Mind Control seeks third Spa G1 in Vanderbilt
The good news for horses contesting Saturday’s A. G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) is that Imperial Hint is not in the field. The now-retired son of Imperialism streaked to victory by 3 ¾ and four lengths in the last two runnings, smashing a 47-year-old track record for six furlongs last summer.
A short field of five is entered in this year’s edition. Co-highweight Mind Control is vying for his third G1 win at Saratoga, following the Hopeful in 2018 and the H. Allen Jerkens last year. The son of Stay Thirsty swept the Toboggan and Tom Fool this past winter at Aqueduct before finishing a disappointing sixth in the Carter Handicap. The Greg Sacco trainee has won both previous starts at six furlongs.
The other highweight is the redoubtable Whitmore, who
will make his 35th career start today. The consistent 7-year- old gelding is best known for his success at Oaklawn Park but has also won big races elsewhere – including the 2018 Forego at Saratoga – and cannot be counted out of any race. Whitmore will be competing at his favorite distance: nine of his 10 stakes wins have been at six furlongs.
Firenze Fire, fourth in the 2019 Vanderbilt, has posted solid wins in the General George and True North this year sandwiched around a dull fourth in the Carter. The Poseidon’s Warrior colt will also be running at his best distance.
Favor it i sm in t he Vanderbilt, however, goes to lightly raced Volatile (45), who nearly broke the track record for six furlongs in an eight-length win in the ungraded Aristides Stakes last month at Churchill Downs. The son of Violence has been brought along slowly by Steve Asmussen and gets tested for class today.
Lexitonian comes in off a narrow victory in a sevenfurlong optional claimer May 29 at Churchill.
Sistercharlie returns in Ballston Spa
With the Bernard Baruch and Ballston Spa shifted from late in the meet to this weekend, the two G2 turf stakes fit nicely as preps for a pair of G1s, the Fourstardave on Aug. 22 and the Diana on the 23rd.
The change alters the schedule for seven-time G1 winner Sistercharlie, who the past two years used the Diana – in its former spot on opening weekend – as a prep for the Beverly D. Stakes. In 2018 and 2019, the now 6-year- old mare swept both races en route to one Eclipse Award and a runner-up in balloting for the other.
In Saturday’s Ballston Spa, Sistercharlie makes her first start since being upset at 2- 5 in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf eight months ago. Only five horses could be rounded up to take on the turf mare extraordinaire, who is listed at 2- 5 on the morning line and will have regular rider John Velazquez in the irons. Sistercharlie will be shortening up for the Ballston Spa; her lone previous start at 1 1/16-miles occurred over two years ago
On paper, Starship Jubilee is Sistercharlie’s most formidable opponent. The seven-year- old three-time Canadian champion has won all three of this year’s starts, all stakes in Florida, but has never bested a horse the caliber of the favorite. Look for her to go to the front and hope to hold off Sistercharlie’s devastating late turn of foot.
Call Me Love, a G2 winner in Italy, was a good second behind Rushing Fall in her U. S. debut in the Beaugay but then faded to fourth in the New York Stakes. Bramble Queen, North Broadway and MTO entrant Another Broad round out the field.