Listed, $150,900 Jerome Stakes; one mile; Aqueduct; Jan. 1, 2019 (10 Derby qualifying points for a win, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth) Winner: Mind Control, by Stay Thirsty Trainer: Greg Sacco Jockey: John Velazquez Owner: Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables LLC Beyer Speed Figure: 88 MIND CONTROL rebounded from his dull effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with a victory here, but I’m going to view him a bit skeptically as a top-tier Derby prospect at the moment, with my apprehension based on my concern over his aptitude at two turns. The Jerome was a one-turn mile, and so far Mind Control has been far better around one turn than two. The Breeders’ Cup was his lone try around two turns, and he certainly had excuses that day. Colleague David Grening has chronicled his odyssey heading into that race, which included being scratched from the Breeders’ Futurity and then being slightly ill after arriving at Churchill Downs ahead of the Breeders’ Cup. He’ll get plenty of chances to go two turns over the next few months, likely beginning with next month’s Withers, but as of now I need to see more going two turns before buying in. He did get a career-best Beyer Figure in this race, but the 88 after five starts still puts him well back of the best of this crop. And if he turns out to be a one-turn specialist, that might not be so bad. He’s already got three wins and a second in four starts around one turn. He just might be this year’s version of Firenze Fire. In this race, Mind Control broke alertly and went for the lead, with Velazquez taking him well off an inside part of the track he clearly wanted to avoid. Mind Control led narrowly over SOUPER JACKPOT down the backstretch, maintained a narrow lead around the far turn – with Velazquez looking to his inside to see if there was any danger coming from there – led into the lane with a four-abreast phalanx in pursuit, turned back a bid from OUR BRAINTRUST in deep stretch, and was coming away again at the end, acting like a horse who waits on rivals and had more left. Our Braintrust, who was second, was making his second start following a six-month layoff. He rated just off the hip of Mind Control in the early going, had to check slightly a furlong into the race, raced between rivals while just behind the top two down the backstretch, had to check anew three furlongs out when initially trying to rally, followed Mind Control into the lane, got a seam and made a bid a furlong out, but was turned aside. He has yet to try two turns; I’m not sure how much he’ll like it. :: Want to get the latest news with your past performances? Try DRF’s new digital PPs FAMILY BIZ, who was third, was bumped leaving the gate, then was closest to the rail going down the backstretch when racing inside of two other rivals who were just back of the two leaders. He was hustled along on the turn to hold his position, got through inside, but could make no impact late and was actually closer to the winner at the furlong pole than at the wire. Considering the way Velazquez rode the race on the winner, it’s likely Family Biz was on the worst part of the track. GATES OF DAWN, who was fourth, didn’t get away all that cleanly after bumping with Souper Jackpot, stalked the two leaders while just outside two other rivals down the backstretch, ranged up menacingly outside Mind Control and Souper Jackpot on the far turn, but lost ground to the top two in the final furlong and couldn’t hold off Family Biz for third.  Souper Jackpot, who was fifth, came in at the start and bumped with Gates of Dawn, was right alongside Mind Control down the backstretch and around the far turn, was asked for his best nearing the quarter pole, but was done by the furlong pole and faded. DIRECT ORDER, who finished last of six, veered out at the start from his inside draw and bumped Family Biz, was taken back to last and was angled off the rail – another sign the inside was adjudged as the worst place to be – trailed the compact field down the backstretch and into the far turn, went wide to try and rally, drifted out coming off the bend, and was outrun.  Outside of the winner, I’m not sure how much depth there was to this field.