OZONE PARK, N.Y. – 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.”
NYRA Press Office
Photo: Mind Control (aqua cap inside) battles to victory in the John A. Nerud at Belmont July 4, 2021. (Chelsea Durand)
