Mind Control Heads Full Field in Breeders' Futurity

A full field of 14 2-year-olds, including four exiting the Sept. 3 Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, has been signed up for the Oct. 6 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland. The $500,000 event is contested at 1 1/16 miles.

Mind Control, the 10-1 victor in the Hopeful and a winner of his past two starts, has displayed ample speed in each of his three outings as a homebred for Stephen Brunetti's Red Oak Stable (co-owned by Madaket Stables). Trainer Greg Sacco bases the Stay Thirsty  colt at Monmouth Park. Sombeyay, the winner of the Sanford Stakes (G3) two races back, failed to display the same late kick in the Hopeful but seems a talented sort in his four races for Starlight Racing.

ANGST: Mind Control Holds Off Mucho to Win Hopeful Stakes

Dream Maker raced greenly in the Hopeful after scoring impressively in his debut at Churchill Downs and fired a bullet four-furlong work at Keeneland Sept. 29. Unionizer came on to take the Sapling Stakes at Monmouth last time out and is riding a two-race win streak. Mr. Ankeny, a $350,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, broke through with a victory last time out at Ellis Park and is working forwardly for this engagement.

Tobacco Road won the Ellis Park Juvenile Stakes two starts back but suffered traffic trouble and a wide trip in the Iroquois Stakes (G3). He is a closer who would benefit from a hot early pace. Trainer Chad Brown sends Standard Deviation in from New York and drew the outside post. Standard Deviation won in his only start over a wet track at Saratoga going seven furlongs.

Fluminense broke his maiden at Churchill Downs in June but then regressed over yielding turf at Woodbine last time out as the favorite. He is a $410,000 Keeneland September yearling. Everfast and Knicks Go both failed to carry their winning maiden form into stakes races, with Knicks Go landing fifth in the Sanford and third in the Arlington-Washington Futurity, and Everfast managing a fifth in the Iroquois.

Derby Date, who stumbled at the start and lost all chance in the Hopeful, is looking for his first win in the Futurity. Borracho improved to break his maiden last out at Churchill after two midpack finishes at Saratoga. Moonster has a one-mile score to his credit at Churchill last out, and Signalman draws the rail after a hard-fought victory at Saratoga last out at seven furlongs.

Entries: Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1)

Keeneland, Saturday, October 06, 2018, Race 9

• Grade I
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $500,000
• 2 yo
• 5:14 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Signalman (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	121	Kenneth G. McPeek	15/1
2	2Sombeyay (KY)	Luis Saez	121	Todd A. Pletcher	5/1
3	3Fluminense (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	121	Steven M. Asmussen	10/1
4	4Unionizer (FL)	Florent Geroux	121	William I. Mott	10/1
5	5Dream Maker (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	121	Mark E. Casse	5/1
6	6Everfast (KY)	Jack Gilligan	121	Dale L. Romans	12/1
7	7Knicks Go (MD)	Albin Jimenez	121	Ben Colebrook	30/1
8	8Tobacco Road (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	121	Steven M. Asmussen	12/1
9	9Moonster (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	121	Dale L. Romans	10/1
10	10Mr. Ankeny (KY)	Robby Albarado	121	Dale L. Romans	12/1
11	11Borracho (KY)	James Graham	121	George R. Arnold, II	20/1
12	12Derby Date (KY)	Gabriel Saez	121	D. Wayne Lukas	20/1
13	13Mind Control (KY)	John R. Velazquez	121	Gregory D. Sacco	7/2
14	14Standard Deviation (KY)	Javier Castellano	121	Chad C. Brown	10/1