Hot Rod Charlie are favorites 1-5 when they open their gates on June 18 for $147,500 Salvator Mile Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Parkbut he encounters an unwavering enemy in Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stable’s Mind control .
Second pick 2-1 in the five-horse arena, Mind Control gave Hot Rod Charlie more than he could handle in Saturday’s final sixteenth test of the mile test, upset him with a head in an ending photo.
After setting pace under John Velazquez past a quarter in: 23.60, half in: 46.66 and three quarters in 1:11.18 with Hot Rod Charlie and Mike Smith tracking their outside , it looks like a 6-year-old son of Thirsty will finish in second place when Hot Rod Charlie doesn’t show up in the home leg. But after the two headed lanes in a ding-dong battle to the ropes with Hot Rod Charlie poking the nose ahead, Mind Control bounced back relentlessly to win the battle of the two class 1 winners. .
The final time was 1:35.79 on the fast track. Mind Control paid $6.60 to win.
Shirl’s Sight complete the triple, 6 1/4 lengths after second place, with Phat Man and Mohaafeth round to end order. Confessor and helium gas scratched.
“The plan was to put him in the lead,” said Anthony Sciametta, assistant to winning coach Todd Pletcher. “When he shipped it this morning, I talked to Todd and Todd said to tell Johnny, ‘If he can steal it soon, go ahead and do it.’ I guess he definitely looked at the race. That was the plan, exactly as it happened. It was perfect.
“Honestly, I thought he was beaten in the lane. But he’s a very brave horse.”
Mind control against Hot Rod Charlie on the way to the rope
Mind Control clinched its first win of 2022 and entered the race Saturday with fifth place in the Churchill Downs on 7 May presented by Ford (G1) after finishing third in Bets Carter Mortgage April 9 (G1) at Aqueduct race track. His most recent victory was four back starts, one in the Parx Dirt Mile Stakes in September 2021. That race, like the Salvator Mile, runs about two turns.
“Here’s the plan, hopefully taking the lead and letting off some steam,” added Velazquez. “The other horse fought really well. I think I’ll take the lead. Hot Rod Charlie doesn’t have that much speed and my horse is sprinting. I know if I push it, it’ll take the lead. I didn’t want to push him too hard when I had nothing left We breathed a sigh of relief and when I reached the half-mile mark I opened it up again and he gave me a good run down the lane. .
“Hot Rod Charlie really put his head forward late, but my horse is just a game too.”
Smith said Hot Rod Charlie, racing for coach Doug O’Neill for the first time since finishing in second place Country Grammer at the Dubai World Cup on March 26 sponsored by Emirates Airlines (G1) in Meydan, was caught with his foot in the gate.
“We made him stand still in the gate and he did it – he stood still,” Smith said. “I missed the holiday. I think that’s also what happened to him in Dubai. That’s why he’s back there so far. I know what his abilities are, that’s why. that’s why I’m not satisfied. I know what he can do, and this is not it.”
O’Neill added: “Obviously we are disappointed but we are very proud of his return to racing. We are grateful for today and look forward to the future.”
Mind Control, bred in Kentucky by Red Oak Stable from a black Lightning N Thunder winning mare Feel that fire , improving his record to 10-3-5 from the 26th starting with earnings of $1,561,279. The Salvator Mile joins 2018 Hope Shares (G1), Jerome Shares, Bay Shore Shares (G3) and H. Allen Jerkins Shares (G1) in 2019, Tom Fool Handicap (G3) and Shares Toboggan (G3) in 2020, and John A. Nerud Stakes (G2) and Parx Dirt Mile in 2021 are the graded scores on his resume.
(LR): Red Oak Stable’s Stephen Brunetti and Rick Sacco celebrate winning Mind Control’s Salvatore Mile
Feel That Fire also generates classified stakes Goddess of Fire , daughter of Mineshaft who was trained by Pletcher for Red Oak. Runner-up at Rachel Alexandra Stakes played by Fasig-Tipton (G2) and Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), she last finished 11/14 at Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 6. one with a 2 year old child Candy Ride was named White Hot Gold and produced a Uncle Mo February 1 is vague after becoming barren last year.
Video: Salvator Mile S. (G3)
