Catholic Boy won't make trip for Pilgrim Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Catholic Boy, winner of the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga, will skip Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Pilgrim at Belmont Park and could train up to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

John Panagot, racing manager for Robert LaPenta, owner of Catholic Boy, said the horse vanned from South Florida to Saratoga and back and that another trip in four weeks “is probably not best for the horse.”

Panagot said Catholic Boy could run in the Bourbon on Oct. 8 at Keeneland or simply train up to the Juvenile Turf.

Catholic Boy, who is trained by Jonathan Thomas, worked a half-mile in 50 seconds at Bridlewood Farm last week in company with the stakes-winning colt March.

Voting Control, a sharp maiden winner here Sept. 10 for trainer Chad Brown, is likely to run in the Pilgrim. He is expected to face the likes of Desert Stone, Evaluator, Looking Ready, Maraud, Morrison, Seabhac, and possibly Stolen Pistol and Phone Funky Munky.

◗ Elate, the Alabama winner, worked a half-mile in 49 seconds Monday at Saratoga in preparation for Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Beldame.

Elate, trained by Bill Mott, is likely to be heavily favored in a short field that is expected to include Verve’s Tale, Eskenformoney, Money’soncharlotte, and possibly Bishop’s Pond or Line of Best Fit.