Mind Control, with Cigar Mile win behind him, awaits new career

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Stallion plans for Cigar Mile winner Mind Control were expected to be finalized this week, but as of Sunday afternoon nothing had been confirmed, said Rick Sacco, racing manager for Stephen Brunetti’s Red Oak Stable.

While speculation has him joining former Red Oak stablemate King for a Day at Irish Hill and Duchess View Stallions in New York, Sacco said they are just one farm in the mix.

“They’ve expressed interest of course, but nothing’s been confirmed,” Sacco said Sunday by phone from Florida after arriving from out of the country, where he and friends celebrated Stephen Brunetti’s birthday. “When you win a race like this you get lots of interest. We got interest from the Middle East today.”

Mind Control’s victory over Get Her Number in the Cigar Mile was his third Grade 1 of his career and 11th stakes win overall. He won stakes at ages 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. His other Grade 1 wins came in the Hopeful at 2 and H. Allen Jerkens at 3.

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“It was a fairy-tale ending for a horse that really resonated with the public,” Sacco said.

Mind Control won the Cigar Mile by a head over Get Her Number. It was the sixth time in a graded stakes that Mind Control had won by a head or a nose.

“I don’t know how he finds the wire, but he finds it,” Sacco said. “We’re just so proud of the horse and we wish him the best for his second career. Every race he put everything on the line."

Mind Control, a son of 2012 Cigar Mile winner Stay Thirsty, finished his career with a record 12-3-6 from 29 starts and earnings of $2,185,834.

Mind Control gave trainer Todd Pletcher his 17th Grade 1 victory of 2022. Chad Brown won his 18th Grade 1 stakes of 2022 with Regal Glory in Sunday's Matriarch at Del Mar.

Get Her Number, beaten a head by Mind Control in the Cigar Mile, was expected to return to trainer Peter Miller’s Southern California base at San Luis Rey Downs on Tuesday. Miller said he was proud of the way Get Her Number ran in defeat.

“It was a tough beat, the horse ran great, Luis [Saez] did a great job,” Miller said. “Luis said that was one where the whip rule really cost us.”

Miller said several options are in play, but one that could be the most intriguing is the $20 million Saudi Cup in late February. While that race is run at 1 1/8 miles, it is run around one turn.

“One turn might be his forte, which the Saudi Cup is a one-turn, mile-and-an-eighth, that certainly is a race to ponder,” Miller said.

Miller said he was contacted by Gulfstream Park officials regarding the Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 29. That race is run at 1 1/8 miles around two turns.

White Abarrio, who won the Grade 1 Florida Derby at 1 1/8 miles at Gulfstream in March, is pointing to the Pegasus.

Zandon, fourth as the favorite in the Cigar Mile, will ship to South Florida this week, according to trainer Chad Brown. Brown said he would discuss options with owner Jeff Drown that could include the Pegasus or a freshening for a spring return in 2023.

Brown felt Zandon didn’t handle the wet track in the Cigar Mile.

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