Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Gucci Factor needs fair start
ELMONT, N.Y. – Gucci Factor lost all chance at the start of last month’s Ashley T. Cole Stakes for New York-breds. That he was beaten only 3 1/2 lengths after breaking at least five lengths behind the field was a testament to his ability.
Saturday, Gucci Factor gets a chance to rebound from that disastrous start when he faces a host of familiar foes in the $200,000 Mohawk Stakes for 3-year-olds and up on turf at Belmont Park.
Gucci Factor won the Kingston for New York-breds and Grade 3 Poker Stakes at the Belmont spring meet, running his record here to 4 for 7. He was given the Saratoga meet off to recover from those races and looked primed to win the Cole until the gates opened.
Gucci Factor was moving around and being adjusted by an assistant starter. He was 13 lengths off the pace at the first call in the 1 1/8-mile turf race, won by Dot Matrix.
“Gucci had no chance but he actually ran a very good race,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “He’s the only horse in that race that made up 10 lengths.”
The top five finishers in the Cole were separated by 2 1/4 lengths. The top four finishers are back in the 1 1/16-mile Mohawk. Red Knight, who finished fifth in the Cole, won the Point of Entry at 1 1/2 miles last Sunday.
A year ago, trainer Brad Cox didn’t think Dot Matrix was good enough to compete in these New York-bred stakes. This year, Dot Matrix was beaten a neck by Offering Plan in the West Point at Saratoga and won the Cole by a half-length over Voodoo Song.
“I just thought he was a tick below,” Cox said. “He’s stepped up and seems like a better horse this year.”
In the Cole, Dot Matrix stalked pacesetting Voodoo Song, and outfinished him to the wire. In the Mohawk, Voodoo Song could be stalked early by Cross Border, who cuts back from the 1 1/2 miles he ran in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, where he was beaten only 2 1/2 lengths.
Offering Plan, trained by Chad Brown, won last year’s Mohawk by six lengths after finishing second in the Cole. He was third, beaten a length, in this year’s Cole.
Hoboe, Therapist, and Rapt complete the field for the Mohawk, which goes as race 4 (1:59 p.m.)
Fifty Five seeks three-peat
Fifty Five is quite capable of competing in open-company graded stakes, but she is quite dominant in the New York-bred female turf division.
Saturday, Fifty Five will look for her fifth consecutive New York-bred stakes success in the $200,000 Ticonderoga, a race she has won the last two years.
In between her New Yorkbred stakes wins, which include the Sept. 22 John Hettinger, Fifty Five won the Plenty of Grace earlier this year and was beaten a half-length in graded stakes at Parx and Saratoga. She is one of three next-out stakes winners to come out of the Grade 2 Ballston Spa at Saratoga, where she finished fourth, beaten a half-length.
Trainer Chad Brown said the 1 1/16-mile Ticonderoga “is the most logical spot” for Fifty Five to end her 5-year-old campaign. Brown said owner Peter Brant has indicated a desire to race her again next year.
“With that in mind, it might be a situation where we freshen her up and then try something [against open company] next year,” Brown said.
Trainer Christophe Clement entered both Munchkin Money and Wegetsdamunnys in the Ticonderoga. Munchkin Money was pulled up by Irad Ortiz right out of the gate in the Hettinger when she threw her head in the air and broke last. Junior Alvarado wil ride her on Saturday.
“She’s very versatile,. You can do whatever you want with her,” Clement said. “She can be on the pace or off. Junior knows her well.”
Clement said he may scratch Wegetsdamunnys and try her at 1 1/2 miles in the Zagora on Oct. 27.
War Canoe ran a very good second to Fifty Five in the Hettinger. Kid Is Frosty, trained by Cox, is 2 for 2 on the turf. Cox also has Dream Passage entered. Both horses appear to have a similar forwardly placed running style.
Wish Upon, Broken Border, and English Soul complete the lineup for the Ticonderoga, which goes as race 9 (4:48 p.m.).