Vino Rosso 'training well enough to win' Jockey Club Gold Cup
Repole Stable and St Elias Stable's Vino Rosso remains on target for the Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup on Saturday at Belmont Park, according to his connections.
The Todd Pletcher trainee is coming off consecutive races resulting in triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures, including a 100 for his third-place effort in the 1 1/8-mil Whitney (G1) last out on August 3 at Saratoga. That built on his three-quarter length win in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita (G1) on May 27 that registered a 105 Beyer at 1 ¼ miles.
One of four graded stakes on Saturday's stacked card at Belmont Park, the Jockey Club Gold Cup is a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the 10-furlong Breeders' Cup Classic.
"We're still on schedule for the Jockey Club Gold Cup," said Pletcher assistant Byron Hughes. "He's been running well this summer. He's a very talented horse and has stepped up from his 3-year-old campaign. We're excited about Saturday and think he's training well enough to win it."
As a 3-year-old, Vino Rosso won the Wood Memorial (G2) before running ninth in the 2018 Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Belmont Stakes. After ending his year with a fifth-place effort in the Travers (G1), Vino Rosso was given more than six months off, where he started his 4-year-old year with a win in the Stymie in March at the Big A before running fourth in the Carter Handicap (G1) in April at Aqueduct.
A son of Curlin, Vino Rosso is 5-0-3 in 13 career starts with earnings of $1,353,125.
2019 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1)
| Rank | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacitus Tapit | W. Mott |
| Probable | ||||
| Code of Honor Noble Mission | C. McGaughey III |
| Probable | ||||
| Vino Rosso Curlin | T. Pletcher |
| Probable | ||||
| Yoshida Heart's Cry | W. Mott |
| Probable | ||||
| Tenfold Curlin | S. Asmussen |
| Probable | ||||
| Preservationist Arch | J. Jerkens |
| Probable |
Wertheimer and Frere's No Word is on target to make his stakes debut in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Pilgrim for juveniles going 1 1/16 miles on the turf, Hughes said. The Silent Name colt won at that distance in his debut on August 31 at Saratoga and has continued to train at the Spa, including a four-furlong breeze in 50.70 seconds on the Oklahoma turf training track on Friday.
Daniel McConnell's Prince Lucky, meanwhile, came out of his runner-up effort in Saturday's Kelso Handicap (G2) in good order, Hughes said, though no definitive spots have been picked out for his next start.
The 4-year-old Corinthian gelding came out of his win in the State Dinner on July 7 with another strong performance, dueling winner Pat On the Back in the stretch. Carrying 119 pounds, Prince Lucky finished a half-length back to Pat On the Back, carrying 116 pounds, in the one-mile route on the main track.
"He was second-best. He looks good and ate up last night. He seemed bright and alert this morning and in really good shape," Hughes said. "I think we got him back to his form from earlier in the year. Hopefully, he can continue to run well for the rest of the year."
China Horse Club International's Alberobello was listed a possibility for the Grade 2, $300,000 Beldame for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 1/8 miles on Saturday, but Hughes said he is unsure of what the plans would be for her next start. The 4-year-old Bernardini filly is coming off a third-place finish in the Summer Colony at the Beldame distance on August 18 at Saratoga and is 3-2-1 in nine career starts.