NYRA/Coglianese Photo

Mind Control charters new course in G3 Bay Shore

by Najja Thompson

Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables' Grade 1-winner Mind Control will abandon the Kentucky Derby trail to make his third one-mile start in succession in Saturday's Grade 3, $250,000 Bay Shore for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 59th running of the seven-furlong Bay Shore, carded as Race 6 on Saturday's 11-race card is one of five graded stakes on a day highlighted by the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets, the Grade 1, $400,000 Carter, along with the Grade 2, $300,000 Gazelle and the Grade 3, $150,000 Excelsior. MSG Networks' live coverage starts with Saturday's 2 ½-hour broadcast at 3 p.m.

A bay son of Stay Thirsty, Mind Control made his graded stakes debut a winning one in the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga Race Course. Sent off at odds of 10-1 in the Hopeful, he bested a field of eight by three-quarters of a length.

Returning in the fall to finish a subpar seventh in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile on November 2 at Churchill Downs, Mind Control rebounded to win the Jerome on New Year's Day at the Big A, collecting 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to kick off his 2019 campaign.

Mind Control finished second last out in the Grade 3 Gotham on March 9, while showing a new dimension when battling from off-the-pace to pick up an additional 20 Derby qualifying points.

After consultation with Mind Control's owners following the Gotham, the connections decided to switch gears from pursuing a start in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial and instead entered the Bay Shore with the long range goal of picking up another Grade 1 win in the $400,000 Woody Stephens on Belmont Stakes Day in June at Belmont Park.

"We really gave the Wood some considerable thought," said Sacco. "After speaking with our owners, we ultimately opted to enter the Bay Shore because we're confident with his ability going one-turn and having the opportunity to not only run in a graded stakes at seven furlongs here, but also using this as prep to have the chance to get another Grade 1 with him in the Woody Stephens."

With John Velazquez named to ride, Sacco said he will let the Hall of Fame rider determine the best trip for Mind Control.

"Johnny knows this colt so well," said Sacco. "I expect he'll be somewhere on the front end as he has a good amount of speed, but we'll ultimately leave it up to Johnny. [Mind Control] is coming into this race in great condition out of his last work so we're excited and looking forward to Saturday."

Mind Control will depart from post 3.

Set to make his second start at Aqueduct following a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Gotham is Much Better for Three Chimneys Farm and Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

The homebred sired by the late multiple graded stakes winner Pioneerof the Nile won his debut last September at Del Mar before switching surfaces to the turf, where he picked up a second-place finish in the Zuma Beach on October 8 at Santa Anita.

Following a 14th-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, he returned to the dirt to finish third in the Grade 3 Sham at Santa Anita. After an optional-claiming victory on February 9 at Santa Anita, Much Better shipped east to enter the Gotham.

Much Better has posted two bullet works at four and five furlongs in preparation for the Bay Shore, and Baffert said he is looking forward to a good effort from the dark bay.

"Initially, we took our shot in the Gotham to see if we could pick up any [Kentucky] Derby points and I thought he gave a gutsy effort," said Baffert. "We kept him in New York where he's put in three really good works. We think the cutback should benefit him and he's already won twice sprinting, so he should be right there in the mix."

With Hall of Fame rider Victor Espinoza named to ride, Much Better will leave from the rail.

Trainer Jason Servis entered multiple graded stakes winner Call Paul for owners Michael Dubb, David Simon, Bethlehem Stables LLC, and Bruce Irom.

Purchased for $210,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Mid Atlantic 2-year-old in training sale, the Friesan Fire colt has four wins from six career starts. After winning the Grade 2 Saratoga Special last August he went on to pick up a pair of third-place finishes in the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont last October and the Grade 3 Nashua in November at Aqueduct before capping his juvenile year with a win in the Pennsylvania Nursery at Parx.

Making his 2019 debut at Gulfstream, Call Paul bested a field of 11 to win the Grade 3 Swale by 1 ¼ lengths.

With recent Aqueduct winter meet leading rider Manny Franco named to ride, Call Paul will depart from post 4.

Claiborne Farm and Adele B. Dilschneider's Mucho, who finished second behind Mind Control in the Hopeful, arrives at the Bay Shore from a strong 1 ¼-length score in an optional claiming event at Gulfstream on March 1.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Mucho will leave from post 2 under Jose Ortiz.

Completing the field is Mount Travers, an allowance winner trained by Linda Rice for Alpha Delta Stables. Junior Alvarado has the call from the outermost post.