Highland Falls, a Brad Cox-trained Godolphin homebred turned-in a decisive victory within the $1 million Grade 1 Jockey Membership Gold Cup Stakes going 1 1/4 miles on Sept. 1 at Saratoga Race Course.
“I used to be pleased with the trouble as we speak,” Cox stated. “We at all times thought he was a mile-and-a-quarter horse.”
Apart from Grade 1 laurels, the Jockey Membership Gold Cup (JCGC) netted Highland Falls a Breeders’ Cup Problem Sequence “Win and You are In” spot into the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional on Nov. 2 at Del Mar. The 2024 Traditional appears like a wide-open affair after victories this weekend by Highland Falls at 7-1 on the Spa and Mixto at 22-1 within the Grade 1 FanDuel Racing Pacific Traditional Stakes at Del Mar.
“We’ll go (to the Breeders’ Cup Traditional) with a giant bat and take a swing,” stated Michael Banahan, the director of bloodstock for Highland Falls’ house owners, Godolphin.
The JCGC 4-5 favourite and the one to catch was Arthur’s Journey, who was coming off a 2 1/4-length front-running win within the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes on Aug. 3 on the Spa and likewise had received a 1 1/4-mile allowance elective claiming race earlier within the meet. As anticipated, Arthur’s Journey sprinted to a transparent lead from the skin submit within the subject of seven earlier than the primary flip, however he quickly he took stress from Highland Falls and jockey Flavien Prat as the 2 dueled down the backstretch by six furlongs in 1:11.31.
It wasn’t till the stretch that Highland Falls put Arthur’s Journey away and drew clear within the remaining furlong, protecting the space in 2:03.25.
With the JCGC victory, Prat notched his report thirteenth Graded stakes win on the Saratoga summer time meet to associate with upping his report 17 total stakes wins on the meet.
Highland Falls paid $16.00 to win. He beforehand received the Grade 3 Blame Stakes June 1 at Churchill Downs and exited a second-place end behind Tapit Trice in his most up-to-date begin within the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup on July 20. Highland Falls will practice as much as the Breeders’ Cup Traditional.
Blue Heaven Farm’s Pyrenees, an Into Mischief 4-year-old who was second within the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Stakes, rallied from fifth to complete a transparent second. It was 2 3/4 lengths again to Disarm in third, who received a prolonged present photograph by a nostril over Tapit Trice. Arthur’s Journey pale to fifth, about 9 ½ lengths behind the winner.
Arthur’s Journey had already earned a spot within the Traditional by profitable the Whitney Stakes. Coach Invoice Mott stated he would monitor how the 4-year-old comes out of the JCGC earlier than deciding on a visit to the Breeders’ Cup.
“We had no excuse. The opposite horse took it to us, dogged us the entire means and beat us. He put us away,” Mott stated. “The horse ran arduous final time and now now we have 60 days to regroup earlier than the Breeders’ Cup. Hopefully he comes again nicely, and we will practice for it.”
Vivid Future, who received the 2023 Jockey Membership Gold Cup, completed a distant sixth.
fifth
Proprietor /
Glassman Racing
Breeder /
Helen Barbazon, Joseph Barbazon & Tapit Syndicate
Superfecta 6-5-4-1
6-5-4-1
$59
Grand Slam 1/2/9-1/5/8-1/5/7-6
1/2/9-1/5/8-1/5/7-6
$52
Superfecta 6-5-4-1
6-5-4-1
$59
Grand Slam 1/2/9-1/5/8-1/5/7-6
1/2/9-1/5/8-1/5/7-6
$52
