Mind Control taking 'New York path' to Kentucky Derby 2019

Off Tuesday’s victory in the Jerome Stakes, trainer Greg Sacco expects to send Mind Control back around two turns in his next test on the 2019 Kentucky Derby trail — and connections will do so without reservations based on prior experience.

The son of Stay Thirsty tried routing following his other stakes win in Saratoga’s Hopeful (G1) but finished seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Sacco called it a “debacle,” as the horse “shipped a little funky” and didn’t sit his usual forward trip.

“We knew that wasn’t him,” Sacco said, as he was also forced to scratch Mind Control from Keeneland's Breeders' Futurity (G1) due to an elevated temperature from shipping. But in the Breeders' Cup, “The way he passed half the horses in the stretch that day gave us a lot of encouragement.”

Remaining in New York for the Jerome Stakes paid off. Now, Sacco said he expects Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stable’s Mind Control to continue on the Derby trail at Aqueduct, with te Grade 3, $250,000 Withers Stakes next at 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 2.

“There’s no reason why we can’t take the New York path,” said Sacco, citing that even in poor winter weather conditions, a training track is available to horsemen at Belmont Park, where Mind Control is based. “I would say we’ll take it race by race, but it’s certainly in the back of my mind that he would go for all of them.”

The Gotham (G3) runs March 9, though if Mind Control skips one test, that would be it given the race backs up to another one-turn mile. Then the Wood Memorial (G2) runs April 6, and given Mind Control is a Grade 1 winner, the purse would boost from $750,000 to $1 million with his appearance there.

“It certainly is enticing,” Sacco said.

Another consideration in Mind Control’s race choices is Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez. He was aboard in the Hopeful, picked up another assignment in the Breeders’ Cup and returned Tuesday for the Jerome.

“He seems like he galloped out OK,” Velazquez said, pondering how Mind Control would perform when routing over the Aqueduct surface. “He kind of puts the ears up. It feels like he might handle the two turns. We’ll see when he runs it.”

“We reached out for John, and now he’s 2-for-2 on him,” Sacco added. “Obviously the success of Mind Control will determine where Johnny goes. Nowadays, they ride the best horse, and hopefully we’re the best horse down the road for Johnny.

“He seems to be a perfect fit for Mind Control.”