Jockey Club Gold Cup 2021: Odds, picks, preview

An annual staple of the New York Racing Association circuit sees a change of scenery Saturday afternoon.

Saratoga will host the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup – traditionally a highlight of Belmont Park’s fall meet – for the first time. Morning-line favorite Forza Di Oro (8-5) and five other runners go postward at 6:46 p.m. EDT, with FS2 broadcasting that 1¼-mile event and the rest of the day’s action from the Spa.

In making the 2021 racing calendar, NYRA flipped the Jockey Club Gold Cup with the Woodward Stakes (G1), which ran in recent years at Saratoga. The 1 1/8-mile Woodward will now take place Oct. 2 at Belmont, with a $500,000 purse at stake.

Moving the Jockey Club Gold Cup to Labor Day weekend puts it two months out from the Breeders’ Cup Classic, another 10-furlong race. Saturday’s winner at Saratoga receives a “win-and-you’re-in” berth to the $6 million Classic, to be run Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Forza Di Oro garnered morning-line favoritism for the Jockey Club Gold Cup off a local allowance victory in July. Jockey Junior Alvarado pilots the 4-year-old Speightstown colt, a Grade 3 winner, for trainer Bill Mott.

Happy Saver (9-5) won the 2020 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont as a 3-year-old for trainer Todd Pletcher. He returns in 2021, seeking to become the first winner of this race in back-to-back years since Tonalist (2014-15).

Max Player (5-2) upset both Happy Saver and Mystic Guide in July at Belmont in the Suburban Stakes (G2). Trainer Steve Asmussen has won the Jockey Club Gold Cup three times, including twice with Curlin (2007-08).

Here is a look at the field for the 2021 Jockey Club Gold Cup (trainer and jockey in parentheses) with morning-line odds:

1. Forza Di Oro (Bill Mott, Junior Alvarado), 8-5

2. Max Player (Steve Asmussen, Ricardo Santana Jr.), 5-2

3. Chess Chief (Dallas Stewart, Luis Saez), 15-1

4. Happy Saver (Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz Jr.), 9-5

5. Night Ops (Brad Cox, Manny Franco), 5-1

6. Forewarned (Uriah St. Lewis, Sonny Leon), 50-1

TimeformUS’ pace projections show Forza Di Oro going out to a lead under Alvarado in a race lacking any speed. Second choice Happy Saver is projected to settle in second through the early stages.

For more information on Saturday’s Jockey Club Gold Cup and Flower Bowl (G1) from Saratoga and Del Mar Derby (G2), plus Sunday’s Dueling Grounds Derby from Kentucky Downs, visit Horse Racing Nation’s free past performances page.

Jockey Club Gold Cup links

Matt Shifman handicaps all six runners in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, sorting out who to bet and who to toss.

Reinier Macatangay writes why he thinks Suburban Stakes (G2) upset winner Max Player is live in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Forza Di Oro and Happy Saver are among Keeler Johnson’s eight watch list runners in action this weekend.

While Breeders’ Cup Classic hopefuls run Saturday at Saratoga, two leading contenders for that event – Knicks Go and Maxfield – led Friday’s work tab.

“Saratoga Live” analysts Tom Amoss and Andy Serling joined the Ron Flatter Racing Pod ahead of closing weekend at the Spa. They recounted highlights of the Saratoga summer and previewed stakes action.

Other Saturday stakes

Here is a look at other graded stakes taking place Saturday across the U.S. All times are EDT.

Related: Saturday Saratoga picks

2:47 p.m. – $250,000 Prioress Stakes (G2), 3-year-old fillies, six furlongs, Saratoga, FS2

Test Stakes (G1) runner-up Souper Sensational (6-5) looks to do one better in the Prioress, first of four graded stakes Saturday at the Spa. Trained by Mark Casse, the Curlin filly started the year on the Kentucky Oaks trail but has found her niche in one-turn races, winning Belmont Park’s Victory Ride Stakes (G3) in July. Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. gets the call Saturday. Oxana (3-1) enters off back-to-back wins at Parx but steps into deeper waters for her graded stakes debut.

4:27 p.m. – $200,000 Saranac Stakes (G3), 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles (turf), Saratoga, FS2

Public Sector (7-5) won last month’s National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2) and aims for a second graded score of this Saratoga meet in the Saranac. The Chad Brown trainee was 12th last year in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf but has finished either first or second in all four of his 2021 starts. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. rides the Kingman colt. Public Sector’s stablemate Risk Taking (8-5), a main-track-only entrant, has been off the board in each of his last three efforts.

6:11 p.m. – $600,000 Flower Bowl Stakes (G1), 4-and-up fillies and mares, 1 3/8 miles (turf), Saratoga, FS2

War Like Goddess (4-5) is 5-for-6 lifetime for trainer Bill Mott, including a Saratoga score last month in the Glens Falls Stakes (G2). The 4-year-old English Channel filly runs Saturday for her first Grade 1 triumph and fourth straight win overall. Jockey Julien Leparoux flies in from Ellis Park to retain the mount. Brown-trained mare Great Island (4-1) made the grade last out at Monmouth Park in the Matchmaker Stakes (G3).

Related: Head to Head: Handicapping the 2021 Flower Bowl | Coastana makes stakes debut in Flower Bowl for DeVaux

8:37 p.m. – $200,000 John C. Mabee Stakes (G2), 3-and-up fillies and mares, 1 1/8 miles (turf), Del Mar, TVG

Dogtag (3-1) seeks both her first graded stakes score and first win of 2021 on Saturday in the John C. Mabee. Trained by Richard Mandella, she was second behind Princess Grace last month in the local Yellow Ribbon Handicap (G2). Jockey Umberto Rispoli gets the call to ride the 5-year-old War Front mare, an LNJ Foxwoods homebred. Maxim Rate (7-2) upset Santa Anita’s Gamely Stakes (G1) at 14-1 odds in May before crossing third in the Yellow Ribbon.

9:37 p.m. – $250,000 Del Mar Derby (G2), 3-year-olds, 1 1/8 miles (turf), Del Mar, TVG

Hudson Ridge (9-2) is the tepid morning-line favorite for a Del Mar Derby that drew a full field of 14, although 13 are set to run after Optimistic Valor scratched. The American Pharoah colt Hudson Ridge started his career with four straight defeats, then won back-to-back Santa Anita starts before he was promoted to second last month in Del Mar’s La Jolla Handicap (G3). Meet-leading jockey Flavien Prat rides for trainer Bob Baffert. Also returning from the La Jolla are Sword Zorro (5-1), who was disqualified from that race’s win, and Zoffarelli (6-1), the runner stewards elevated to first.

Related: Super Screener: Betting race of summer on tap at Del Mar

Jockey Club Gold Cup preview

From the NYRA Press Office:

Wertheimer and Frere’s Happy Saver is out to protect his title and etch his name amongst a quality group of horses to secure multiple triumphs in the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup for 3-year-olds and upward going 1¼ miles at Saratoga, which will host the 103rd edition on Saturday.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup is a “win-and-you’re-in” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Since its inception in 1919, the Jockey Club Gold Cup has been one of the most prestigious events on New York’s racing calendar, won by Hall of Famers Man o’ War (1920), Hill Prince (1950), Sword Dancer (1959), Buckpasser (1966), Damascus (1967), Forego (1974), John Henry (1981), Easy Goer (1989), and Cigar (1995).

The great Kelso won the Jockey Club Gold Cup a record five straight years from 1960-64. Nine Kentucky Derby winners have won the prized event, including Triple Crown winners Gallant Fox (1930), Whirlaway (1942), Citation (1948) and Affirmed (1979). Contested at Belmont Park from 1975-20, the historic event was moved to Saratoga for the first time this year.

Happy Saver, a son of 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, will attempt to become the 11th horse to win back-to-back runnings of the Jockey Club Gold Cup, joining Hall of Famers Nashua (1955-56), Shuvee (1970-71), Slew o’ Gold (1983-84), Skip Away (1996-97) and Curlin (2007-08). The most recent horse to secure this task was Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist (2014-15).

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Happy Saver was undefeated when taking last year’s Jockey Club Gold Cup, engaging in a dramatic stretch duel with Mystic Guide, subsequent winner of the Dubai World Cup (G1), in his first start at graded stakes level. The 4-year-old chestnut colt arose from a seven-month hiatus in style, capturing a one-turn mile allowance optional claiming event May 28 at Belmont Park in tactical fashion.

Happy Saver finished third last out in the 10-furlong Suburban (G2) contested on a sloppy and sealed main track July 3 at Belmont, finishing 2¾ lengths back of returning rival Max Player.

“I don’t think he ran that badly on an off-track last time,” Pletcher said. “The way the race unfolded going a mile and a quarter at Belmont and drawing the outside is never a good thing. I thought he ran well all things considered. He kept closing and it was his only his second start of the year, so hopefully he moves forward.”

Through a record of 6: 5-0-1, Happy Saver has accumulated earnings $374,200. A Kentucky homebred, Happy Saver is out of the stakes-placed Distorted Humor mare Happy Week. A direct descendant of prolific broodmare Gay Missile, Happy Saver comes from the same extended family as champion and influential stallion A.P. Indy as well as American Classic winners Summer Squall and Lemon Drop Kid.

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., the pilot in all six lifetime starts, retains the mount from post 4.

George E. Hall and Sport BLX Thoroughbreds’ Max Player arrives off a victory against Happy Saver in the Suburban, which he won at 11-1 odds for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. The son of third-crop sire Honor Code battled gamely with Mystic Guide down the Belmont stretch and came out a neck on top while garnering a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure.

Off the board in his four efforts prior to the Suburban, Max Player was a distant third to New York-bred hero Tiz the Law in both the Belmont Stakes and Travers (G1) last year.

“He’s coming off a nice win in the Suburban,” said Asmussen assistant Scott Blasi. “It was nice to see him step up again and run to his ability. This is a logical spot to run him back. He’s done well up here, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. will retain the mount from post 2.

Don Alberto Stables’ Forza Di Oro brings three straight wins to his first Grade 1 engagement, arriving off a sharp three-length victory in his seasonal debut for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

The 4-year-old chestnut son of Speightstown, who sired 2010 winner Haynesfield, earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure when defeating allowance optional claiming company traveling nine furlongs July 21 over a muddy and sealed Saratoga main track off an eight-month layoff. He recorded the same figure capturing the nine-furlong Discovery (G3) on Nov. 28 at Aqueduct in his previous start.

The lightly raced Forza Di Oro has breezed four times at Saratoga out of his optional-claiming win, including a half-mile breeze in 49.95 seconds Aug. 29 over the Oklahoma dirt training track.

“I've been pleased with his works, visually,” said Mott, who trained Ron the Greek (2013), Flat Out (2012) and Cigar (1995) to Jockey Club Gold Cup scores. “He's indicating that he needs to be tried in that good company. Knock on wood, we have three days to go so we're hoping to get him over there in good shape.”

Mott is cautiously optimistic about Forza Di Oro’s ability to handle the stretch out in distance.

“So far, he hasn’t indicated that he can’t handle it,” Mott said.

Jockey Junior Alvarado, the rider in all six lifetime starts, will be back aboard from post 1.

Trainer Dallas Stewart will saddle Chess Chief in attempt of his second graded stakes victory this season.

Owned by The Estate of James J. Coleman, Jr., the 5-year-old son of leading sire Into Mischief captured the New Orleans Classic (G2) under returning rider Luis Saez on March 20 at Fair Grounds in his most recent victory.

“We feel good about it. He’s trained very well up here,” Stewart said. “He’s a come-from-behind type of horse so we’re just going to let Luis do his thing.”

Saez, the Saratoga meet’s leading rider in overall wins and stakes victories, will vie for his third Grade 1 triumph of the meet from post 3.

After capturing the Whitney (G1) and Travers this meet, Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox will look to end Saratoga on a high note when sending out Night Ops for his Grade 1 debut.

Owned by Steve Landers, the 5-year-old bay son of Warrior’s Reward has finished in the money in 11 of his last dozen starts, dating back to a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming triumph in November 2019 at Churchill Downs, besting subsequent graded stakes winner Pirate’s Punch.

A winner of the Essex at Oaklawn Park and the Cornhusker (G3) at Prairie Meadows in 2020, Night Ops is still in search of his first victory this year but has garnered stakes black type in all six 2021 starts. He commenced his season when third to eventual Grade 1 winner Silver State in stakes company at Oaklawn ahead of four runner-up efforts, most recently in the Alydar on Aug. 6 at the Spa finishing 1½ lengths behind Art Collector, who exited that effort to win the Charles Town Classic (G2).

Night Ops boasts the highest bankroll in the field with earnings of $823,656 and a consistent record of 24: 6-7-4.

Jockey Manny Franco seeks his second Jockey Club Gold Cup win from post 5.

Completing the field is owner-trainer Uriah St. Lewis’ Forewarned, who enters off a close second against fellow Ohio-breds in the Best of Ohio Governor's Buckeye Cup on Aug. 14 at Thistledown.

The eight-time winner and earner of over a half-million dollars will attempt to give St. Lewis a second victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup after scoring a 45-1 upset in the 2018 running with Discreet Lover. Forewarned will also look to give his dual Jockey Club Gold Cup-winning sire Flat Out his first offspring to win the race. The last Jockey Club Gold Cup winner to sire a winner of the race was Nashua, the father of prominent distaffer and fellow Hall of Famer Shuvee.

Jockey Sonny Leon ships in to ride from post 6.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup is slated as the closing race on Saturday’s 12-race program, which also features the $600,000 Flower Bowl Invitational (G1), a “win-and-you’re-in” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. The stakes-laden card is bolstered by the $250,000 Prioress (G2) for sophomore fillies going six furlongs, and the $200,000 Saranac (G3) for 3-year-olds colts at 1 1/16 miles over the inner turf. First post is 12:35 p.m. EDT.