Despite an absent performance in Whitney Stakes (G1) at Racecourse Saratoga earlier in the meeting, Olympiad are getting a lot of respect during the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Spa on September 3.
The son of Sightstown Grandview Equine owners, Cheyenne Stable and LNJ Foxwoods, have been placed in the New York racing association favorite, David Aragona.
In the five-horse Whitney, the Olympiad was second pick 9-5 after 4-5 Life is good and never a factor. He finished fourth, less than Life Is Good 9 1/4 of the length.
Before that race, the Olympiad was shining brightly, winning the first five starts of the year, four of which were classified bets. Whitney was his first attempt at a 1st grade event.
Bill Mott, the Hall of Fame coach, was asked if he would be willing to give an advantage to a lackluster performance in Whitney.
“I guess you can’t,” he said. “You have to look at it. It’s there, you know? We just hope we come back and put it behind us and he runs a better race this time.”
The Olympiad will once again be steered by Junior Alvarado, who has participated in nine of his 11 career starts. In the Whitney, the Olympiad had an extensive ride, but, other than that, there was no real reason.
Since the time of Whitney, he has had two works, the most recent being on August 28 when he did four works at: 49.94.
“He’s back (from Whitney) and he hasn’t missed any training,” Mott said. “He seems fine. We’re ready to go.”
The Jockey Club Gold Cup will be the fifth start of the Olympiad in Saratoga. He broke his maidenhood at Spa in his second attempt at the age of 2 and finished second in the allowance race last September.
