Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Sacco ready for next chapter with Mind Control, Joevia
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Over the last two years, Mind Control and Joevia have been a source of excitement and agita for trainer Gregg Sacco. Mind Control won Grade 1 stakes in 2018 and 2019 but had troubled trips in a pair of other stakes. Joevia, though less accomplished than Mind Control, came within 1 3/4 lengths of upsetting the 2019 Belmont Stakes.
What 2020 has in store for the two 4-year-olds will begin to reveal itself this week, when in a span of 24 hours both horses return to the races at Aqueduct.
On Friday, Joevia makes his first start since the Belmont in a second-level allowance going 6 1/2 furlongs. On Saturday, Mind Control makes his first start since winning the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens in August at Saratoga in the Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan Stakes.
At this point last year, Mind Control was coming off a victory in the Jerome Stakes and Sacco was mapping out a plan to get him to the Kentucky Derby. His owner had other ideas.
Viewing Mind Control as a horse with distance limitations, Rick Sacco, Gregg’s brother and the racing manager for Steve Brunetti’s Red Oak Stable, which owns Mind Control with Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stable, opted to keep the horse in oneturn races. In April, Mind Control won the Grade 3 Bay Shore going seven furlongs on the Wood Memorial undercard. That same day, Joevia competed in the Wood Memorial and was disqualified from seventh to last after wiping out several runners soon after the start.
Mind Control had a difficult trip in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens on Belmont Stakes Day, finishing eighth, beaten 4 1/4 lengths. He then came back in the Concern Stakes at Laurel in July and had a horrible trip when finishing third, beaten a neck, as the 2-5 favorite.
The year ended on a high note, however, when Mind Control got up by a nose to beat Hog Creek Hustle and Shancelot in the Grade 1 Jerkens. That victory came a year after he won the Grade 1 Hopeful, also at Saratoga.
“When he didn’t get in trouble, he won, other than the game second to Haikal,” Sacco said referring to a one-length loss in the Grade 3 Gotham last March. “As a 3-year-old campaign, everything couldn’t have worked out any better capping it off with a Grade 1 win. From my standpoint, I think it was a very good year.”
Sacco said it had been predetermined that whatever happened in the Jerkens, Mind Control was going to get a break. He had been in training since early in his 2-yearold season and the idea was to bring him back for a 4-year-old campaign. The Toboggan is being used as a starting point to get to the Grade 1 Carter here in April with a possible start in between. Following the Carter, the goal is the Grade 1 Metropolitan
at Belmont on June 6. The year-end goal is the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland on Nov. 7.
“In hindsight, the plan they chose was the best plan to get him to a 4-year-old campaign,” Sacco said. “He’s a happy, healthy 4-year-old. It should be a very exciting year if he stays healthy.”
John Velazquez, who is 4 for 5 with a second on Mind Control, is coming up from South Florida to ride the horse in the Toboggan. That field is expected to include American Anthem, Bon Raison, Sunny Ridge, and possibly Still Having Fun, The Sicarii, and Wicked Trick.
At 2, Joevia won his debut by 1 3/4 lengths at Monmouth Park. Joevia was preparing for a start in the Saratoga Special that summer when he hyperextended a knee, forcing him to miss the remainder of that year, Sacco said.
Joevia returned with a solid second to Haikal in the Jimmy Winkfield in February and then was second to the thenundefeated Alwaysmining in the Private Terms at Laurel. Joevia tried to qualify for the
Kentucky Derby by running in the Wood Memorial. Jockey Nik Juarez tried to maneuver Joevia over from his outside post in the Wood, but wound up interfering with several horses.
Joevia, a son of Shanghai Bobby owned by Michael and Jeff Fazio, bounced back with a victory in the Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth on May 12. In the Belmont Stakes, Joevia set the pace into deep stretch before getting outfinished by Sir Winston and Tacitus, and settling for third.
He was entered in the Grade 1 Haskell on July 20, but was scratched due to a foot injury and missed the remainder of the year.
“The wall had to grow out. He was sore,” Sacco said. “Might as well give him the time.”
Though Joevia’s comeback will begin in a 6 1/2-furlong race, Sacco said the plan is to stretch him out. The year-end goal would be the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
“He’s doing very well. He’s a nice, quality horse. He’ll run all day,” Sacco said. “I don’t know if he’ll win going 6 1/2, but the way he’s training he should.”