Blue Tone Will Make Next Start in Donn
Trained by Robert Hess, Jr. for Beverly Engelberg, Schoeder Farms and Jan Steeper, Blue Tone will make his next start in the Donn. The gelded 6-year-old son of multiple Grade 1 winner Birdstone was expected to arrive from Santa Anita Park early Tuesday evening.
The Donn will be the 13th lifetime start for Blue Tone and first outside of southern California. Most recently he was third, beaten two lengths by Grade 1 winner Hoppertunity in the San Pasqual (G2) on January 10.
“The ship is a concern,” Hess said, “but having raced at Gulfstream over the last four winters I’m pretty confident he’ll handle everything and, knowing the horse, I think he’ll handle the shipping as well. But, it is a question mark.”
Veteran jockey Corey Lanerie has been lined up to ride multiple graded stakes-placed Blue Tone in the Donn. Hess said the horse will walk the shedrow under tack on Wednesday and gallop and school Thursday and Friday. Hess was due to arrive Tuesday evening.
“He’s a really honest, really genuine, healthy, hard-trying horse,” Hess said. “He shows up every time, so I’m confident that he’ll love the surface. I’m confident that he’ll get a great trip and a great ride, and we’ll just go from there.”
Source: Gulfstream Park