all in The Sport

Tom Pedulla offers takeaways from a huge Labor Day racing weekend highlighted by a pair of $1 million races, the FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic Stakes Saturday at Del Mar and the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes Sunday at

Chancer McPatrick unleashed a powerful late rally down the middle of the track to edge Ferocious at the wire and win the $300,000 Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes Sept. 2 on closing day at Saratoga Race Course.

Here’s a question to ponder: Suppose that you’re an up-and-coming young jockey, not yet 25 years old and less than a decade into your career. Out of the blue, you’re called upon to ride arguably the greatest horse of all time in the final start of his illustrious career. Could you handle the pressure?

It sounds like something out of a movie, but for jockey Edward “Eddie” Maple, this opportunity was real. And for the record, Maple did handle the pressure, which was arguably the turning point in what would become a legendary Hall of Fame riding career.

Highland Falls, a Brad Cox-trained Godolphin homebred turned-in a decisive victory in the $1 million Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes going 1 1/4 miles on Sept.

Mixto always showed trainer Doug O'Neill that he had ability, but the 4-year-old colt had never put it together enough to stand in the winner's circle more than once in 13 prior tries.

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