Mind Control Holds Off Mucho to Win Hopeful Stakes
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Mind Control wins the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
After securing the first grade 1 win of his career with Mind Control Sept. 3 in the $350,000 Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, trainer Gregory Sacco's thoughts turned to his father.
"It's my first grade 1, so it's real special," Sacco said after Mind Control held off favored Mucho in the stretch of the Spa's top race for 2-year-olds. "I'm the son of a trainer. My dad never had the opportunity to train these types of horses. It's very meaningful. It's a great feeling. I have my whole family here and I can't be any happier."
The win followed Mind Control being tested throughout, but Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables' son of classic-placed Stay Thirsty found more in the stretch to secure a three-quarter-length victory. Mind Control completed the seven-furlong test in 1:22.99 under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.
Mind Control raced just behind Winchell Thoroughbreds and Stonestreet Stables' Nitrous through a quarter-mile in :22.96 in the Hopeful, with Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's homebred Mucho, favored off a dazzling maiden win of nearly 10 lengths Aug. 4 at Saratoga, rating comfortably in third. Soon after a half-mile in :45.68, that two-horse duel became a three-horse battle as Mucho made his move three wide under Jose Ortiz.
Those three formed a line across the track in early stretch. In midstretch, Mind Control edged away from his rivals, an advantage that proved enough to hold off a too-late charge from Mucho. Prevailing over seven rivals, the winner paid $22.20, $7.80, and $5.
The Hopeful marked the third start for Mind Control, who finished second in his maiden special weight debut July 5 at Delaware Park after leading early. In his second start, the colt drew off in the stretch to post a three-length victory in a six-furlong maiden test at Monmouth Park.
The victory gave Sacco his first graded stakes win since 2010. He thought Mind Control deserved a shot at the top level after showing a push-button ability in his first two starts.
"He has gears. He ran a great race against (eventual Saratoga Special Stakes Presented by Miller Lite (G2) winner])Call Paul (in the Delaware debut) and then at Monmouth, but then you have to do it on the big stage," Sacco said. "We had a lot of horse at the quarter pole. Johnny said he was actually waiting a little bit. He's still a little green and learning."
Of course, lessons come fast for juvenile runners, and the win has Sacco thinking about the Nov. 2 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Churchill Downs.
"I'll have to discuss it with the (owners), but I would think so," he said when asked if that race was a future target for his new grade 1 winner. "I don't think the distance will give him limitations. The way he's trained and galloped out last race, he's just a genuine horse. He has a ton of ability. The main thing is that he's so smart. He acts like an older horse and does everything right. For a young horse, it's a big plus.
"He'll go back tomorrow morning to Monmouth. We'll savor this win and go from there."
Velazquez also sensed intelligence from the winner.
"He settled pretty easy along the backstretch and got settled to the turn," Velazquez said. "Once we reached the three-eighths pole and I asked him, he was full of run. I was real proud of the way he finished he came on and never relinquished."
Red Oak Stable, founded by the late owner of Hialeah Park John Brunetti Sr., also is the breeder of Mind Control. Bred in Kentucky, Mind Control is the third winner and first stakes winner out of Feel That Fire, by Lightnin N Thunder. Feel That Fire is a full sister to stakes winner Ima Jersey Girl.