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.