Jerome Stakes Study Guide
Dec 31, 2018 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com
Six newly turned three-year-olds will kick off the season in the $150,000 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct on Tuesday. The January 1 headliner is part of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series, with the top four finishers earning points on a 10-4-2-1 basis.
Here is the cast:
DIRECT ORDER
Direct Order Career Racing Stats
4 Starts
2 Wins
1 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $73,650
Owner: Ara Aprahamian
Breeder: Gary and Mary West
Trainer: Jason Servis
Jockey: Jose Lezcano
Sire: New Year’s Day
Dam: Spicy Devine
Color: Bay
Top BRIS Speed rating (95) in maiden and allowance win
Colt has shown nice improvement with a pair of wins in succession leading up to his stakes debut. Kentucky-bred draws well inside for his route bow for a conditioner coming off of a superb 2018. Late runner has shown a strong burst in the stretch in his last pair and might relish the extra ground. Direct Order comes in with a bullet five-furlong move over the Belmont training surface.
FAMILY BIZ
Family Biz Career Racing Stats
4 Starts
1 Wins
2 Place
1 Show
Total Career Earnings: $72,500
Owner: Danny Chen et al’s
Breeder: Alex and JoAnn Lieblong
Trainer: Edward Barker
Jockey: Dylan Davis
Sire: Fed Biz
Dam: I’mclassyandsassy
Color: Dark Bay
Top BRIS Speed rating (92) earned in maiden win
Recent maiden graduate broke through in an initial run with Lasix and jumps right into the stakes ranks in an aggressive move. Sophomore has shown consistency in finishing in the money in each of his four appearances to date. Kentucky-bred is cut out to get the trip and figures to make one run from off the pace today.
MIND CONTROL
Mind Control Career Racing Stats
4 Starts
2 Wins
1 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $240,900
Owner: Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables, LLC
Breeder: Red Oak Stable
Trainer: Gregory Sacco
Jockey: John Velazquez
Sire: Stay Thirsty
Dam: Feel That Fire
Color: Bay
Top BRIS Speed rating (94) earned in maiden race
Hopeful Stakes (G1) hero was never a factor in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and gets some class relief in his 2019 debut. Speedy colt missed the break at Churchill Downs but has shown his class and looks ready for big improvement with Velazquez coming back to ride him for the second time. Kentucky-bred colt will be on the lead or in close attendance from the start.
OUR BRAINTRUST
Our Braintrust Career Racing Stats
3 Starts
2 Wins
1 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $136,640
Owner: Cathal Lynch and Stanton Smith, Jr.
Breeder: Barak Farm
Trainer: Cathal Lynch
Jockey: Jorge Vargas, Jr.
Sire: Freud
Dam: Caller Trust
Color: Dark Bay
Top BRIS Speed rating (88) earned in Maryland Juvenile Stakes
Maryland-bred colt has improved with every run to date and stretches out for the initial time. Tremont S. victor was a clear stakes second most recently and comes in with a swift :47 4/5 bullet drill at Laurel in anticipation of his third stakes try. Colt likes to stalk and pounce in the lane and could get a nice pace set-up in this spot.
GATES OF DAWN
Gates of Dawn Career Racing Stats
2 Starts
1 Wins
1 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $36,000
Owner: Leonard Green
Breeder: William Schettine
Trainer: John Servis
Jockey: Frankie Pennington
Sire: Arch
Dam: Rosa Salvage
Color: Dark Bay
Top BRIS Speed rating (92) earned in maiden race
$425,000 two-year-old purchase looked the part in a convincing maiden triumph at Parx in advance of today. First foal out of a stakes heroine brings big early speed to the fray and shows a bullet five-eighths morning move to ready for his stakes debut. Kentucky-bred will be first or second from the opening bell today.
SOUPER JACKPOT
Souper Jackpot Career Racing Stats
3 Starts
1 Wins
1 Place
0 Show
Total Career Earnings: $53,984
Owner: Live Oak Plantation
Breeder: Live Oak Stud
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
Sire: Ghostzapper
Dam: Slewfoundmoney
Color: Dark Bay
Top BRIS Speed rating (102) earned in Smooth Air Stakes
Rapidly improving colt was a smart maiden winner two prior and finished a neck short last time out in the Smooth Air Stakes. Florida-bred is kin to some very good ones, including millionaire Awesome Slew, and continues to train forwardly in preparation of a second stakes try. Colt draws well outside and will be forcing the tempo from the early stages of this test.
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