Baron Samedi should continue Euro domination of Belmont Gold Cup
ELMONT, N.Y. – Three to six European shippers have contested each of the last three renewals of the Belmont Gold Cup. This year there’s only one, but Baron Samedi is likely to make it four straight overseas Gold Cup wins.
The race, inaugurated in 2014, got a purse boost to its current $400,000 level in 2016, prize money thought sufficient to lure good European staying horses to a rare North American two-mile grass race. Six Europeans came in 2017, with Red Cardinal leading a sweep of the top four placings. Call to Mind won in 2018, Amade in 2019, and there was no Gold Cup in 2020.
Baron Samedi is named after a Haitian voodoo figure that often consorts with the dead, and the gelding, just a 4-year-old, has been killing it back home. A low-level handicapper during 2019 and early in 2020, Baron Samedi turned some sort of corner last August when he won a 1 1/4-mile handicap over heavy ground at York. That began a six-race winning streak he carries into Friday, and Baron Samedi has met every challenge presented him.
Raised in class for his first group stakes run last October, he shipped to Paris from Ireland and gamely defeated Mare Australis in the Group 2 Prix de Conseil de Paris. Mare Australis this spring won the Group 1 Prix Ganay, while Baron Samedi, given a winter break, made his 2021 comeback in the Group 3 Vintage Crop Stakes on April 25 at Navan. There, he beat a solid bunch, including Irish Derby winner Santiago, as the co-highweight at 129 pounds while trying a 1 3/4-mile distance for the first time. The Vintage Crop was run on good going but Baron Samedi has wins on heavy, yielding, and soft ground.
“He’s been a nice, progressive horse into this season,” trainer Joseph O’Brien said. “He’s a horse that will stay well. Tactically and ground-wise, he’s shown that he is quite versatile. . . . With more distance, he’s gotten better.”
The 14-furlong Vintage Crop was as far as Baron Samedi has raced, but he faces no foes Friday proven over two miles. Baron Samedi tends to settle in mid-pack or farther back, gets the services of John Velazquez, and figures a short-priced favorite.
Mike Maker is the last American trainer to win the Gold Cup, with Da Big Hoss in 2016, and has three entrants this year – Ajourneytofreedom, Tide of the Sea, and Conviction Trade. Tide of the Sea looms the likely leader and on his best day could take this field a long way, but he exits a dismal showing as the 2-1 favorite April 17 in the 1 1/2-mile Elkhorn at Keeneland, where he faded to finish seventh, beaten 20 lengths. Maker removes blinkers for this start and gives the mount to Flavien Prat, who never has ridden the horse.
If Tide of the Sea serves as the Gold Cup’s engine, Ajourneytofreedom could be the caboose. Fourth over this course last year in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby, Ajourneytofreedom has closed meaningful ground in two recent 12-furlong tests – the Louisville at Churchill and the Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston – but faced no stellar rivals in either spot and is just a two-time winner in 16 starts.
Ziyad, a French import who’s won over a distance as long as 1 9/16 miles, was considered for Saturday’s Grade 1 Manhattan before connections opted to try two miles and lesser competition Friday. Ziyad finished sixth, while beaten only three lengths, in the Grade 1 Man o’ War on May 8, his third American start and first this year.
“Part of my puzzle is I thought he was in a really good spot” in the Man o’ War, trainer Graham Motion said. “I didn’t think he needed a race, but maybe he did.”
Indiana-bred Strong Tide outran his 19-1 odds finishing third May 19 in the Louisville Stakes, but Fantasioso, who was seventh, might be the one to consider out of that race. The Argentine import lacked clear passage much of the homestretch while seemingly full of run in his second North American start. In Argentina, Fantasioso finished a distant second over heavy ground in a Group 3 over 1 7/8 miles, the longest any Gold Cup starter has raced.
“He’s training really well, and I expect a big effort,” said trainer Ignacio Correas.
So High and Kinenos complete the field. The Gold Cup goes as race 10, post time 5:48 p.m. Eastern.