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Mind Control set to make 2022 debut in G1 Carter Handicap presented by NYRA Bets

by NYRA Press Office

• Mind Control set to make 2022 debut in G1 Carter Handicap presented by NYRA Bets 
• Green Light Go fires bullet for G1 Carter Handicap 
• Drafted works sharp half-mile in final prep for G1 Carter Handicap

Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables’ multiple graded stakes-winner Mind Control will kick off his 6-year-old campaign in the Grade 1, $300,000 Carter Handicap presented by NYRA Bets on the April 9 Wood Memorial Day card, at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

The Carter, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses, is the first Grade 1 of 2022 on the NYRA circuit. The stakes-laden day is headlined by the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, which offers 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers. 

Bolstering the Wood Memorial Day card are a trio of Grade 3 races, including the $250,000 Gazelle at nine furlongs for sophomore fillies offering 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-four finishers; the $200,000 Bay Shore, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomores; and the $150,000 Distaff Handicap at seven furlongs for older fillies and mares. Also featured on the Saturday card is the $100,000 Danger’s Hour at one-mile on turf for 4-year-olds and up

By Stay Thirsty, Mind Control has not raced since recording a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure in the Parx Dirt Mile in September, where he made his first two-turn start in nearly three years and defeated Grade 1-winner Silver State. 

Mind Control has never finished worse than second in six starts at the Big A, including graded stakes victories in the Grade 3 Bay Shore in April 2019, the Grade 3 Toboggan and Grade 3 Tom Fool the following year. The bay millionaire made his seasonal debut in last year’s Carter as well, finishing a distant second for trainer Gregg Sacco. Transferred to Todd Pletcher after a close seventh in the next-out Grade 1 Churchill Downs Handicap, he made his debut for the Hall of Fame trainer a winning one when besting Firenze Fire by a head in the Grade 2 John A. Nerud in July at Belmont. 

A Grade 1 winner at two and three in Saratoga Race Course’s Hopeful and H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, Mind Control will be in pursuit of another prestigious win. He appears to be in excellent shape heading into the Carter, having worked a trio of weekly bullets dating back to March 12.

“He’s had a really nice series of breezes at Palm Beach Downs for Todd,” said Red Oak Stable racing manager Rick Sacco. “He shipped up to New York on Sunday in good shape. It would be great for him to win a Grade 1 at 6-years-old. You always question how fit they are off the layoff, but he’s doing really well and we’re all looking forward to bringing him back and running him. He definitely will put in a good account for himself.” 

Although Mind Control proved his two-turn capabilities with his last out score in the Parx Dirt Mile, his 2022 campaign will be clearer based off his Carter result. 

“We’re playing it off the race,” Sacco said. “He was awesome going the mile, but we’ll see where this takes us. He’s really thrived over the winter.”

Mind Control is out of the Lightnin N Thunder mare Feel That Fire, who also produced multiple stakes-placed 2022 Kentucky Oaks aspirant Goddess of Fire. 

The sophomore Mineshaft filly has been entered in Saturday’s Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks in pursuit of more Kentucky Oaks points. She is currently ninth on the leader board with 22 points, which she earned when third in the Grade 2 Pocahontas at Churchill Downs in September and second last time out in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds on February 19.

“She thrived once we got her down to Florida,” Sacco said. “She ran an exceptional race going seven-eighths at Tampa, it came back a 12 on the sheets. One more jump and she probably wins. We pointed for the Fair Grounds going two turns and it’s a long stretch down there so she might have hit the lead too early. So she’s shipped around but she’s handled it all well. She’s really thriving and couldn’t be doing any better. More importantly, her weight has been excellent. Fillies can tail off a bit, but she’s been doing super. She’s put weight on from each race, she’s bright-eyed and her coat looks great.”

When asked how similar Mind Control and Goddess of Fire are, Sacco said: “They have running on their minds. Both are very competitive and very smart.”

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Green Light Go fires bullet for G1 Carter Handicap 

Stronach Stables homebred Green Light Go resumed serious preparations for his next engagement, breezing a bullet five furlongs Wednesday over the Belmont training track in 59.22 seconds – the fastest of 18 works at the distance. 

The Jimmy Jerkens-trained Hard Spun bay is targeting next Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Carter Handicap presented by NYRA Bets going seven furlongs at Aqueduct. Unbeaten in two starts during his 5-year-old season, he captured the one-turn mile Stymie on February 26 after a nine-length optional-claiming romp on January 13 at the same track and distance. 

“He went very well,” Jerkens said of the breeze. “The track wasn’t especially fast, but he did it well within himself. We’re ready to take a shot.”

Green Light Go boasts a consistent 13-5-3-1 record, which includes a graded stakes win at two in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special in August 2019. 

Wednesday’s drill followed another bullet work on March 20, where Green Light Go went a half-mile in 46.42 seconds. 

“He’s run about as often as they do nowadays,” Jerkens said. “We space his works out as he puts a lot into his training. He works a little less often but with more substance. With a long time in between starts, you have to ask them in the mornings so they can go over there and be fit enough.”  

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Drafted works sharp half-mile in final prep for G1 Carter Handicap

Dublin Fjord Stables, Racepoint Stables, Kevin D. Hillbert and Thomas E. O’Keefe’s Drafted breezed a half-mile in 47.80 seconds over the Belmont Park dirt training track on Thursday morning in his final preparation for the Grade 1 Carter presented by NYRA Bets on April 9 at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

“All went well and it was his final work before the race. He went good and came back good,” said trainer David Duggan. “We’re ready to roll the dice.” 

An 8-year-old son of Field Commission, Drafted ran the bulk of his career for trainer Doug Watson at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, winning the 2019 Group 3 Mahaab Al Shimaal by a neck. 

Drafted was transferred to Duggan’s barn in November 2020 and finished fifth in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight at the Big A in his first start for his new conditioner. He picked up two stakes placings with back-to-back third-place efforts in the Gravesend, including this year’s edition won by Chateau. 

The Florida-bred was a last-out winner of the seven-furlong Grade 3 Toboggan at the Big A on February 5, closing from off-the-pace under Jose Ortiz to earn his first state-side victory since a 2016 debut maiden win at Keeneland sprinting 4 1/2 furlongs. 

“I couldn’t give you a straight answer on what made the difference for him,” Duggan said. “I could give you ten different reasons and little things. I think he’s just starting to round into form.”

Duggan said that the Carter distance of seven furlongs suits the grey gelding.

“The seven-eighths is probably a good distance for him because they go fast enough in front,” said Duggan. “Going three-quarters, he was always a little bit pace dependent and never quite getting there. Whether it was a weak field last time or not it’s hard to know, but he got his confidence and if there’s a time to take a chance, it’s now. If it doesn’t work, we’ll dust ourselves off and return to the real world.”

The Toboggan was the third graded stakes win for Duggan, who conditioned Porte Bonheur to two graded victories in 2008 and 2009. Drafted will be his first starter to contest a Grade 1. 

“You don’t get many opportunities to run horses in Grade 1s, so we relish the challenge and hopefully are up to it,” said Duggan. “We’ve prepared him quite well, he’s healthy and happy, and we’re ready to roll.”