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Happy Saver Set for Bounce Back in Gold Cup

Six runners line up in the $1 million feature

Big money is on offer in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga on Saturday, which features the likes of Happy Saver, Forza Di Oro, and Max Player.

Betting online markets have Happy Saver the slight favorite over Forza Di Oro, and despite only six runners lining up, it is one of the highlight races of the Saratoga summer.

Happy Saver with Irad Ortiz Jr up wins the Maiden prior
Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP

Conditions Suit for Happy Saver

The Todd Pletcher-trained 4-year-old entered the Suburban Handicap with five consecutive wins, but the sloppy conditions didn’t help.

He finished third behind Max Player and Mystic Guide, which is still an excellent form guide for the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Pletcher was happy with the performance, all things considered.

“I don’t think he ran that badly on an off-track last time,” Pletcher told The Paulick Report. The way the race unfolded, going a mile and a quarter at Belmont and drawing the outside is never a good thing.

“I thought he ran well all things considered. He kept closing and it was only his second start of the year, so hopefully, he moves forward.”

With a record of five wins from six starts, we’re not surprised horse racing betting markets have Happy Saver on top. He is the defending Jockey Club Gold Cup champion, and that experience can’t be overlooked.

He got the better of Mystic Guide and Tacitus in last year’s running, and they’re not running this year. However, he will have to see off challenges from Max Player and Forza Di Oro.

Forza Di Oro Facing Class Rise

The 4-year-old colt has won his last three races but faces a rise in class after winning at allowance level at Saratoga last start.

He is a son of Speightstown who scored a win in the Grade III Discovery Handicap at Aqueduct, so he has experience racing in stakes grade. However, it’s a sharp rise in class against the likes of Happy Saver and Max Player.

The sportsbook believes Forza Di Oro has a good chance to win. He’s on the second line of betting, and trainer William Mott is confident he can measure up.

“He’s doing well,” Mott said. “He keeps coming back. He’s training well and he does enough where you can get him ready. Right now everything’s good.

“He’s never been a mile and a quarter, but we think he’ll be fine at it,” Mott said about the distance. “We’ll give it a try.”

His toughest test to date came in the Grade II Remsen at Aqueduct where he finished well down the field. He has matured since, so bettors should forgive that effort and stick with him.

Max Player is Worth a Play

Class is with Max Player, who won the Grade II Suburban Handicap when beating Mystic Guide and Happy Saver.

The sportsbook has the son of Honor Code well in the market and scoring back-to-back wins wouldn’t be a shock.

He had gone without a win for six starts until breaking through at Belmont, but he hasn’t been facing easy opposition. Max Player ran in the 2020 Belmont Stakes, Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Travers Stakes.

Having experience in those races holds him in good stead, and his third placing Tiz the Law in the Belmont and Travers showed how good he is.

He holds a nomination for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup would see his odds firm considerably.

We wouldn’t be leaving Max Player out of selections.

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