The prominence and reputation of the Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI), set to be contested at Belmont Park Saturday, almost goes without saying. Any racing fan, from the newbie to the professional, knows what winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup means to the career of a handicap star, as well as his future as a stallion.
Man o’War, Kelso, Nashua, Citation, Whirlaway, War Admiral, Forego, Affirmed, Buckpasser, John Henry, Cigar, Skip Away, Curlin and many more claim JCGC champion on their resume and, this year, seven will line up looking to make history, as well as earn a spot in the starting gate for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) at Del Mar on Nov. 4 as the race is a part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” incentive program.
Keen Ice has had a pretty good year. Heck, he’s had a pretty good career. Unfortunately, since winning the 2015 Travers Stakes (GI) and upsetting Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, he’s had the unfortunate luck to bump into names like Gun Runner and Arrogate. It’s like he’s been a supporting cast member to the Oscar winners in the great racing blockbusters for the past couple of years, but now gets a chance for top billing in the franchise series thanks to his award-winning rivals having other commitments.
The weather in New York may provide one of the the last beautiful days of fall with clear skies and a high of around 80. The main track will be fast and the turf course firm.
Keen Ice is a well-traveled son of Curlin who is talented, no doubt, and his best performance here is definitely enough to get the win in this field. He has strong speed and pace numbers and he is consistent, typically hitting the board, even among the toughest in his division. He’s been training well over this Belmont main track since his last start, a second to Gun Runner in the Whitney Stakes (GI) at Saratoga. He’s been off for two months, but has run well off a brief vacation before and if he runs to the level he’s accustomed to under Jose Ortiz, he’s a good bet to win, even if he offers little value.
Rally Cry is another who finished second to Gun Runner last out (in the Woodward), his connections hoping with that rival safely training in California, he can earn the coveted Grade 1. Also trained by Pletcher, he’s done most of his best running in allowance/optional claiming company, but that’s not to say he doesn’t put up sufficient performances and figures to win a race like this.
He likes Belmont and although he’s never tested this 10-furlong distance, the son of Uncle Mo is bred to appreciate the stretchout. He may offer value as the “other Pletcher” and if he gets his preferred stalking trip, may be tough for his rivals to run down in the lane.
Doug O’Neill sends the lightly raced Smarty Jones Stakes (G3) winner Pavel back east for his biggest test yet. The Reddam Racing-owned son of Creative Cause has never been beyond nine furlongs and never won beyond 8 ½, so distance may be a question, but if he puts up a performance like he did in the Smarty Jones he’s a good wager for the exotics, if not the win.
New York-bred Diversify steps out of state-bred stakes company for the first time in a while and, while he loves Belmont (three wins from five starts), he has yet to try both the distance and the class level of open Grade 1 company. His 11-length romp in the Evan Shipman last out was extremely impressive and he earned himself some great figures, speed and pace-wise, and may have found a decent spot to break through for a big career win.
Former turf runner Good Samaritan stepped onto the main track to win the Jim Dandy Stakes (GII) against sophomores, but faltered when he returned in the Travers Stakes (GI) to finish fifth. He did have some trouble, so it seems like he can improve here, but he’d need to improve in his first start against older horses to expect the win, based on his numbers alone.
Grade 2 winner Destin was hot on the Triple Crown trail last year before faltering in almost every start since. He came back to win an optional claiming race last out in August at Saratoga, but needs to improve and prove he belongs in Grade 1 company.
Highland Sky would be a good bet if this were a turf race, but that’s about it.
The Jockey Club Gold Cup is Belmont’s 10th race on Saturday with a post time of 5:23 p.m. ET.
California native and lifelong horsewoman Margaret Ransom is a graduate of the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program. She got her start in racing working in the publicity departments at Calder Race Course and Hialeah Park, as well as in the racing office at Gulfstream Park in South Florida. She then spent six years in Lexington, KY, at BRISnet.com, where she helped create and develop the company’s popular newsletters: Handicapper’s Edge and Bloodstock Journal.After returning to California, she served six years as the Southern California news correspondent for BloodHorse, assisted in the publicity department at Santa Anita Park and was a contributor to many other racing publications, including HorsePlayer Magazine and Trainer Magazine. She then spent seven years at HRTV and HRTV.com in various roles as researcher, programming assistant, producer and social media and marketing manager.
She has also walked hots and groomed runners, worked the elite sales in Kentucky for top-class consignors and volunteers for several racehorse retirement organizations, including CARMA.In 2016, Margaret was the recipient of the prestigious Stanley Bergstein Writing Award, sponsored by Team Valor, and was an Eclipse Award honorable mention for her story, “The Shocking Untold Story of Maria Borell,” which appeared on USRacing.com. The article and subsequent stories helped save 43 abandoned and neglected Thoroughbreds in Kentucky and also helped create a new animal welfare law in Kentucky known as the “Borell Law.”Margaret’s very first Breeders’ Cup was at Hollywood Park in 1984 and she has attended more than half of the Breeders’ Cups since. She counts Holy Bull and Arrogate as her favorite horses of all time.She lives in Robinson, Texas, with her longtime beau, Tony. She is the executive director of the 501(c)(3) non-profit horse rescue, The Bridge Sanctuary.
