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Tacitus seeks to enhance Juddmonte's world-class legacy

by NYRA Press Office

• New York-bred Not That Brady in fine fettle for G2 Wood Memorial
• Hoffa's Union makes debut for Casse in G2 Wood Memorial
• Leading owner Michael Dubb hopes for prosperous Wood Memorial Day
• Graded stakes winners Diversify and Catholic Boy gearing up for Belmont
• Impressive speed figures bode well for Math Wizard in Wood Memorial
• Sacco brings a new face to the Derby race

When speaking of prominent Juddmonte Farms homebreds, the first word that comes to mind for Juddmonte's General Manager Garrett O'Rourke is 'legacy.' On Saturday, Tacitus carries five generations of said legacy into the Grade 2 $750,000 Wood Memorial Presented by NYRA Bets.

The Wood Memorial, which offers 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers, is slated for an approximate post time of 6 p.m. ET and will be part of a live national broadcast on NBCSN from 5:30-7:30 p.m., scheduled to also include the Grade 2 Blue Grass at Keeneland and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby from Santa Anita Park.

Prior to the NBCSN broadcast, FOX Sports Saturday At The Races will air the major stakes leading up to the Wood Memorial with national coverage on FS2 beginning at 4 p.m. and regional coverage in the tri-state area on MSG+ starting at 3 p.m.

A gray or roan son of Tapit, Tacitus is out of 2014 Champion Older Filly Close Hatches whose respective dam, grand dam and great grand dam are Rising Tornado, Silver Star and Monroe - all of which were campaigned by Juddmonte.

In addition, Tacitus is an indirect descendant of prolific Juddmonte broodmare Toussad who produced damsire First Defence's mother Honest Lady as well as prominent stallion and 2003 Wood winner Empire Maker.

"In an operation like this, the word 'legacy' comes out on numerous occasions," O'Rourke said. "This is one of those pedigrees that I can remember from my youth. Families like this one create that legacy. Obviously, Close Hatches has been one of our greats in recent years and it's nice to see her pass on her abilities to another generation with a great one. This is how it's supposed to happen.

"Top stallions and top mares are supposed to produce good horses like this," O'Rourke added. "He's a horse that is bred to be a classic racehorse. We're aiming for step one at the moment, which we have to get to before we can go on to step two."

Tacitus has only recorded a trio of starts, which includes a maiden win at second asking on November 10 over the Big A main track rated good. He emerged from a three-month layoff in style with a win in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 10, where he picked up 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

When it comes to Tacitus' appearance, O'Rourke said he is reminded of 1990 Kentucky Derby winner and prolific sire Unbridled, who appears twice in his pedigree.

"There's a little inbreeding in the pedigree to Unbridled and when I look at Tacitus I see the beautiful stride that Unbridled had," O'Rourke said. "I believe that he's a little more along those lines. His dam was one that was more powerfully built. I'd say that maybe the Tapit might be coming out a little stronger. [His temperament] is where his mother comes in. In the past Tapits have been sound but delicate, but Close Hatches had a magnificent temperament. We're delighted to have those genetics."

O'Rourke said Tacitus has made noticeable conformational improvement.

"I think that mentally, he's been a good horse," O'Rourke said. "He's taken all of his races in stride. Physically, early on, he was gangly and a bit of a 'Baby Huey', he needed some time to fill his frame. He made a big improvement from December to February. Hopefully he only continues to improve. He really seems to thrive in his work."

In his Tampa Bay Derby victory, Tacitus sat well off the pace in the early stages and made his winning move at the top of the stretch, notching a 1 ¼-length score.

"He should do his best running in that last half-mile," O'Rourke said. "With some luck we'll have some speed that will clear up and we'll leave the rest in (jockey) Jose's (Ortiz's) capable hands."

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New York-bred Not That Brady in fine fettle for G2 Wood

New York-bred Not That Brady looks good heading into Saturday's Grade 2, Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets, trainer Rudy Rodriguez said.

Not That Brady was hindered by a quarter-crack and finished last of eight in the Grade 3 Gotham on March 9 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Rodriguez said the Big Brown colt is fully recovered and will look to notch his first career graded stakes win and earn the 100 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby that will be awarded to the Wood winner.

"He's training very forwardly," Rodriguez said. "Everything is good. He's running, and everything has been like clockwork for him."

Not That Brady finished second by a head to fellow Wood contestant Tax in the Grade 3 Withers at the Wood's distance of 1 1/8 miles on February 2.

Owned by Rodriguez, Michael Imperio, Lianna Stables and R.A. Hill Stable, Not That Brady, bred by KatieRich Farms, enters Saturday with four total Derby qualifying points, ranking 44th on the leaderboard.

"All the Derby prep races seem wide open; I don't think you can pinpoint a horse who is really, really solid," Rodriguez said. "That's why we are here. Maybe we can get lucky."

Not That Brady, 2-2-0 in seven career starts, has two wins and two runner-up efforts in five career races at the Big A. He drew post 7 in the 11-horse field with Reylu Gutierrez set to ride and is listed as 20-1 on the morning line.

"I hope he breaks good and puts himself in good position early," Rodriguez said. "I'd like to use his speed and hopefully he can put himself with the leaders. If he can be on the lead, that would be better.

"When he's comfortable on the lead, I feel like he's at his best," he added. "It's a mile and an eighth, so if they want to go 22 [seconds for the quarter-mile], I guess they are going to have to chase him."

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Hoffa's Union makes debut for Casse in G2 Wood Memorial

It's been an exciting run on the Derby trail for trainer Mark Casse this season with solid runners War of Will, Sir Winston and Our Braintrust making their presence known on the path leading up to the "Run for the Roses."

But in Saturday's Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets, he'll be unleashing one of the newest members of his talented lineup in Hoffa's Union.

A gelded bay son of Union Rags, Hoffa's Union has only recorded one career start - a highly impressive 15 ½-length romp on February 28 at Laurel Park for former conditioner Gary Capuano, who won the 1997 Wood with Captain Bodgit.

Hoffa's Union was purchased privately by Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, Christopher Dunn and Harry Loso. Foard Wilgis, a part-owner of his former ownership group, stayed in on the horse.

The original plan for Hoffa's Union was to compete in the Grade 2, $1 million Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, where he recorded his last breeze - a half-mile work in 48.60 seconds.

"We've had him down at our training center in Ocala after we got him," Casse said. "He's just a very classy colt, just a big pretty horse. We had sent him to Kentucky and we had planned on running him in the Blue Grass but when it overfilled, we sent him on to the Wood."

Two-turn experience won't be an issue for Hoffa's Union, with his maiden win at 1 1/16 miles. Casse said the horse will be able to rate in the Wood Memorial.

"I don't know that we have to be on the lead, but we'll try to be forwardly placed," Casse said. "We have a good post position. It looks like there's a fair amount of speed in there. We have a horse that's raced one time and he went to the lead and improved his position. I don't think that scenario will arise on Saturday. The pace will be fairly quick and in order for him to be effective, he'll have to rate a little bit.

"It was impressive," Casse continued of the horse's astonishing maiden triumph. "This is a huge step for him. The Wood is not an easy race but he's training well, and he deserves a shot."

Casse gave a brief update on War of Will, currently fifth on the Kentucky Debry leaderboard with victories in Fair Grounds' Grade 3 Lecomte and Grade 2 Risen Star. He was a distant ninth in the last out Grade 2 Louisiana Derby. Since his last effort, he has been stabled with Casse's Keeneland string.

"I spoke with [assistant trainer] David [Carroll] and he said that he trained tremendous," Casse said. "He was extremely happy with him and that his energy level is really good. He's an extremely happy horse, so knock on wood. We're down but we're not out."

Hoffa's Union breaks from post 3 under Dylan Davis at odds of 6-1.

A $11,000 purchase from Kings Equine's consignment barn at the Fasig-Tipton Mid-Atlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training sale last May, Hoffa's Union is out of the stakes placed Malibu Moon broodmare Malibu Red.

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Leading owner Michael Dubb hopes for prosperous Wood Memorial Day

Fresh off a leading owners' title at Aqueduct Racetrack's winter meet, owner Michael Dubb will look to carry such momentum on Saturday with contenders in four of the Big A's five graded stakes events, all of which are trained by red-hot conditioner Jason Servis.

New York's year-end leading owner for seven of the past nine years has never started a contender in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial but will be represented by Grumps Little Tots, who enters the final Kentucky Derby qualifier in the Empire State off of a 6 ½ length maiden win on February 18 over the Aqueduct main track.

"I've actually never run a horse in the Wood Memorial or the Kentucky Derby, so it would mean everything," Dubb said. "All I really focus on is New York racing, obviously we'll go elsewhere but New York is my main focus, so it's nice to get rewarded.

"That was his first time going past six furlongs," Dubb said of Grumps Little Tots' fourth-out maiden triumph. "I've always felt that he would get better with distance. We think that the longer the better with him. Last time was a one-turn mile and this time will be two turns going a mile and an eighth, so it will certainly be a learning experience. Hopefully he'll have the right pace in front of him and that the jockey can let him relax, find his rhythm and make a big run."

The gelded son of Sky Mesa is owned by Dubb in partnership with Coyle Boys Stables and Bethlehem Stables.

Dubb's adaptable four-time graded stakes winner World of Trouble has scored at such caliber on both dirt and turf. Although Dubb said that 4-year-old chestnut son of Kantharos is a touch better on the latter of the two surfaces, he still has confidence that he can notch a Grade 1 win over the main track. He will look to do just that in the seven-furlong Carter Handicap, which carries a $400,000 purse.

Favored in nine of his ten career starts, World of Trouble has recorded triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in his past four outings, including an eye-opening 118 when finishing a neck behind Stormy Liberal in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on November 3 at Churchill Downs.

Since then, he made two trips to the winner's circle in Florida when he took the Florida Sire Stakes on December 18 over a sloppy main track at Tampa Bay Downs by an astonishing 13¾ lengths. He won his last out 4-year-old debut in the off-the-turf Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint on January 26 over next-out graded stakes winner Recruiting Ready.

"He just seems to really like running," Dubb said. "We think he might be a tad better on the turf but certainly is good enough on dirt. The Carter is a Grade 1 and a prestigious race. He's won at seven furlongs and this will be the best company that he's faced on the dirt to date."

Bred in Florida by Darsan Inc., World of Trouble is owned by Dubb in partnership with Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables.

Dubb has had the Grade 3 $250,000 Bay Shore in mind for dual graded stakes winner Call Paul for quite a while, but he did not originally intend on running the sophomore son of Friesan Fire in the last out Grade 3 Swale at Gulfstream Park, which he won by 1 1/4-lengths.

"I sent Call Paul to Florida with the intention of giving him the winter off, but he was kicking and was anxious and just looking for something do," Dubb said. "He wasn't fully cranked last time, but he won despite that. Seven furlongs to a mile is the right distance for him and we've bene pointing for this race since last fall. He was really telling us that he wanted to do something."

Call Paul was purchased for $210,000 from last year's Fasig-Tipton Mid Atlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Also trained by Servis, Dubb owns Call Paul in partnership with Bethlehem Stables, Bruce Irom and David Simon.

Grade 3 $150,000 Excelsior Handicap contestant Monongahela was privately purchased by Dubb along with Bethlehem Stables and Gary Aisquith prior to his last start, where he was beaten a neck behind three-time stakes winner Bonus Points in the John B. Campbell Stakes at Laurel Park on February 16. Placed in his last four starts, the 5-year-old Pennsylvania-bred son of K One King will jump to graded stakes caliber for the first time in 21 starts in Saturday's 1 1/8-mile event.

"He's a hard-trying horse," Dubb said. "He was a private purchase and we bought him before his last race at Laurel. He had some trouble in that last race and probably should have won. We're learning about him and think he's getting better."

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Graded stakes winners Diversify and Catholic Boy gearing up for Belmont

Conditioner Jonathan Thomas, who last year managed 4-year-old multiple graded stakes winner Catholic Boy to three wins from six starts, including a pair of Grade 1 victories in the Runhappy Travers and Belmont Derby Invitational on the turf, reported the More Than Ready colt has continued to mature over the winter at Bridlewood Farm after closing out his 3-year-old campaign with a 13th place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic.

"He's done really well over the winter," said Thomas of the colt owned by Robert LaPenta, Madaket Stables LLC., Siena Farm, and Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC. "We got a nice work into him about a week and a half ago and our plan is to breeze him again either Friday or Saturday morning.

With graded stakes wins on both surfaces, Thomas was undecided as of yet where Catholic Boy might make his 2019 debut, but said he is expected to arrive in New York towards the end of this month after a couple more breezes at Bridlewood.

In January, multiple graded stakes winner and recently named New York-bred Horse of the Year Diversify joined Thomas' barn after the passing of his conditioner and longtime respected NYRA trainer Rick Violette.

The 6-year-old son of Bellamy Road accumulated three wins from 10 starts last year, with graded stakes wins in the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga Race Course and the Grade 2 Suburban at Belmont Park. Currently at Bridlewood Farm, Thomas reported Diversify will be under the care of a familiar face: Melissa Cohen, former assistant to Rick Violette who will run Thomas' New York division at Belmont.

"He really came to us in great shape," said Thomas. "I'm very humbled, being given the opportunity to have him in our barn after Rick, who has always very kind to me and very respected by all of us. Following a winter break, he's back to galloping and will ship to Belmont in about two weeks where he will be looked after by Melissa who joined our team and will run our New York division. We haven't decided where we might point him yet, but we're getting him ready for a good campaign this year."

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Impressive speed figures bode well for Math Wizard

Math Wizard, trained and co-owned by Saffie Joseph, Jr. with John Fanelli, Collarmele Vitelli Stables, Bassett Stables, Ioannis Zoumas, and Wynwood Thoroughbreds, is 30-1 on the morning line for Saturday's Wood Memorial but not without a shot in a wide-open affair.

The Algorithms chestnut, out of the graded stakes winning dam Minister's Baby, has been claimed three times in his seven-race career, most recently on January 31 at Gulfstream Park for $25,000 by his current conditioner. Math Wizard had graduated at fourth asking in a six-furlong claiming sprint and was traveling a mile for the first time when Joseph Jr. reached for the colt.

"He just seemed consistent on his form and it seemed like he was getting better, and he'd never went long before we claimed him," Joseph, Jr. said. "His dam ran good going long, so we figured he's good enough for face value going short and if he gets better going long then there's upside."

Math Wizard romped his one-mile debut by a widening 18 1/2-lengths.

"The day we claimed him, he won easy going long and we were very happy to see that. I've never claimed a horse that won that far in my life. Even though he won easy, he ran decent numbers on all the handicapping tools," said Joseph, Jr.

The chestnut returned to action on March 15 at twice the value in a $50,000 starter allowance and finished a rallying second to an in-form Bronzed.

"After we claimed him, he got a little colicky and a little sick. We were behind the eight ball and only went in that race because our intention was to take a shot at one of these [Kentucky Derby qualifier] races. We went the starter route and didn't expect a good horse like that in this race. That horse [Bronzed] ran a big race the time before for Jason Servis," Joseph, Jr. said.

Joseph, Jr. said Math Wizard got a lot out of his first start for new connections.

"Going into that race, he wasn't fully cranked and when he ran second that made me realize he was a decent horse. He ran second on class," Joseph, Jr. said. "Since that race, he's trained much more forwardly. He's a different horse. I don't know if he's good enough for these kinds of horses, but in my opinion he's four to five lengths better than his last race."

Eric Cancel picks up the mount on Math Wizard and Joseph, Jr. said the rider will have options on race strategy.

"This weekend he won't be as far behind as he was last time. He'll be much more tactical," Joseph, Jr. said. "But, it's good to see that he can come from so far back and provide a decent rally. But I think this time he'll be more into the bit from the beginning."

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Sacco brings a new face to the Derby race

Trainer Gregory Sacco was expected to saddle Mind Control, winner of the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga and the Grade 3 Jerome at the Big A,in the Wood Memorial.

Instead, Sacco will be represented in the Wood by the improving Joevia with Mind Control tackling the Grade 3, $250,000 Bay Shore on the Wood undercard.

"It's in the best interests for him right now, at this stage of his development. The team gave it serious consideration and we're comfortable with where he's at. The Bay Shore is a small field, but very talented, and we're going to this race with the Woody Stephens, a Grade 1 on Belmont Day, in mind," Sacco said.

While Mind Control would likely have been among the top-four choices in the Wood and Joevia is a 30-1 longshot, the conditioner harbors no disappointment.

"It's quite an accomplishment to win a Grade 1 with a horse at two and if we're in a position to win a Grade 1 like the Woody Stephens at three, it would be fantastic and would be another stepping stone towards the Allen Jerkens at Saratoga," said Sacco.

So, on Saturday, Joevia will look to step out from his stablemate's shadow arriving at the Wood from a steady second in the Private Terms at Laurel Park when making his first attempt around two turns.

"Joevia is doing super. He came out of the stakes race at Laurel well and has worked super at Belmont," said Sacco. "It's a big, competitive field. He handled the two turns, now we'll see if he can handle the mile and an eighth, which I think will be in his scope. He has to improve off the last race to be competitive in this race, but we feel that he can."

Sacco has always held Joevia in high regard and said that he worked Joevia in company with Mind Control as the two young horses were developing.

"He was Mind Control's workmate last summer, but I haven't breezed them together this year. I didn't want those two hooking up and going too fast," said Sacco. "He [Joevia] stayed with him and both trained head's up all summer prior to making their debuts. They were at the top of our class last year."

Sacco said he is cautiously optimistic of Joevia's chances going into Saturday's significant class test.

"Joevia is an improving colt, he's lightly raced. We're asking a lot of him on Saturday, but a lot of colts in there are lightly raced. We'll see if he's good enough to run a big one for us in the Wood," Sacco said.