By Bloodhorse.com
Pa. (Sept. 25, 2021) — The tenacity of Mind Control , illustrated this summer with a head upset of Firenze Fire in the John A. Nerud Stakes (G2), was again on display in the $200,000 Parx Dirt Mile Stakes Sept. 25 at Parx Racing.
The winner, owned by Madaket Stables and breeder Red Oak Stable, is a 5-year-old son of California stallion Stay Thirsty . Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher began training the horse this spring, shortly before the Nerud, after making his initial 20 starts for trainer Gregg Sacco.
Appearing beaten with a sixteenth of a mile to run, as favored Silver State wrested command to open up a half-length advantage, Mind Control battled back to edge that rival by a head in a duel between two grade 1 winners. Silver State had previously taken the Hill ‘N’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) this year, Mind Control the 2018 Hopeful Stakes (G1).
“He didn’t give up, I didn’t give up,” Velazquez said of the 23-time starter. “When I asked for more, he gave me more.
“I don’t remember riding him this long, two-turns. He’s been in a mile, a one-turn mile, and then I don’t remember him going that far. I always thought he could but we never tried him for a long time and he showed us that he could.”
Mind Control rallied from fifth to cover a mile on a fast track in 1:36.59 following early splits of :23.52, :47.16, 1:11.27. The winner returned $7.20 to win.
The class from the two horses showed Saturday, as they pulled clear from the field nearing the wire. Warrior’s Charge ran third after chasing the pace and frontrunning Rock on Luke faded fourth. Thorny Tale , West Will Power , and Informative completed the order of finish.
Silver State, farther off the pace than usual, tried rally from last in the field of seven under Ricardo Santana Jr. He uncorked a rally on the second turn and in early stretch but did not sustain his momentum in the race’s late stages while drifting somewhat inward.
The winner, owned by Madaket Stables and breeder Red Oak Stable, is a 5-year-old son of Stay Thirsty . Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher began training the horse this spring, shortly before the Nerud, after making his initial 20 starts for trainer Gregg Sacco.
“Silver State looked like he got the jump on him and it didn’t look like we were going to get back up in time,” Byron Hughes, Pletcher’s assistant. “But Johnny kept driving and the horse has a big heart and it’s not the first time he has done something like that, so we were happy with it.”
The victory gave Pletcher two stakes victories with Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) contenders in the span of an hour. Shortly before the Parx Mile, Life Is Good handily won the Kelso Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park | BloodHorse.com Track Profile”>Belmont Park over the mile distance.
Mind Control is out of the Lightin N Thunder stakes winner Feel That Fire , a half sister to grade 3-placed stakes winner King For a Day (Uncle Mo ) and a full sister to stakes winner Ima Jersey Girl . The mare has produced seven foals, six of them with racing experience, and five winners, including the 2-year-old filly Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft ), who ran third in this month’s Pocahontas Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.
Mind Control is her leading money earner with a record of nine wins from 23 starts and a bankroll of $1,413,229.