By Bloodhorse.com
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (Aug. 24, 2019) — In a dramatic photo finish involving three horses, Mind Control was declared the victor by a nose over a stout-closing Hog Creek Hustle and Shancelot in the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) Aug. 24 at Saratoga Race Course.
The 3-year-old Kentucky-bred son of California stallion Stay Thirsty is perfect in two starts at the Spa, having won last year’s Hopeful Stakes (G1) while on the front end. Hall of Famer John Velazquez gave him a stalking trip in the seven-furlong Jerkens, and he cut through horses late to get the win in a final time of 1:21.43.
With Shancelot a strong 3-10 favorite, Mind Control paid $22.80.
Shancelot, by Shanghai Bobby, ran off the screen July 28 in the Amsterdam Stakes (G2), winning by 12 1/2 lengths and getting 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.01. Owned by Ivan Rodriguez, Albert Crawford, and Michelle Crawford, he’s trained by Jorge Navarro.
Perhaps the “Graveyard of Favorites” and an additional half-furlong got the best of him. Dropping a grade 1 race by two noses should hardly tarnish his speedy reputation.
As expected, Shancelot broke on top and was in control of the race through early fractions of :23.15 and :45.58 under Emisael Jaramillo. Behind him was Call Paul, winner of last year’s Saratoga Special Stakes (G2), with Mind Control and Twelfth Labour in pursuit. Closers Hog Creek Hustle and Nitrous trailed the field early.
Shancelot was leading by 2 1/2 lengths turning for home but was not blowing the field away as he had done a month earlier after six furlongs in 1:09.01. Several were cutting into Shancelot’s advantage, including Mind Control, Rowayton, and Hog Creek Hustle on the outside. The top three bunched for the final two jumps, leading to the photo finish. Rowayton was just a neck back in the blanket finish.
“I really didn’t know if I had it,” said Velazquez. “Everything went well for him today. He broke good and I was able to get good position. I waited a little bit making my move because we had to do something a little different.”
“Johnny (Velazquez) is the best,” said trainer Greg Sacco. “He saved a little bit and then moved at the right time. He surged with such grit. I’m fortunate and blessed to have a horse like Mind Control in our shedrow.
“I didn’t know it was his nose there on the wire. I was saying a couple of prayers, and I was hoping. But he’s a tough, tough horse.”
Mind Control won last year’s seven-furlong Hopeful off a maiden score at Monmouth Park. He was a dull seventh behind Game Winner in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). This year, he’s been kept at seven-furlong and mile races by Sacco. Given a break after winning the Bay Shore Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack, Mind Control was eighth in the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) and a hard-luck neck third in the seven-furlong Concern Stakes July 14 at Laurel Park.
“His last two trips were so brutal,” Sacco said. “The Woody Stephens was a nightmare. My brother picked out a great spot for him in Maryland, and it wasn’t really a step down. He wanted the six weeks and he thought the Amsterdam would be a tough heat, and it turned out to be an unbelievable heat and he didn’t want a month back.
“This was the race we were pointing for since the Woody, all summer,” he said. “We wanted him in peak performance. He’s gutsy horse.”
Mind Control is 5-2-1 in 10 starts and has earned $805,000.
As for Shancelot, “He just got beat,” said Navarro. “That’s horse racing. He’s still a winner to me. I felt good in the stretch, but it’s just one of those things. As long as he comes back good, we’ll be fine.”
Bred in Kentucky by the Brunetti family’s Red Oak Stable, Mind Control races for Red Oak Stable and Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables. He is out of the Lightnin N Thunder mare Feel That Fire, who won Monmouth’s Blue Sparkler Stakes and was third in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint Stakes. Mind Control is her fourth foal. She delivered a filly by Mineshaft this year and has been bred to Candy Ride for 2020.