Mentee rebounded from a stinging loss within the Hopeful Stakes (G1) with a commanding win within the Oct. 4 Futurity Stakes (G3T) at Aqueduct Racetrack that earned the Repole Steady homebred a visit the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
The colt by Metropolis of Mild out of Nonna Bella appeared poised to observe within the tracks of his full brother Fierceness , 2023’s champion 2-year-old colt and a number of grade 1 winner, when he received his racing debut in June in blistering fractions. Mentee acquired derailed, nevertheless, by a gentle case of laminitis. He recovered and began within the Hopeful however pale to sixth after stalking the tempo.
Coach Todd Pletcher stated he’d seen different Metropolis of Mild runners take to the grass, so the colt was aimed to the Futurity the place jockey John Velazquez positioned him proper off the flank of pacesetter Epitaph by means of early fractions of :22.38, :45.36, and :56.88. With a furlong to go, Mentee eased to the lead after which pulled away to win by 3 1/2 lengths. The ultimate time was 1:08.82.
Donegal Racing’s Gate to Wire closed within the ultimate strides to take second by a nostril over Epitaph.
“We felt the timing and the gap of this race suited him properly and it put us able to do about something from right here. I feel loads of choices open up,” stated Pletcher, who added the colt is extra more likely to ship up within the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) than the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Dash (G1T), for which the Futurity was a Breeders’ Cup Problem Sequence: Win and You are In race.
“I will discuss to Mike (Repole) a bit bit, however we truly talked about it earlier than, and we thought if he ran properly it will be a very good bridge to the mile as an alternative of the 5 furlongs. We’ll see,” the coach stated.
Video: Futurity S. (G3T)
La Mehana Rallies for Waya Win
The Waya Stakes (G3T), a 1 3/8-mile race for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up was the opposite graded stakes on the Friday card at Aqueduct. LSU Stables celebrated a last-to-first efficiency within the Waya from its 5-year-old mare La Mehana , who’s educated by Christophe Clement.
La Mehana wins the Waya Stakes
The French stakes winner by Al Wukair , who has been graded-placed twice in her three begins in the US, bided her time behind the pack whereas Klaravich Stables’ Thought Technology took the sphere by means of average fractions of :51.40 and 1:16.96. The actual operating did not begin till the highest of the stretch the place La Mehana had moved up shortly and grabbed the within route alongside the rail. Wathnan Racing’s Immensitude did her finest to problem La Mehana, however the winner proved harder by a neck on the wire. The ultimate time was 2:17.64.
Godolphin homebred Stunning Love took third, whereas 3-5 favourite McKulick was by no means an element and Thought Technology pale to final.
“She’s by no means confirmed that good of a kick earlier than,” stated Clement. “So, I assume if you wait, she exhibits a greater kick. Possibly we discovered one thing. She was at all times very ahead in all her races in Europe—with me, too. At this time, (jockey) Kendrick (Carmouche) was very affected person, he by no means gave up and she or he ran nice.”
