With Math Wizard not invited to Saudi Cup, Joseph making alternative plans

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Faced with the ever growing reality that Math Wizard is not likely to receive an invitation to the $20 million Saudi Cup, a somewhat disgruntled trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is looking at alternative plans for his Grade 1 winner that could now include a trip to Oaklawn for the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap on Feb. 17.

Math Wizard returned to the work tab for the first time in 15 days here Monday, going four furlongs in 25.80 and 49.13 seconds. He finished strongly while set down hard from midstretch to the wire before galloping out five-eighths in 1:01.84. Joseph pushed the work back one day after not liking the energy level Math Wizard had shown in a routine gallop several mornings earlier.

Math Wizard, winner of the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby, has not started since his fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Joseph and his owners opted to pass last Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup to await the Saudi Cup on Feb. 29 only to recently learn from track officials that their horse is not likely to receive an invitation to the event.

“They keep telling us we’re way down on the invitation list, not even on the bubble, although they haven’t officially put out any list to my knowledge,” Joseph said on Sunday. “This news coming after they had been leading us to believe for months that we were in the race. So at the moment, the plan is to bring him back in the Razorback and if he were to run well maybe point to Dubai for either the World Cup or the [Godolphin Mile].”

Joseph also said he has decided to pass Saturday’s Grade 3 Holy Bull with his top 2-year-old prospect Chance It to await the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth four weeks later. Chance It returned from more than three months on the sidelines to win the one-mile Mucho Macho Man in his 3-year-old debut.

“He came out of his last race well, but it’s back in four weeks and if he were to have another taxing race it might mean we’d have to pass the Fountain of Youth,” Joseph said. “And the Holy Bull is worth just 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the winner while the Fountain of Youth gets you 50 and pretty much an automatic berth into the Kentucky Derby.”

Chance It had his first work since the Mucho Macho Man on Sunday, a very easy three furlongs in 36.54 with a half-mile gallop-out of 49.88.

Joseph has two others nominated to the Holy Bull, including the undefeated Uncork the Bottle, who also worked here Sunday, going five furlongs in 59.59 with jockey Edgard Zayas aboard. He was joined on the work tab that morning by Tonalist’s Shape, who went four furlongs in 49.12 punctuated by a strong gallop-out, and the older Cookie Dough, who went a swift five-eighths in 58.86 over a pretty chewed-up track just prior to the renovation break.

“Tonalist’s Shape is not an overzealous worker, she only does what she has to do, and I wanted her to go by her target today which she did and galloped out well,” said Joseph. “If all goes well this week she’ll run in the Forward Gal on Saturday.”

Joseph said he is aiming Cookie Dough to the Grade 2 Royal Delta at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 15. Cookie Dough, owned by Arindel, was transferred from trainer Stanley Gold’s barn last month.

“For her to work that fast over a deep track like that was impressive,” said Joseph. “And I was very happy to see the horse who beat her last time came back to win again on Saturday. That really advertised her form.”

Joseph was referring to Pink Sands, who ran down Cookie Dough in late stretch to win the Grade 3 Rampart before returning to capture the Grade 2 Inside Information on the Pegasus undercard.