Impressive maiden winner Ferocious, who has most of the sameconnections as 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage, headlines a talented field ofnine Monday in the Grade 1, $300,000 Hopeful Stakes, the closing-day, seven-furlongfeature for 2-year-olds at Saratoga.
Campaigned by JR Ranch, Ramiro Restrepo, High Step Racingand OGMA Investments, the Flatter colt romped to a 7 3/4-length score in hisAug. 3 debut at the Spa under returning Hall of Fame rider Javier Castellano.
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The $1.3 million purchase won his debut with a time of1:09.65 for the six furlongs. The winning effort earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure,according to Daily Racing Form, the highest for any 2-year-old in 2024.
Gustavo Delgado Jr., son and assistant to trainer GustavoDelgado, said Ferocious exited his debut in fine fettle having breezed backtwice, including a five-furlong effort in 1:02.63 on Saturday over the Spa maintrack.
“Since his first race everything has been prettystraightforward with him. He’s had a couple of breezes. Both of them very easyand all the signs you want to see with a horse after his first race are there,”the younger Delgado said. “It’s hard to say after a 96 Beyer Speed Figure firsttime out that he’s going to improve, but it’s more about getting the foundationthat young horses at this time of the year need. Everybody is excited to seehim run again.”
Delgado noted that Ferocious demonstrated maturity on debutwhen overcoming a tricky inside post and a wet track on a busy Whitney day atSaratoga.
“He showed to be very professional the first time he ran,”Delgado said. “He handled the track. He’d already breezed over it, but it’s notthe same as when they run, and he did that pretty nice. He also handled thesurroundings on a crowded Whitney day pretty well, too.
“I think the extra furlong will help him. He will have moretime to relax. He seems to be a very nice horse. We don’t know how good he isyet, but it’s just a matter of putting him out there. We’re aware of the horseshe’s going to face this time, and there’s a few horses everybody is high on,and they can improve a lot from one race to another. But so far so good, and we’reexcited to see him run.”
Ferocious breezed in an eye-catching 9.4-second furlong at hissale, but Delgado said the colt’s demeanor was just as important.
“Everybody, not just us, liked this horse, and that’s why wehad to pay that price for our clients,” Delgado said. “Apart from that, he didhave one of the best if not the best breeze for that sale. His physique, hisconformation and family all suggested he was a really nice horse. He’s got aclassy way about him, and when he walks, he’s very elegant.”
Ferocious is out of winning Midnight Lute mare Napier, whois a half-sister to multiple graded-stakes-winning millionaire Obligatory. Hewill exit post 2 in rein to Castellano.
Mentee, in post 7 with John Velázquez, a full brother toTravers (G1) winner Fierceness, will make his stakes debut for owner RepoleStable and for Todd Pletcher. The Hall of Fame trainer has won the Hopeful withCircular Quay in 2006, Shanghai Bobby in 2012, Competitive Edge in 2014 andForte in 2022.
The City of Light colt is out of winning Stay Thirsty mareNonna Bella, who is a half-sister to 2016 Wood Memorial (G1) winner Outwork. Hewas a gate-to-wire winner sprinting five furlongs on June 15 at Belmont at theBig A under Velázquez in a course-record 56.97 seconds. The winning effortregistered an 88 Beyer.
“That horse was gaining on him late, and he maybe got alittle complacent,” Pletcher said. “But he was able to hold on in a veryquickly run race.
Mentee was scheduled to return in the Sanford (G3) on July13 here but was scratched with a fever on the morning of the race. He hasbreezed three times since at the Spa, including a five-eighths effort in 1:01.0over the main track Monday.
“Hopefully missing that time hasn’t compromised him,” Pletchersaid. “It certainly seems like it hasn’t.”
Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown willsaddle Chancer McPatrick, in post 8 with Flavien Prat, and Incentive Pay, inpost 9 with Joel Rosario.
Chancer McPatrick, by McKinzie, debuted in a 6 1/2-furlongmaiden special weight on July 27 at Saratoga. He launched a seven-wide bid fromthe top of the lane to get up and score by one length with a final time of1:17.99. The visually appealing score garnered an 81 Beyer.
"Based on his morning works, I expected him to be amid-pack type of horse if he broke well. But then he got shuffled back andfound himself in a very challenging position early,” Brown said. “I was quiteimpressed with the way he overcame it. Flavien went to plan B and was verypatient, and the horse really came through. It’s his talent that reallyprevailed.”
Chancer McPatrick breezed back three times over the Spa maintrack including a half-mile in 49.0 seconds Sunday.
Incentive Pay, by Volatile, rallied down the rail to capturea six-furlong maiden special weight on July 20 under Rosario at Saratoga. Hescored by a much-the-best 2 1/2 lengths with a final time of 1:12.20. Thewinning effort registered a 68 Beyer.
“I know he’s really got to come forward on his figures. Thereare some fast horses in this race, but he ran early in the meet, and I feel Ionly had the horse 80 percent fit,” Brown said. “I’d never breezed him past ahalf-mile, and I think there's a lot of room for improvement there.”
Studlydoright, in post 6 with Xavier Pérez, won his firsttwo starts for trainer John Robb. He took his 4 1/2-furlong debut by 1 1/2 lengthsin May at Laurel Park before overcoming a bobbled start to rally to a 13/4-length score at Saratoga on June 6 in the listed, 5 1/2-furlong Tremont.
He was bumped at the break last out in the six-furlong Sanford(G3) on July 13 here. He launched his trademark strong late bid to finish onelength behind front-running New York-bred Mo Plex, who exited that event to winthe state-bred Funny Cide.
Studlydoright has worked back twice at Laurel, including asix-furlong effort in 1:14 handily Sunday.
Trainer Dallas Stewart entered Grade 2-placed Smoken Wicked,in post 5 with Tyler Gaffalione, and maiden winner Tough Catch, in post 4 withLuis Sáez. The maiden Innovator, in post 3 with Manny Franco, races for trainerD. Wayne Lukas, who has won the Hopeful a record eight times. First-timestarter Mr. Mendelslew, in post 1 with José Gómez, is a son of Mendelssohn outof dual graded-stakes-winning turf mare Dynaslew.
Scheduled for 5:43 p.m. EDT, the Hopeful is the 10th of 12 racesMonday. The first post is at 12:35 p.m.
2024 Hopeful G1
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start / Next Start | HRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Mr. Mendelslew Mendelssohn | 0.00 | Carlos A. Mancilla Jose A. Gomez | 2024 Hopeful G1 | Entered |
| Next Race | 2024 Hopeful G1 | |||||
| 2 |  | Ferocious Flatter | 5.67 | Gustavo Delgado Javier J. Castellano | 1st, Sar MSW (8/3/24-R6) 2024 Hopeful G1 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 1st, Sar MSW (8/3/24-R6) 2024 Hopeful G1 | |||||
| 3 |  | Innovator Authentic | 0.00 | D. Wayne Lukas Manuel Franco | 2nd, Sar MSW (8/10/24-R1) 2024 Hopeful G1 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 2nd, Sar MSW (8/10/24-R1) 2024 Hopeful G1 | |||||
| 4 |  | Tough Catch Complexity | 0.00 | Dallas Stewart Luis Saez | 1st, Sar MSW (7/13/24-R7) 2024 Hopeful G1 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 1st, Sar MSW (7/13/24-R7) 2024 Hopeful G1 | |||||
| 5 |  | Smoken Wicked Bobby's Wicked One | 5.34 | Dallas Stewart Tyler Gaffalione | 3rd, 2024 Saratoga Special G2 2024 Hopeful G1 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 3rd, 2024 Saratoga Special G2 2024 Hopeful G1 | |||||
| 6 |  | Studlydoright Nyquist | 4.45 | John J. Robb Xavier Perez | 2nd, 2024 Sanford G3 2024 Hopeful G1 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 2nd, 2024 Sanford G3 2024 Hopeful G1 | |||||
| 7 |  | Mentee City of Light | 6.12 | Todd A. Pletcher John R. Velazquez | 1st, Aqu MSW (6/15/24-R7) 2024 Hopeful G1 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 1st, Aqu MSW (6/15/24-R7) 2024 Hopeful G1 | |||||
| 8 |  | Chancer Mcpatrick McKinzie | 0.00 | Chad C. Brown Flavien Prat | 1st, Sar MSW (7/27/24-R7) 2024 Hopeful G1 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 1st, Sar MSW (7/27/24-R7) 2024 Hopeful G1 | |||||
| 9 |  | Incentive Pay Volatile | 6.12 | Chad C. Brown Joel Rosario | 1st, Sar MSW (7/20/24-R7) 2024 Hopeful G1 | Entered |
| Last Race Next Race | 1st, Sar MSW (7/20/24-R7) 2024 Hopeful G1 | |||||
