Sovereignty back on the tab for Jockey Club Gold Cup
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Sovereignty, emphatic winner of the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 8, returned to the work tab Friday morning, breezing a half-mile in 49.78 seconds over the Oklahoma training track as he prepares for a start in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on opening day of the new Belmont Park on Sept. 18.
Sovereignty, as he often does, started the work two lengths in front of workmate Thunder Roll. Sovereignty, under assistant trainer Neil Poznansky, went his opening quarter in 25.15 seconds and his final quarter in 24.63 as Thunder Roll came up alongside him. The pair galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.36.
“He was good. He has the horse behind him just keeping him busy,” trainer Bill Mott said. “I just want to see him in the bridle and traveling well. We already know he can run. It’s just a matter of keeping him fit. I don’t know that you got to go all out to keep him fit. He kind of keeps a little bit left in the tank, I think, in his workouts and that’s really a good thing. He’s doing enough.”
Sovereignty, who won the Whitney by 4 3/4 lengths, is expected to meet the Japan-based Forever Young, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and champion older dirt male in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.
“There’s plenty to get excited about. I have a lot of respect for that horse, he’s a serious racehorse.” Mott said.
Mott said Sovereignty would do all of his works in Saratoga for the Gold Cup and then ship to Belmont Park in time to gallop three days on the main track.
Mott also said that Baeza, fourth in the Whitney Stakes, will make his next start in the Grade 1, $300,000 Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 26.
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