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Thumb_grening David Grening , Churchill Downs , 10/15/2018 - DRF Live Posted : Oct 15, 2018, 2:35 PM

BC Juvenile jockey shuffle: Velazquez on Code of Honor; Irad on Mind Control

John Velazquez, who rode Mind Control to victory in the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga, will ride Code of Honor in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs while Irad Ortiz Jr. has picked up the mount on Mind Control.

Velazquez had ridden Code of Honor to a debut victory on Aug. 18 at Saratoga. Velazquez was scheduled to ride Mind Control in the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland on Oct. 6, the same day Code of Honor ran in the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont.

Mind Control was scratched the morning of the Futurity due to a temperature. Eric Cancel rode Code of Honor to a second-place finish in the Champagne after stumbling at the start.

Angel Cordero Jr., agent for Velazquez, said he wasn't sure what the plans were going to be for Mind Control so he sought out trainer Shug McGaughey to get back on Code of Honor.

Irad Ortiz Jr. rode Call Paul to a third-place finish in the Champagne. Call Paul is not being pointed to the Juvenile.

"Irad, in my opinion, is a younger version of Johnny," said Greg Sacco, trainer of Mind Control. "You can't go wrong with a dynamic, young rider who has ridden for us in the past and won for us."

Mind Control returned to the worktab Sunday at Monmouth Park, breezing five furlongs in 1:02.20 according to Sacco. Mind Control will breeze twice more at Monmouth before shipping to Kentucky on Oct. 29, Sacco said.

 

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