The Good Life looks to hit it rich in G1 Spendthrift Farm Hopeful

WinStar Farm, First Go Racing and CHC’s The Good Life steps up off a dominant first-out maiden victory for his stakes debut in Sunday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Spendthrift Farm Hopeful, a seven-furlong sprint for juveniles, at Saratoga Race Course.

The Good Life was visually-impressive in his win on July 18 here, leading at every point of call while never in doubt under Manny Franco to coast home 3 1/2-lengths in front in the six-furlong maiden event, earning an 80 Beyer Speed Figure in victory. The sixth-place finisher Let Em Know came back to win by a head when switched to the turf on August 16 here.

The homebred for WinStar Farm is trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, who said The Good Life’s performance earned him a shot in top company.

"It’s always tough taking that next step. 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,” Cox said. "I expected him to run well. I thought it was a good maiden, but he's a nice colt and has been solid every week. He gave us confidence early on to start thinking, 'this is going to be a Saratoga horse,' and he was."

The Good Life is out of the Speightstown mare First Hour, a half-sister to graded stakes-winners Chace City and Justwhistledixie, the latter the dam of four graded stakes-winners that include Grade/Group 1-winners New Year’s Day and Enforceable.

Manny Franco rides from the inside post.

The same ownership will also be represented by Hopeful contender Lifesong [post 7, Axel Concepcion], a stalk-and-pounce winner of his July 26 unveiling at Ellis Park for conditioner Will Walden. Lifesong, who is also a WinStar homebred son of Life Is Good, earned a 76 Beyer for the determined three-quarter-length score, and compliments his fellow color-bearer with a more patient running style. He is out of the Grade 3-winning Hard Spun mare Hard Legacy.

The graded stakes-winning Booked [post 3, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] competed in Saratoga’s two graded events for dirt juveniles this summer, and will look to stick the landing on Sunday for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

The son of former Asmussen pupil Yaupon enters from a well-beaten second to Twinkle Town in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2 Saratoga Special on August 1 here, pressing that foe through splits of 21.82 seconds and 45.26 over the fast footing before being outfooted into the stretch and keeping on willingly for the minor awards. It was a further seven lengths back to How’s Al Today, who exited that effort to win a turf allowance over the same distance on August 29 at Kentucky Downs.

Campaigned by Jackpot Farm, Alvin Fults, Jason Itkin and Michael Smith, Booked graduated at second asking in a local 5 1/2-furlong maiden ahead of a six-length wiring of the six-furlong Grade 3 Sanford in his stakes bow on July 4, earning a field-best 85 Beyer in victory.

Bred in Indiana by Peace Of Heaven Thoroughbreds, Booked, a $325,000 purchase at the 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale out of the Competitive Edge mare Fingerprint, is a half-brother to dual stakes-placed Zadorsky.

Double Down Horse Racing will also be represented by a formidable last-out maiden winner in Midnight Still [post 5, Junior Alvarado], who trounced a local 5 1/2 furlong sprint on July 11 under Flavien Prat for conditioner Kinnon LaRose.

The son of Curlin stalked in third through the early stages in the five-horse field, and was push-button when asked for his run entering the turn, drawing off with ease to win by 6 1/4 lengths and earn an 80 Beyer, a one-point improvement from his number earned for a first-out third going five furlongs in June at Churchill Downs.

Midnight Still has worked steadily at Saratoga since, including a half-mile bullet in 47.16 seconds over the main track on August 30, the fastest of 127 works at that distance on the day.

“He broke his maiden the second weekend of Saratoga and then we gave him some space in between races,” LaRose said. “He’s been on a steady work pattern and has worked well for us. It’s certainly a big step up into Grade 1 company, but we think he’s doing well and deserves a shot in there.”

Midnight Still was a $350,000 purchase at the 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the winning Malibu Moon mare More Moonshine, a full-sister to dual Grade 1-winner Moonshine Memories.

“He’s a colt that’s always been forward since Day One when we got him,” LaRose said. “He was the first 2-year-old we ran and we always liked him. The more work he put in and the more he matured, we definitely thought we had a nice colt on our hands and he definitely rewarded us early in the meet here. He’s doing well and we’re excited for Sunday.”

Robert and Lawana Low’s High Official [post 2, Javier Castellano] was a deep-closing winner of his debut on July 26 here, and faces both a new surface and distance in the Hopeful off his victory in a 1 1/16-mile turf maiden for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

The Not This Time colt is out of the American Pharoah mare Sweet Melania, a three-time graded stakes-winner on turf for these connections. Last out, he was eight lengths back in fourth through the first quarter-mile, and willingly improved position before swinging five-wide for his rally and edging clear to the two-length score under Flavien Prat.

A win with the bay colt would provide Pletcher with his sixth victory in this event, following past scores with Circular Quay [2006], Shanghai Bobby [2012], Competitive Edge [2014], Forte [2022] and Ted Noffey [2025].

High Official has worked back three times over the local main track, topped by a five-furlong move in 1:00.74 on August 21. He is cross-entered on the turf in Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 With Anticipation here.

Completing the field are Flight Command [post 4, John Velazquez, blinkers ON], an open-lengths debut winner that looks to rebound from a distant last-of-6 finish after stumbling at the start in the Saratoga Special for trainer Rudy Rodriguez; first-up maiden-winner Constant Force [post 6, Dylan Davis], who rallied from 10 lengths back to win in restricted company on August 7 here for trainer Juan Avila; and the maiden Mystrix [post 8, Kendrick Carmouche], who was defeated by a head in his August 8 debut for conditioner Danny Gargan.

The Hopeful is slated as Race 10 on Sunday’s 12-race program, which includes the Grade 3 Prioress in Race 4 and Disco Partner in Race 11. First post is 12:05 p.m. Eastern. 

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