Vanderbilt win would put Mind Control in history books

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Mind Control will be attempting to make history at Saratoga when he seeks a Grade 1 victory for the third consecutive year in Saturday’s $250,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at six furlongs.

In the graded stakes era, no horse has won Grade 1 stakes three years in a row at Saratoga. Sky Beauty was disqualified from first in the 1992 Spinaway and won the Alabama in 1993 and Go for Wand in 1994. Heavenly Prize and Ginger Punch are the only horses to have won three Grade 1 stakes at Saratoga, but they each won two in one season.

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Mind Control won the Grade 1 Hopeful at 2 and the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens last year at 3. His first attempt to win a Grade 1 at 4 did not go well as he finished sixth, beaten 17 lengths by Vekoma in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap on June 6 at Belmont Park. Gregg Sacco, who trains Mind Control for Steve Brunetti’s Red Oak Stable and Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stable, said jockey John Velazquez told him Mind Control simply didn’t handle the wet track in the Carter.

“I don’t think anyone was beating Vekoma that day, but it was a completely uncharacteristic performance by Mind Control,” Sacco said. “After talking to Johnny – he gives you straight feedback – after an eighth of a mile he was just spinning his wheels.”

Sacco said Mind Control underwent a thorough examination and there no were problems. The horse has been training at Monmouth Park since mid-June.

“He hasn’t missed a beat, he’s really trained well,” Sacco said Wednesday. “Every work has been what we’ve asked for. He looks terrific. We’re very happy where he is heading into the Vanderbilt.”

Velazquez will ride Mind Control from post 5 in the Vanderbilt under co-high weight of 123 pounds. Inside of Mind Control, from the rail, is Lexitonian (Tyler Gaffalione, 118), Whitmore (Joel Rosario, 123), Firenze Fire (Irad Ortiz Jr., 122), and Volatile (Ricardo Santana Jr., 121).

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◗ Joevia came out of a sixth-place finish in last Saturday’s Grade 3 Monmouth Cup at Monmouth Park with a soft-tissue injury and has been retired from racing, Sacco said.

Joevia, a son of Shanghai Bobby, finished third in the 2019 Belmont Stakes. He won three races from 11 starts, including the Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth.

Sacco said plans are close to being finalized for a stallion deal for Joevia to stand at Colonial Farms in New Jersey.

Joevia, owned by brothers Michael and Jeff Fazio, earned $337,391 in his career.