by BillyHoSports August 31, 2023
Subscribe To My YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_TO9Jb3taFlBHSfXPN3ZPQ?sub_confirmation=1
Hello and welcome to Billy Ho Sports! This week, we are excited to return to the spa for another stakes race: the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Within a field of 8 talented contenders, we are anticipating a showdown between a couple of standout horses. The contenders will navigate a mile and a quarter on the main track & it’s for 3-year-olds and up. Moreover, it holds significant importance as an automatic qualifier for the Breeders Cup Classic, following the “Win and You’re In” principle.
6:18 PM EDT on FS2
- Purse: $1,000,000
- Distance: One And One Fourth Miles
- Age: 3 yo’s & up
- Surface: Dirt
Proxy (Left) & Rattle N’ Roll (Right) will be the top 2 favorites in the JCGC
The Contenders
Coming out of the first post will be likely favorite Proxy. Guided by trainer Michael Stidham, Proxy managed to secure a comeback victory in the G3 Monmouth Cup. This triumph followed a disappointing finish in the Stephen Foster. In his defense, he was bumped hard & steadied early on in that race & was forced to the back. He’s literally got the inside track to the win this one & with the seasoned jockey Joel Rosario back in the saddle, Proxy demonstrates his versatility by being capable of executing multiple racing styles.
Next up it’s Unbridled Bomber, who is trained by James Ryerson & will have Dylan Davis riding. While Unbridled Bomber has tasted victory at the allowance level, challenges have arisen when transitioning to higher Stakes Company. in his three previous attempts, his best result was a 3rd where he fell short by a margin of 8 ¾ lengths in the Grade 2 Suburban Stakes held at Belmont Park on July 8.
Don’t miss my YouTube video for the late pick 5!
Post 3 will load the Phillip Bauer trained Warrior Johny. He took a step up in class to run third in the Hanshin Stakes last out, finishing 6 lengths behind Zozos. Although he’s a notch below in this race, he has shown the ability to explode like he did in his 2023 debut at Churchill Downs on June 4. He’s a pacesetter who, if he can get out to the lead, could be tough to catch setting slower fractions.
Hoping to Shake, Rattle N’ Roll
Rattle N’ Roll is trained by Kenny McPeek & Brian Hernandez will ride. Experiencing remarkable growth, the 4-year-old Chestnut swiftly advanced by leaps and bounds, marking his entrance into the 2023 season with an impressive streak of 3 consecutive grade 3 stakes victories. When making the jump to G1 company in the Stephen Foster he was up to the task closing w/ in a half a length to the legendary West Will Power. This is a huge opportunity to cement his name along with the best older horses in the country.
Looking for Value Plays?
In races characterized by top-heavy competition like the one at hand, the key lies in identifying those hidden gems, often referred to as value plays. Potentially fulfilling this role is the 5 horse, Clapton. Having been acquired by RRR Racing after a second-place performance behind Charge It in the G2 Suburban, Clapton is now trained by Chad Summers. His signature win occurred back in April at Gulfstream Park when he won the G3 Ghostzapper Stakes. However, beating this caliber of field is a feat he has yet to achieve in his recent outings vs similar competitors, including Rattle N Roll.
The 6 horse Tyson has back to back graded stakes wins at Woodbine race track. He is trained by Josie Carroll & will have Manny Franco up. The main question to ask is how will this horse take to the dirt as opposed to the synthetic surface he’s been racing on? Notably, he shares a pace versatility akin to Proxy, enabling him to adopt leading, pressing, or late-rallying tactics. Amidst the field, this striking gray horse is sure to captivate attention.
The Duke of Love
A striking pose to say the least, Duke of Love is a 4 year old colt coming off his first graded stakes win, the G3 West Virginia Governor’s Stakes. Notably, he is the second entrant hailing from Woodbine and being trained by Josie Carroll, with Luis Contreras taking up the reins as the jockey. This one is interesting as a long shot play b/c he’s proven to excel going from the synthetic to dirt already. He pressed the pace & when challenged for the lead late, he dug in & got to the wire 1st in the victory at Mountaineer. He will be breaking from post 7.
Is There a Bright Future?
Looking to get the jump out of post 8 is the Todd Pletcher trained Bright Future. Impressively, he rebounded last month at the spa, winning at a mile and 1/8th. In his prior outing, he was tested in the challenging G2 Brooklyn Stakes, which extended to a length of 1.5 miles, a distance that proved to be beyond his comfort zone. Having Javier Castellano in the saddle with trainer Pletcher is likely to attract attention at the betting windows.
