Max Player edges Mystic Guide in Suburban Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. - Max Player, kept a little closer to the early pace by Ricardo Santana Jr. than he had in most of his previous races, utilized that new style to record a neck victory over favored Mystic Guide in Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Suburban Stakes at soggy Belmont Park.

Mystic Guide, making his first start since winning the $12 million Dubai World Cup 14 weeks ago, finished second by 2 1/2 lengths over the previously undefeated Happy Saver. Moretti, the pacesetter, finished fourth, followed by Informative and Prioritize.

The victory was the first for Max Player since he won the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct in February 2020. He had lost six straight since, including fifth-place finishes in the postponed Kentucky Derby and Preakness last year. In two starts this year, Max Player finished 11th in the $20 million Saudi Cup and sixth in the Pimlico Special.

The victory earned Max Player a fees-paid berth into the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 6.

A horse typically off the pace early on, Max Player was a stalking second Saturday under Santana, a length off Moretti through a quarter in 23.72 seconds and a half-mile in 47.67. Around the far turn, Luis Saez advanced Mystic Guide, the 4-5 favorite, to the inside of Moretti, who had raced in the four path down the backside under Flavien Prat before moving closer to the rail entering the far turn.

Santana held his spot outside of Moretti while Saez snuck Mystic Guide through along the rail and to the lead at the quarter pole.

In upper stretch, Mystic Guide drifted out toward Max Player while racing on his left lead and, though he did change to his right lead inside the eighth pole, he was outfinished by Max Player.

Max Player, a son of Honor Code owned by George Hall and Sport BLX Thoroughbreds, covered the 1 1/4 miles in the slop in 2:01.95 and returned $25.80 as the 11-1 fourth choice in the six-horse field. Max Player got a 101 Beyer Speed Figure.

:: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports

Toby Sheets, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, acknowledged the lack of a confirmed early pace horse helped Max Player get involved early on.

“[Santana] got him into a good spot, it just worked out that way,” Sheets said. “Closer, try to stay out of trouble, stay outside if possible. Ricardo rode a great race, he didn’t give up and I don’t think Max Player did either.”

Santana said Max Player “put me in a great spot today. I was just being a good passenger. He fought to the end today.”

So did Mystic Guide. Considering the layoff and the wet track, his connections weren’t overly disappointed in the performance.

“Even though he had handled the [wet] track at Oaklawn, this is a totally different surface,” Mike Stidham, the trainer of Mystic Guide, said. “Luis said he was tired through the lane. It’s not that surprising a horse coming off three months might get tired on this kind of a racetrack. Certainly no disgrace in defeat. Ran hard, ran well.”

Mystic Guide is owned by Godolphin Racing, which also owns Maxfield, winner of the Grade 2 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs. Jimmy Bell, president of Godolphin’s U.S. operation, said Saturday the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 7 “looks like the next progressive step for Maxfield for sure,” which means Mystic Guide would be pointed to a different race. Options for him could include the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 21 or the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga on Sept. 4.

Happy Saver, who had defeated Mystic Guide in last October’s Jockey Club Gold Cup when held at Belmont, didn’t seem to be handling the wet track that well Saturday and had to go four-wide at the quarter pole under Irad Ortiz Jr.

“He never really seemed like he was taking him there,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He had to stir him up in the middle of the turn. It looked like he kept fighting on class, but he wasn’t loving it.”

Truth Hurts upsets Perfect Sting

Truth Hurts, the longest price in the scratched-reduced field of four, took over from pacesetting Piedi Bianchi leaving the three-furlong pole and galloped to a 5 3/4-length victory over that mare in the $100,000 Perfect Sting Stakes.

Originally scheduled for the turf, the Perfect Sting was moved to the dirt due to rain. Truth Hurts was one of two fillies entered to run only if the race was transferred to dirt. The other was Velvet Crush, the 3-5 favorite who finished a non-threatening third. Hogans Holiday trailed throughout.

Truth Hurts, a daughter of Tonalist, was racing with blinkers on for the first time and attended a modest pace of 23.88 seconds and 47.54 before advancing to the lead under Luis Saez.

Truth Hurts, owned by trainer Chad Summers and J Stables LLC, covered the mile in 1:37.48 and returned $18.