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 this moment,” Cox mentioned. “We at all times 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 Sequence “Win and You are In” spot into the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic on Nov. 2 at Del Mar. The 2024 Basic appears to be like 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 Basic Stakes at Del Mar.
“We’ll go (to the Breeders’ Cup Basic) with a giant bat and take a swing,” mentioned Michael Banahan, the director of bloodstock for Highland Falls’ house owners, Godolphin.
The JCGC 4-5 favourite and the one to catch was Arthur’s Experience, 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 received a 1 1/4-mile allowance non-compulsory claiming race earlier within the meet. As anticipated, Arthur’s Experience sprinted to a transparent lead from the surface publish within the subject of seven earlier than the primary flip, however he quickly he took stress from Highland Falls and jockey Flavien Prat as the 2 dueled down the backstretch by way of six furlongs in 1:11.31.
It wasn’t till the stretch that Highland Falls put Arthur’s Experience away and drew clear within the remaining furlong, protecting the gap in 2:03.25.
With the JCGC victory, Prat notched his report thirteenth Graded stakes win on the Saratoga summer season meet to associate with upping his report 17 general stakes wins on the meet.
Highland Falls paid $16.00 to win. He beforehand received 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 Basic.
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 received a prolonged present photograph by a nostril over Tapit Trice. Arthur’s Experience light to fifth, about 9 ½ lengths behind the winner.
Arthur’s Experience had already earned a spot within the Basic by successful the Whitney Stakes. Coach Invoice Mott mentioned 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 method and beat us. He put us away,” Mott mentioned. “The horse ran laborious final time and now we’ve 60 days to regroup earlier than the Breeders’ Cup. Hopefully he comes again properly, and we will prepare for it.”
Vivid Future, who received the 2023 Jockey Membership Gold Cup, completed a distant sixth.
