By J.N. Campbell
You know how the quote reads directly from the handicapper's Bible, “Behold the pale horse with controlling speed.” Heeding that warning arrives once again on Sunday.
Halfway through the three-day holiday weekend of Thoroughbred racing, Saratoga and Del Mar card graded races. The Spa's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes, the penultimate 'Win and You're In' pass to the Breeders' Cup Classic, sets the tone with a myriad of intriguing storylines woven into this fleece as a half dozen entries will try to catch that aforementioned 'pale horse' Arthur's Ride (Tapit).
The 4-year-old white knight was downright sensational in the GI Whitney Stakes at the Spa Aug. 3 when he skimmed the mud from start to finish and cleared by 2 1/4 lengths. Trained by Bill Mott, the colt is looking for his third win of the meet and jockey Junior Alvarado has one job, send him.
The Gold Cup pursuers are an eclectic bunch when it comes to running style, but none of them possess first call quickness like the 80 cents on the dollar morning line favorite. Lest we forget, Arthur's Ride won by an eye-catching 12 3/4 lengths over this course and distance against optional claimers June 7.
“He's [Arthur's Ride] had four weeks in between,” said Mott. “We are hoping he has had enough time in between. He ran a huge race last time and we are hoping he can fire back that same shot.”
A pair of Todd Pletcher trainees will try to not let Arthur's Ride out of their sight. Bright Future (Curlin) won this race last year, but he finished a well-beaten eighth in the Whitney and is looking to get back on track. In with a major chance is stablemate Tapit Trice (Tapit), who outgamed fellow entrant here Highland Falls (Curlin) in what was his 4-year-old unveiling in the Monmouth Cup last month. Owned by Whisper Hill and Gainesway, Tapit Trice's performance in Oceanport harkened back to how the colt took last year's Derby Trail by storm.
“I was very happy with Tapit Trice's comeback win in the Monmouth Cup and he's been training exceptionally well for this,” Pletcher said. “I think the mile and a quarter suits him great.”
Also signed on are a pair of talented types in Disarm (Gun Runner), who likes to come from the clouds for trainer Steve Asmussen, and a member of trainer Cherie DeVaux's shedrow–runner-up from the GI Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs in late June– Pyrenees (Into Mischief). Both are looking for their first top level win in the Gold Cup.
Formidable Man | Benoit
Swinging out to the old seaside oval on Sunday, the GII Del Mar Derby over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course pits 8-5 morning line favorite Formidable Man (City of Light) against six others. The bay colt collected his first black-type for trainer Michael McCarthy in the Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar last month. The 3-year-old will face the runner-up from that race in Guy Named Joe (American Pharoah) and will be up against the winner of the La Jolla Handicap Stay Hot (Summer Front).
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