No pressure for Happy Saver, Mystic Guide to run in Breeders' Cup

ELMONT, N.Y. - Based on how well they ran in Saturday’s Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, the 3-year-olds Happy Saver and Mystic Guide both have a bright future. Their connections need to decide if that future is next month or next year.

Happy Saver beat Mystic Guide by three-quarters of a length in the $250,000 Jockey Club, both passing heavily favored Tacitus in midstretch. While a case could be made for either to run in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Nov. 7, an equally compelling case could be made for both to pass on it and point to a 4-year-old campaign in 2021.

Todd Pletcher, the trainer of Happy Saver, and Michael Stidham, the trainer of Mystic Guide, both said their horses will run in 2021. That, and the fact the Classic is expected to draw a large field that figures to include top older horses Improbable, Maximum Security, Tom’s d’Etat, and By My Standards, as well as the top 3-year-olds Tiz the Law and Authentic, will likely play a role in forthcoming decisions.

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Happy Saver, who improved his record to 4 for 4, has had his races spaced out at least five weeks apart since his career began on June 20. The Classic would mean coming back in four weeks. Pletcher said he and owners Gerard and Alain Wertheimer agreed to “give it a couple of weeks” before making a decision.

“We’re under no pressure to run him, at the same time if he takes us there we’ll look at it closely,” Pletcher said Sunday morning. “They’re committed to running him next year, so that takes a little pressure off in terms of having to make the race or trying to push to make it.”

Pletcher said Happy Saver was tired, but otherwise in good shape Sunday morning.

Happy Saver was assigned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure

Stidham said his first inclination is to likely skip the Classic with Mystic Guide, but he still needs to have that discussion with Jimmy Bell, the president of Godolphin Racing’s U.S. operation.

“I would say at this point probably not, and that we’d be looking more toward next year,” Stidham said. “I think we’re going to have a really good 4-year-old next year. The final decision won’t come until after I talk to Jimmy.”

Mystic Guide began his career in February and has raced six times with two wins, including a victory in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy, his first race with blinkers added.

Despite Tacitus finishing third, two lengths behind Happy Saver in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, trainer Bill Mott said he would point the horse to the Classic “if the owners want to put up the starting fee. He always runs good enough, he’s going to get a piece of it and you never know, maybe he’ll be the next Drosselmeyer; he got beat in all the prep races.”

In 2011, Drosselmeyer, trained by Mott, won the Breeders’ Cup Classic at 14-1 after getting beat in the Brooklyn, Sword Dancer, and Jockey Club Gold Cup.