Expert Pick of the Week: 2022 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes

Sep 01, 2022 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

A strong field of eight will travel 1 1/4 miles over the Saratoga main surface in Saturday’s ultra-competitive $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup S. (G1). Conditioner Todd Pletcher has four of the contenders in the cast, and I will side with one of his entrants in the historic race.

2021 Cigar Mile (G1) star Americanrevolution has put in a pair of solid runs this season and could be ready for a peak effort while making his third start off the layoff. He is the Expert Pick of the Week.

By Constitution, the relatively lightly raced colt was fantastic last season when compiling a 6-5-0-1 mark, which included a strong tally in his lone prior run at Saratoga. The chestnut colt was a credible third in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) as a sophomore prior to capping his three-year-old season with his biggest win to date at Aqueduct.

Following an even fourth in the Blame S. at Churchill Downs to commence his four-year-old campaign, the Empire State-bred ran a good one when a clear runner-up in the Stephen Foster S. (G2) beneath the Twin Spires. The WinStar color bearer has posted a handful of solid drills on the main surface at The Spa and should be poised for a big showing against this fine field. The top pick has very good tactical speed and should be in the mix from the opening bell on Saturday. Joel Rosario picks up the mount atop the $275,000 yearling purchase.

Bill Mott’s Olympiad had his five-race win streak snapped when fourth in the Whitney S. (G1) last time out, but the standout son of Speightstown could easily rebound with a smart performance in his third off the short absence. The Kentucky-bred picked up a trio of Grade 2 victories this year but is still in search of an elusive Grade-1 trophy, and he could be up to the task in this one.

Olympiad was easily best when defeating my top selection in the Stephen Foster (G2) two back, and if he gets the jump on that one again in this spot, then he will be tough to reel in with his best performance. The bay will track the pace from second early on with regular rider Junior Alvarado in the silks.

An exacta with #5 Americanrevolution on top of #2 Olympiad in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes is the Best Bet of the Week.