Two-time grade 2 winner Hoist the Gold looks to get back on track June 29 as he drops in class to the listed $250,000 Kelly's Landing Stakes at Churchill Downs.
The son of Mineshaft had a strong finish to the 2023 season with victories in the Oct. 6 Phoenix Stakes (G2) at Keeneland and a superb 4 1/2-length domination in the Dec. 2 Cigar Mile Handicap (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack, defeating eventual Saudi Cup (G1) winner Senor Buscador.
That stellar form has yet to be reproduced in his 5-year-old season. Trainer Dallas Stewart stretched him out to 1 1/8 miles for two of the world's biggest races, the $2,932,700 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) and $20 million Saudi Cup, but he faded in both.
Stewart said the trip to Saudi Arabia was a long trip for Hoist the Gold and maybe took some of the starch out of him when returning to his preferred sprint racing May 4 in the seven-furlong Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) in which he finished fifth. He followed up with a much better performance in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) after pressuring National Treasure throughout and hanging on for third.
"Now we're back here (at Churchill Downs), back at home," Stewart said. "Seems like he's doing fine. I determined we should run and I think he's going to run big."
The class relief should help Hoist the Gold. One year ago on the same weekend, Hoist the Gold dropped into allowance company after seven straight stakes starts, including two consecutive grade 1s right before. The result was a solid 1 3/4-length victory that set him up for the second half of the year.
Since then, Hoist the Gold has competed in nine races, all at grade 1 or 2 level. Each of his last four starts have come in grade 1 company.
When asked if the class drop will help boost the horse's confidence and get him back on track, Stewart said, "it always does, it's a long year."
The end goal for that long year will be another trip to the Breeders' Cup, where Hoist the Gold finished sixth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) last year.
"We're always thinking back to the Breeders' Cup, somehow, some way," Stewart said. "We're trying to find our way back there."
Even though Hoist the Gold gets class relief, it will still be no easy task to win the Kelly's Landing. In his way will be graded stakes winners Anarchist, Ryvit and Tejano Twist and Churchill Downs all-time leading winner Bango.
Although Stewart didn't commit to Hoist the Gold taking the lead, a strategy that proved successful in the Cigar Mile but has yet be employed since returning from Saudi Arabia, he assured that Hoist the Gold will make the pace hot.
"He'll make sure there's some speed, he'll make sure of it," Stewart said.
If Stewart believes in good omens, he got the best one June 26 when he started the closing week at Churchill Downs with an impressive victory from Hoist the Gold's 2-year-old half sister Anakarina.
Out of the winning Tapit mare Tacit Approval, Anakarina is by Spendthrift stallion Vekoma , who is on a hot streak with his first crop. Like Hoist the Gold, Anakarina is a homebred for Dream Team One Racing Stable
Taking after her older brother, Anakarina flashed to the lead in her second start and never looked back in the 4 1/2-furlong maiden event, winning by three lengths.
"She's handy," Stewart said. "I thought she'd do that the first time and just didn't turn out good. She showed up big today. We should have a good roll with her at Saratoga."
Stewart indicated that she would be pointed at a Saratoga Race Course stakes race, but did not say which. Options would include the July 11 Schuylerville Stakes, Aug. 4 Adirondack Stakes (G3), and Aug. 31 Spinaway Stakes (G1).
