Mind Control rerouted from Springboard Mile to Jerome
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – There is a change of plans for Grade 1 winner Mind Control, who will now make his next start in the $150,000 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct on New Year’s Day instead of Sunday’s $400,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park.
Trainer Gregg Sacco said the logistics of shipping from New York to Remington Park in Oklahoma were unappealing, requiring either two flights and a three-hour van ride or a 21-hour van ride. Mind Control has been based at Belmont Park since shortly after he finished seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2.
Further, Mind Control has not shipped well on two previous occasions. He had a temperature and was scratched from the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland after shipping from New Jersey. He also suffered from a temperature after shipping to Kentucky from New Jersey for the Breeders’ Cup.
“He’s here, he’s settled in nicely at Belmont, and it just made sense to run him out of his barn here,” Sacco said Monday. “It’s an easy ship over to Aqueduct.”
Sacco said the one-turn configuration of the Jerome is enticing, as is the fact the Jerome offers 17 qualifying points – 10 to the winner – toward the Kentucky Derby. The Springboard Mile, a two-turn race, also offers 17 qualifying points to the Derby.
On Monday, Mind Control worked five furlongs in 1:01.41 over Belmont’s training track, getting his final quarter in 24.71 seconds while pulling away from his workmate, Brazen Prince, by about 10 lengths. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.41 and seven-eighths in 1:28.73.
“He’s getting back to himself,” Sacco said. “I was happy with today’s work. It looked like it was his strongest work since he’s been back from the Breeders’ Cup. He’ll have two more works prior to the Jerome.”
Hector Diaz Jr. was aboard for Monday’s work. Sacco said Jose Lezcano will likely ride Mind Control in the Jerome.
Sacco currently has 10 horses stabled at Belmont, but is expected to increase to about 16 after Christmas.
