Blingo Tops Compact La Puente

Returning to grass footing and dropping in class, Jerry and Ann Moss’s Blingo likely will be a prohibitive favorite among five 3-year-olds in Friday’s $75,000 La Puente Stakes at 1 1/8 miles over Santa Anita’s Camino Real Turf Course.

The gelded son of Artie Schiller won his racing debut by 2 ¼ lengths while going one mile on turf at Hollywood Park last November before finishing sixth in a pair of non-turf stakes, the Grade I CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita’s Grade II San Felipe Stakes on March 10.

Hall of Famer Mike Smith, who has been aboard in all three of Blingo’s starts for trainer John Shirreffs, will once again be in the saddle when the $80,000 yearling purchase attempts to boost his earnings of $57,000.

His opposition includes Tiz Point, Diamond A Racing’s homebred son of Tiznow, who pressed the early pace in the San Felipe before fading to eighth in the field of 10. Rafael Bejarano rides the bay colt trained by Richard Mandella. Tiz Point has earned $72,440 from a 2- 1- 1 record in seven starts.

The complete field for the La Puente Stakes, with jockeys and weights in post position order: Buffalo Billy, David Flores, 116; Blingo, Mike Smith, 118; Tiz Point, Rafael Bejarano, 120; Captain Obvious, Mario Gutierrez, 116, and Vibrato Jazz, Joel Rosario, 118.