Happy Saver-Mystic Guide rematch highlights Saturday’s Suburban

By the New York Hot List Staff // Friday, July 2, 2021

If you enjoyed last year’s Jockey Club Gold Cup, then don’t miss Saturday’s Suburban Stakes at Belmont Park. The pair of 3-year-olds who finished 1-2 in the 2020 Gold Cup will meet again, with each of them bringing far more prestige into the 1 ¼-mile stakes. While last year’s winner, Happy Saver, enters Saturday’s race with a still perfect 5-for-5 record and clout as the defending Gold Cup winner, runner-up Mystic Guide has added a rather compelling line to his resume since last October. Saturday’s race will be his first since winning the $12 million Dubai World Cup, making the Suburban the setting for an extremely lively rematch between two of the top contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Here’s the Hot List picks:

The $400,000 Suburban (G2), Belmont Park, Saturday, Race 10.

(6) Happy Saver has been carefully handled by Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher since he won his first race a little over a year ago. Since then he has remained undefeated in five starts which includes three at Belmont Park. He made his 2021 debut in an allowance race in May. Now, Happy Saver will face Mystic Guide again after beating him in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) when they were 3-year-olds. (4) Mystic Guide is currently the No. 1 ranked horse in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll where I am one of the panel of voters. The Michael Stidham runner won the Razorback Handicap (G3) on a sloppy track in his first start of 2021 and then travelled to Meydan to win the rich purse in the Dubai World Cup (G1). He has been training at Fair Hills in Maryland since that victory back in March. (1) Moretti was third in his initial start of the year in the Brooklyn (G2). This other Pletcher runner was second in the Suburban last year and won the marathon Birdstone at Saratoga. There is no question that he will handle the ten-furlong and will have some run left down the stretch. (2) Informative was the recent longshot winner of the Salvatore Mile (G3) at Monmouth Park at odds of 79-1. Trainer Uriah St. Lewis was also the upset winner of the 2018 Jockey Club GC.

Analysis of the other NY Hot List races and the Special Saturday Pick 3 are available free of charge at this website.