Highland Falls, a Brad Cox-trained Godolphin homebred turned-in a decisive victory within the $1 million Grade 1 Jockey Membership Gold Cup Stakes going 1 1/4 miles on Sept. 1 at Saratoga Race Course.
“I used to be happy with the hassle right now,” Cox stated. “We all the time thought he was a mile-and-a-quarter horse.”
Except for Grade 1 laurels, the Jockey Membership Gold Cup (JCGC) netted Highland Falls a Breeders’ Cup Problem Collection “Win and You are In” spot into the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional on Nov. 2 at Del Mar. The 2024 Traditional appears like a wide-open affair after victories this weekend by Highland Falls at 7-1 on the Spa and Mixto at 22-1 within the Grade 1 FanDuel Racing Pacific Traditional Stakes at Del Mar.
“We’ll go (to the Breeders’ Cup Traditional) with a giant bat and take a swing,” stated Michael Banahan, the director of bloodstock for Highland Falls’ homeowners, Godolphin.
The JCGC 4-5 favourite and the one to catch was Arthur’s Trip, who was coming off a 2 1/4-length front-running win within the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes on Aug. 3 on the Spa and likewise had gained a 1 1/4-mile allowance non-compulsory claiming race earlier within the meet. As anticipated, Arthur’s Trip sprinted to a transparent lead from the skin put up within the area of seven earlier than the primary flip, however he quickly he took strain from Highland Falls and jockey Flavien Prat as the 2 dueled down the backstretch via six furlongs in 1:11.31.
It wasn’t till the stretch that Highland Falls put Arthur’s Trip away and drew clear within the ultimate furlong, protecting the space in 2:03.25.
With the JCGC victory, Prat notched his document thirteenth Graded stakes win on the Saratoga summer season meet to go together with upping his document 17 general stakes wins on the meet.
Highland Falls paid $16.00 to win. He beforehand gained the Grade 3 Blame Stakes June 1 at Churchill Downs and exited a second-place end behind Tapit Trice in his most up-to-date begin within the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup on July 20. Highland Falls will prepare as much as the Breeders’ Cup Traditional.
Blue Heaven Farm’s Pyrenees, an Into Mischief 4-year-old who was second within the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Stakes, rallied from fifth to complete a transparent second. It was 2 3/4 lengths again to Disarm in third, who gained a prolonged present photograph by a nostril over Tapit Trice. Arthur’s Trip pale to fifth, about 9 ½ lengths behind the winner.
Arthur’s Trip had already earned a spot within the Traditional by profitable the Whitney Stakes. Coach Invoice Mott stated he would monitor how the 4-year-old comes out of the JCGC earlier than deciding on a visit to the Breeders’ Cup.
“We had no excuse. The opposite horse took it to us, dogged us the entire approach and beat us. He put us away,” Mott stated. “The horse ran laborious final time and now we’ve 60 days to regroup earlier than the Breeders’ Cup. Hopefully he comes again effectively, and we are able to prepare for it.”
Brilliant Future, who gained the 2023 Jockey Membership Gold Cup, completed a distant sixth.
