good, who was bred by Gary and Mary West Stables out of the Distorted Humor mare Beach Walk, was bought for $525,000 from the Paramount Sales consignment at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Life Is Good is her second foal and first stakes winner. Her three most recent foals are unraced: 2-year-old filly Living Good (Blame ), a yearling Candy Ride colt, and a 2022 Into Mischief colt.
Pletcher will saddle two of the five starters, sending out Cypress Creek Equine, Arnold Bennewith, and Spendthrift Farm's Keepmeinmind , a 4-year-old Laoban colt who was fifth in the Sept. 3 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
A grade 2 winner at 2, Keepmeinmind has won only two of 13 starts but has two seconds and two thirds in graded stakes company, including two placings in grade 1 stakes for original trainer Robertino Diodoro.
Law Professor wins the Tapit Stakes at Kentucky Downs
Twin Creek Racing Stables' Law Professor will continue shifting back-and-forth from turf to dirt. A winner of the FanDuel Tapit Stakes on turf at Kentucky Downs last time out for trainer Rob Atras, prior to that the Constitution gelding was ninth in the Oaklawn Mile (G3) and second in the San Pasqual Stakes (G2) on dirt sandwiched around a fifth in the grassy Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G1T).
The field also includes owner/trainer Uriah St. Lewis' Informative , who won the Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park at 14-1 odds. Last year, the son of Bodemeister won the Salvator Mile Stakes (G3) at Monmouth in a 79-1 stunner.
Rounding out the five starters is owner/trainer David Jacobson's grade 3-placed Thomas Shelby , a Curlin gelding who was an optional allowance claiming winner at Monmouth in his last try.
Belmont at the Big A, Saturday, October 01, 2022, Race 7Entries: Woodward S. (G1)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Life Is Good (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
126
Todd A. Pletcher
1/9
2
2Law Professor (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
122
Rob Atras
8/1
3
3Thomas Shelby (KY)
Dylan Davis
122
David Jacobson
15/1
4
4Keepmeinmind (KY)
Joel Rosario
122
Todd A. Pletcher
6/1
5
5Informative (KY)
Dexter Haddock
124
Uriah St. Lewis
15/1
