Jockey Club Gold Cup: Sierra Leone vs. Mindframe at Saratoga
Mindframe and Sierra Leone, who finished first and second in the Stephen Foster (G1), lead a field of eight older horses Sunday in the 1 1/4-mile, Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga.
Each colt can secure the top of the division with a win, although Breeders’ Cup Classic favoritism is not likely to change from 3-year-old Sovereignty.
Highland Falls, last year’s winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup, is back to defend his victory, although this is much deeper field than the one he faced a year ago. Still, he seems to be on an upswing after finishing behind Sierra Leone in the Whitney (G1).
White Abarrio’s trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. opted for the Pegasus World Cup (G1) winner to stay in New York instead of shipping to Del Mar for the Pacific Classic (G1) on Saturday.
See the full field and morning-line odds here.
The Jockey Club Gold Cup is race 5 with the post time at 1:45 p.m. EDT. Coverage of the race will be on “Saratoga Live” from 1 to 2 p.m. EDT on Fox. Most of Sunday’s other races will be on FS2’s coverage from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with the exception of a 4-5 p.m. window on FS1. Uninterrupted streaming is available free on the New York Racing Association YouTube page.
Free past performances for the Jockey Club Gold Cup and other stakes are provided by Brisnet.
Here are the lifetime top speed figures for the Jockey Club Gold Cup entrants.
| No. | Horse | Beyer* | TFUS* | Brisnet | HRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Disarm | 104 | 124 | 104 | 127 |
| 2 | Highland Falls | 107 | 127 | 106 | 130 |
| 3 | Sierra Leone | 112 | 134 | 114 | 139 |
| 4 | Mindframe | 105 | 127 | 106 | 135 |
| 5 | White Abarrio | 109 | 127 | 108 | 138 |
| 6 | Contrary Thinking | 95 | 109 | 97 | 120 |
| 7 | Phileas Fogg | 104 | 129 | 107 | 128 |
| 8 | Antiquarian | 104 | 127 | 107 | 127 |
| scr | Banishing |
*Beyer and TimeformUS speed figures are presented courtesy of Daily Racing Form.
HRN handicappers
In HorseCenter, Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman recap last week’s huge Travers (G1) day card before turning their attention to the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Get their expert takes on the contenders and plays for the race.
On the Ron Flatter Racing Pod, Sierra Leone’s co-owner Brook Smith talks Saratoga, Breeders’ Cup and more. Super Screener author Mike Shutty checks in from his Del Mar base to add handicapping advice and wagering tips for the big day. Listen here.
HRN’s Ed DeRosa is leaning toward the Stephen Foster runner-up for the Gold Cup, and here’s why.
Get your copy of the Super Screener for the road to the Breeders’ Cup. You’ll get stakes analysis every weekend, including top races from Kentucky Downs, Keeneland, Churchill and more.