The Good Life announced himself as a colt with considerable potential when he posted an impressive 3 1/2-length victory in his debut at Saratoga. On Sunday, the WinStar Farm homebred will face his toughest test yet when he lines up against seven other juveniles in the $300,000 Hopeful Stakes (G1).
The 7-furlong Hopeful, long regarded as the premier closing-day event at Saratoga, has drawn a competitive field featuring a graded stakes winner, several promising maiden winners, and a wealth of early speed that promises to make for a fascinating contest.
Can The Good Life Deliver in the Hopeful?
The Good Life, currently listed at 7-2 on the morning line, is trained by Brad Cox. In his July 18 debut, the colt seized the early lead and never relinquished it, drawing away on the turn before finishing under minimal encouragement from jockey Manny Franco. That performance earned him an 80 Beyer Speed Figure.
“It’s always tough taking that next step,” Cox acknowledged. “You’re usually facing winners, and a lot of them broke their maiden here on this circuit, which is the toughest circuit in the summertime for 2-year-olds. But as long as they are doing well, you have to give them the opportunity.”
Drawing the rail post will likely force Franco to send The Good Life from the gate, as the colt’s natural speed makes him difficult to rate. However, he will not have the front run all to himself.
Booked Installed as 3-1 Morning-Line Choice
Booked, the 3-1 morning-line favorite, enters the Hopeful with the field’s highest Beyer Speed Figure, an 85 earned when he led from start to finish in a six-length victory in the Sanford Stakes (G3). The Steve Asmussen-trained colt subsequently finished second in the Saratoga Special (G2) after pressing a demanding pace of 21.82 and 45.26 seconds. While he could not keep pace with winner Twinkle Town, he finished seven lengths ahead of the remainder of the field.
That prior experience makes Booked the most accomplished runner in the lineup. It also raises legitimate questions about whether another grueling pace—and an additional half-furlong—might compromise his chances.
Flight Command (10-1) and Mystrix (4-1) are both expected to contribute to a fast early tempo.
Flight Command won his debut by 10 lengths before stumbling at the break and finishing a well-beaten last in the Saratoga Special. Trainer Rudy Rodriguez has added blinkers for Sunday’s race, a move that could enhance the focus of a colt who already possesses natural speed.
Mystrix remains a maiden, though not through any lack of talent. The $600,000 son of Good Magic battled through fractions of 21.89 and 44.55 seconds in his debut, gamely fought through the stretch, and was ultimately denied by a head. His 78 Beyer suggests he could be a serious threat if jockey Kendrick Carmouche can prevent him from getting into another speed duel.
The prospect of a contested pace may play to the advantage of Midnight Still (9-2), who displayed greater tactical flexibility when winning his maiden on July 11. The Curlin colt tracked the leaders before taking command and pulling away by 6 1/4 lengths, earning an 80 Beyer. He has continued to train steadily since, highlighted by a bullet half-mile in 47.16 seconds—the fastest of 127 works at Saratoga on Aug. 30.
“He’s a colt that’s always been forward since day one,” said trainer Kinnon LaRose. “The more work he put in and the more he matured, we definitely thought we had a nice colt on our hands.”
Lifesong (5-1), another WinStar homebred by Life Is Good, also offers tactical versatility. He stalked the pace before grinding out a three-quarter-length debut victory at Ellis Park for trainer Will Walden. His 76 Beyer indicates he will need to improve, but his running style may allow him to capitalize if the early leaders begin to falter.
Constant Force (15-1) overcame two stumbles and a 10-length deficit to win his debut in impressive fashion, though his 50 Beyer came against restricted maiden company and represents a significant class and speed-figure challenge.
Post time is scheduled for 5:19 p.m. ET.
The Selections: 1. The Good Life, 2. Booked, 3. Midnight Still
The Field for the $300,000 Hopeful Stakes (G1), from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, and odds:
| # | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Good Life | Manny Franco | Brad H. Cox | 7-2 |
| 2 | High Official | Javier Castellano | Todd A. Pletcher | 8-1 |
| 3 | Booked | Ricardo Santana, Jr. | Steven M. Asmussen | 3-1 |
| 4 | Flight Command | John Velazquez | Rudy R. Rodriguez | 10-1 |
| 5 | Midnight Still | Junior Alvarado | Kinnon LaRose | 9-2 |
| 6 | Constant Force | Dylan Davis | Juan Carlos Avila | 15-1 |
| 7 | Lifesong | Axel Concepcion | William Walden | 5-1 |
| 8 | Mystrix | Kendrick Carmouche | Danny Gargan | 4-1 |
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