Via TD Thornton
When John Brunetti Sr. The late, colorful and sometimes controversial owner of Hialeah Park and the Red Oak Stable ranching and racing operations, died aged 87 in 2018, his racing director, Rick Sacco , said TDN“He was active until the end [and] this is probably Mr. Brunetti’s best crop of any purebred 2-year-old we’ve ever had. ”
The standout from that ’16 Red Oak foaling that became GISW Mind control (Stay Thirsty), who at the age of six rose more than the $1.5 million earnings mark on Saturday.
Brunetti has never seen the debut of Mind Control or his growth into a nonstop mid-range blender, most recently as evidenced by his refusal to lose 3-10 Hot Rod. his favorite in GIII Salvator Mile S. at Monmouth. Park.
But the third generation of Brunettis, led by sons Steven and John Jr., is charting a path with Mind Control that could bring Red Oak silks (in partnership with Madaket Stables) to human circles. Win the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
Mind Control beat his first at Monmouth on a second try on August 12, 2018, then beat GI Hopeful S. at Saratoga by 10-1 odds in match three.
A troubled seventh in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile going 1 1/16 mile seemed to mark him as a one-turn, and he picked up some lower-tier stakes a mile or so lower in New York. York before starting another 10 -1 felt uncomfortable walking seven feathers at the Spa, this time in the 2019 edition of GI H. Allen Jerkins S.
After starting 2020 with a pair of Level III sprint wins, Mind Control went 0-8 over the next 12 months before Red Oak made a change of coach, from Rick Sacco’s brother Greg Sacco, to be Todd Pletcher. According to reports published at the time, the move was not without some family friction for Saccos.
Reunited with John Velazquez, who piloted Mind Control for his Level I winning pair, the 5-year-old scored first place for Pletcher in the John Nerud S. GII at Belmont Park July 4 2021, then took a reliable fourth place. in GI Forego S. in Saratoga.
By that time last summer, there were enough known qualities of Mind Control to assert that he belonged in the upper echelons of middle distance horses in America. Adjectives such as sound, smart, tenacious, steadfast, professional, hardworking and not afraid to fight have aptly described him.
But Mind Control is often said to still have something to prove. Bettors rarely liked him. Even now, with 26 starts under the belt, he has only made five appearances in his career and not once has he gone on to score in his last 14 appearances, spanning more than two years. .
A sizable setback last summer was that Mind Control was essentially stuck between the gaps when it came to the Breeders’ Cup test. Six furlongs in the GI Sprint seems too short (despite a career 2 to 4 record), and exceeding his sweet spot of seven furlongs (5 to 15) in the Dirt Mile means you have to go two turns in just a second of the time in your life.
However, because Mind Control won and finished second in his only two one-kilometer tests at the Aqueduct in 2019, the distance itself doesn’t seem to be out of his control.
To gauge his affinity for two turns, Red Oak and Pletcher tried Mind Control on the September 25, 2021, Parx Dirt Mile. That experiment came right after the break. Mind Control had a todgy start, caught wide on both turns, and as soon as he made one final panting, far-turn that sent the two leaders reeling, he was immediately caught 4-5 fave attack. Silver status (Spin hard).
Under the full steam, Silver status stretched his conductor to almost full length inside the sixteenth pole and seems to be at home free. But Mind Control, gripped within, bounced back and found its way back to win with a frantic header over the final 50 yards. The result was a 104 in Beyer’s speed – he broke into triple digits for the first time after three times peaking at 99.
A fever knocked Mind Control off the Dirt Mile last year in Del Mar, and he spent the winter recuperating at Red Oak’s ranch in Ocala, where he annually enjoys his paddock. only me.
Starting fresh in ’22, Mind Control had the misfortune of catching two razor-sharp winners in a seven-race race pairing, both of whom were building a three-race winning streak by stake.
On April 9, he was third behind Speakers Corner with Odds in GI Carter H. at the Aqueduct. Then, in the under-GI Kentucky Derby, Mind Control was the fifth non-head-to-head match against ’21 Jackie’s Warrior sprint champions (Music by Maclean) in GI Churchill Downs S.
A trust builder was ordered, and the Salvator Mile on the Jersey coast sought to provide a bit of class relief.
But Mind Control’s day on the beach was hijacked at entry by Hot Rod Charlie, whose connections also activated the Salvator Mile as a highly likely spot after his runner-up attempt at G1 Dubai World Cup three months ago.
Finished third in last year’s Derby and second at GI Belmont S.
Mind Control broke off the rails under the leadership of Johnny V. and was immediately introduced by a shrewd Hot Rod Charlie. But after establishing an early spot near the head of the job, Mike Smith opted to step back with his heavy favorites, sitting in second while keeping Good Mind Control in striking sight, Maintain a pad about 1 3/4 down the back straight behind the measured splits. are: 23.60 and: 23.06 for the first two opening quarters.
At the midpoint of the race, Smith attempted to interact with Hot Rod Charlie again, but Mind Control needed no more than a flick of the wrist from Velazquez to open it back up, this time 3/4 the length.
But in turn, Velazquez hit the duel with a little more urgency while Smith hadn’t even thought of launching Hot Rod Charlie on the field, and the favorite was clearly more motivated as the duo hit their fists. This pair won 1/4 pole.
Moving outside, Hot Rod Charlie asserted himself at the eighth pole, eventually taking the lead.
Then the scene shifts.
Reminiscent of his Lazarus-like claws when tight on the rails in the depths of Parx Mile, Mind Control responded to Johnny V.’s gratuitous urges, gradually backing down on even terms while Hot Rod Charlie continued to roll home without a single thing. log out of your account.
They head to head each other while dashing home in secret until the end of the final sixteenth match, with Mind Control dominating in 1:35.79.
Just like in Parx Mile, Mind Control’s win rate is a big part. By the numbers, the result is the same – another 104 Beyer.
Not a bad attempt on a horse that is said to have gone out of its element for about two turns.
Maybe the public is in need of confidence, not Mind Control.
