Elite Power after his victory in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt July 29 at Saratoga (Janet Napolitano)
G2 Vosburgh Likely Next Start for Cody’s Wish
70 Beyer for Just F Y I in Debut Triumph
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott reported that Juddmonte’s Elite Power will likely train up to his Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint title defense following a runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Forego.
The chestnut 5-year-old son of Curlin entered the Forego from an eight-race winning streak, which included last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint as well as a victory in the last-out Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt on July 29 at Saratoga. In the Forego, he raced along the rail in third before launching an inside rally in the stretch to finish 1 3/4 lengths behind the victorious Gunite.
Mott said Elite Power would probably not target the Grade 2, $250,000 Vosburgh on September 30 at Belmont at the Big A, a race he won last year en route to his Breeders’ Cup accolade.
“He seemed fine,” Mott said. “He’ll more than likely go straight to the Breeders’ Cup.”
While Elite Power will bypass the seven-furlong Vosburgh, Mott will likely be represented by Godolphin’s Cody’s Wish, who finished a last out third as the favorite in the Grade 1 Whitney on August 5 at Saratoga and breezed a half-mile over the Oklahoma training track on Sunday.
Mott, who sent out Scotland for a pacesetting sixth-place finish in Saturday’s Grade 1 Travers, did enjoy success earlier on the card with George Krikorian’s homebred juvenile filly Just F Y I, who notched a debut score going six furlongs over the main track. The bay daughter of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify collared the Tony Dutrow-trained Shop Lifting in deep stretch to win by a head in the six-furlong maiden test. The effort garnered a 70 Beyer Speed Figure.
“They were pretty high on [Shop Lifting]. Our horse was determined through the stretch and got the job done,” Mott said.
Mott added that no further plans have been made for her next start.
Just F Y I is out of the stakes-placed Street Cry mare Star Act, whose dam was multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Starrer.
