Super Saturday Runners Look Forward

Connections of the winners on Belmont Park’s Super Saturday card were looking ahead to the Breeders’ Cup Chamspionships at Santa Anita Sunday morning. Tonalist (Tapit), who added the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup to his GI Belmont S. title, exited the race in fine shape. “He came out of the race in good order,” reported trainer Christophe Clement. “We’re all thrilled and excited about it.” Of a start in the Nov. 1 GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, Clement added, “Of course we’ll keep him eligible to the Breeders’ Cup. I’ll talk to [owner] Mr. [Robert] Evans later this week. The idea would be to train to the race, but we have plenty of time to talk about it.” 
Also expected to move on to the Breeders’ Cup is GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic winner Main Sequence (Aldebaran). “[His wins] never seem to be easy,” trainer Graham Motion said of Main Sequence’s gritty late-running victory Saturday. “I would like to have put him in cotton balls and just not run him again before the [GI] Breeders’ Cup [Turf], but the timing for [the Joe Hirsch] was so good, and this is a very prestigious race on its own account. It’s a great race to win.” 
Trainer Rudy Rodriguez enjoyed a career day at Belmont Saturday, saddling GI Beldame S. winner Belle Gallantey (After Market) and GII Kelso H. winner Vyjack (Into Mischief), as well as GI Vosburgh S. runner-up Dads Caps (Discreet Cat). 
“She looks like she came back pretty good,” Rodriguez said of Belle Gallantey. “She ate up good last night and had a lot of energy this morning. She looked the same to us. We’re going to wait a couple days and see how she is and take it from there. Right now, we don’t have any plans for her. We’re going to watch and see how she is and then see what we want to do.” 
Of Vyjack, Rodriguez added, “He’s one of our favorite horses. To see him run the way he did, it was amazing. All along, we’ve thought he had some talent and he can compete with those horses. The horse is not easy to train, and thank God he came back good, too. The plan was to run him in the [Nov. 29 GI] Cigar Mile, that’s why we put him in the mile race. I have to talk to the owner and figure out what he wants to do.” 
Reflecting on his super Saturday, Rodriguez said, “It was a great day. The horses were all training very good. For them to perform the way they did was unbelievable.” 
Trainer Chad Brown sent out a bevy of runners Saturday at Belmont. Stephanie’s Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) gave him his best result with her victory in the GI Flower Bowl S. 
“She came out of the race in great shape so far,” Brown said. “As long as she’s sound and doing well [the GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Turf] is the plan. Her last three races have been terrific; I certainly wouldn’t trade horses with anyone. I was really happy she adapted to the slow pace because I wasn’t sure how she’d react laying that close.” 
Big Blue Kitten (Kitten’s Joy), fourth in the Joe Hirsch, could also be heading to the Breeders’ Cup. 
“I’d like to go [to the Breeders’ Cup Turf with Big Blue Kitten],” said Brown. “I would have liked to have seen a stronger pace, and he had a little trouble turning for home, but not terrible. I was a little disappointed he didn’t kick that last eighth and catch up to the top three, but all in all he wasn’t beaten too far. If he’s sound and well, I would like to take a shot with him out at Santa Anita and hope for a stronger pace.” 
Brown said that Real Solution (Kitten’s Joy), sixth in the Joe Hirsch, had likely run his last race. 
“Real Solution just didn’t have it [in the Joe Hirsch],” Brown said. “It was likely his last race, but I have to confirm that with Mr. [Ken] Ramsey. He’s scheduled to enter stud at [the Ramsey’s] farm.” 
Brown also may have a representative in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic after Zivo (True Direction)’s runner-up effort in the Gold Cup. 
“Zivo came back great,” Brown said. “He ran terrific. In my eyes, it was another career best race for him. He had some trouble, as did a handful of other horses when [Maragh] went down, but regained his composure and restarted his race at that point. He was second best yesterday, but a good second.”