Trainer Josie Carroll, who was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2019, will send out a pair of strong contenders in Tyson and Duke of Love in the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) Sept. 2 at Saratoga Race Course. The 1 1/4-mile test for 3-year-olds and up offers a "Win and You're In" berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park.
Though Carroll races sparingly at Saratoga, starting the bulk of her horses at Woodbine in the summer, Carroll teamed up with Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame jockey Robert Landry to win the 2009 Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga with the flashy gray Careless Jewel, who entered on a trio of front-running wins, topped by a score in the Delaware Oaks (G2).
Now she brings another streaking horse to the Spa—the hard-hitting Tyson.
Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and Stretch Run Ventures' Kentucky homebred 4-year-old son of Tapit has raced exclusively on synthetic surfaces, entering from a pair of wins over Tapeta at Woodbine with a rallying effort in the 1 1/8-mile Dominion Day Stakes (G3) July 1 and a prominent score in the 1 1/16-mile Seagram Cup Stakes (G2) July 29.
Tyson has won four of five starts, graduating in March 2022 over the Gulfstream Park synthetic while in the care of Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. He was later transferred to Carroll and captured an optional claiming route in May at Woodbine while racing from a more than one-year layoff. His lone non-winning effort came when third in June in the 1 1/16-mile Eclipse Stakes (G2) at Woodbine.
Tyson has breezed on dirt over the winter in Florida, but has worked exclusively over Woodbine's Tapeta surface in preparation for the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He trained over dirt Aug. 31 at Saratoga under exercise rider Tyler Gaskin.
"He breezed all winter on dirt at Payson Park and he handled it well," Carroll told track publicity. "I'm pretty comfortable with the way he gets across it, but you don't know until you run. He trained here this morning and my exercise rider said he dragged him around there."
Tyson is out of the Smart Strike mare Honouring—a full sister to grade 1 winner Streaming as well as being a half sister to Modeling, whose fifth foal is this year's Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1) winner Arcangelo . His third dam, Better Than Honour, produced grade 1 winner Jazil and Hall of Famer Rags to Riches, who both won the Belmont Stakes in 2006 and 2007, respectively.
Manny Franco has the call from post 6 aboard Tyson, who is listed at 5-1 on the morning line.
Her other Jockey Club Gold Cup starter is My Racehorse's Duke of Love, bred in Ontario by Caldara Farm, Patrick Costello, David Whitford, and Tom Zwiesler. The 4-year-old Cupid colt boasts a record of 4-1-0 from 12 starts and has earned $443,817. He is a perfect 2-for-2 on dirt with wins over a muddy and sealed main track in last year's 1 3/16-mile Prince of Wales Stakes—the middle leg of the Canadian Triple Crown at Fort Erie—and a last-out score in the 1 1/16-mile West Virginia Governor's Stakes (G3) over a good main track Aug. 6 at Mountaineer Racetrack Casino & Resort.
Luis Contreras, who captured the 2017 Schuylerville Stakes (G3) at Saratoga with Dream It Is, will guide Duke of Love from post 7 with a 15-1 morning line assessment. The multiple Sovereign Award-winning jockey has ridden Duke of Love through his past two outings.
"Luis seems to get along really well with Duke of Love," Carroll said. "He runs with his head a little high, a little cocked. Luis throws his head away and the horse seems really comfortable running for him."
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
