Conquest Two Step Points to San Carlos
Conquest Two Step had been a candidate for the $2 million Golden Shaheen in Dubai on March 28, until trainer Mark Casse called an audible and decided to remain stateside.
Next up for the Florida-bred son of Two Step Salsa is next Saturday’s Grade II, $250,000 San Carlos Stakes for older horses at seven furlongs.
“I like how his numbers keep improving,” said Randi Melton, assistant to Casse for the past five years, referring to Conquest Two Step’s Beyer increases from 81 to 98 to 105 in his last three races, including a 1 ¼-length win in the Grade II Palos Verdes Stakes on Jan. 31.
“Just weigh the options,” Melton said. “If the horse goes to Dubai and everything goes absolutely perfect, we lose two to three months, realistically, with everything going right.
“He’s doing fantastic here, he loves it here, so we’ll keep him home.”
Recently acquired Stellar Wind makes her West Coast debut Saturday when she runs in the Grade III, $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.
The daughter of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin won by eight lengths in her last start at Laurel on Dec. 18.
“We got her after that race and this will be her first in California,” said John Sadler, who trains the chestnut filly for Hronis Racing, LLC. “I’ve worked her three times and she’s doing real well, so we’re looking forward to getting her started.”
Sadler was unconcerned about the forecast of rain this weekend. “Mud won’t bother her,” he said. “The Curlins can handle it.”
The Santa Ysabel: Enchanting Lady, Martin Garcia, 5-2; Achiever’s Legacy, Gary Stevens, 8-1; Rainha Da Bateria, Tiago Pereira, 8-1; Light the City, Kent Desormeaux, 3-1; Rattataptap, Rafael Bejarano, 7-2; Stella Wind, Victor Espinoza, 8-1; and Glory, Drayden Van Dyke, 4-1.
FINISH LINES: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red, scheduled to run in the Santa Anita Derby on April 4, is now due to return to Keith Desormeaux on March 7 rather than March 1 after undergoing swimming rehab for an abscessed foot. “That gives us time for three works before the Derby,” the trainer said . . . Services will be private for former top jockey Jerry Lambert who died Monday at the age of 74. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Lambert’s name to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund . . . Assistant starter Huey Barnes reports that Eugene “Snake” McDaniel, the groom for 1971 Horse of the Year Ack Ack and a former employee of Charlie Whittingham and Ben Cecil, was scheduled to head home today from Country Villa Rehab in Arcadia where he underwent amputation of his right leg due to a blood clot. “He used to rub Ack Ack,” Cecil said, “and he kind of retired 10 years ago, but he didn’t stay retired for very long and came back and helped out around the barn. I went to see him a couple of times and he was in good spirits, but it’s going to take a bit of adjusting.” . . . Due to expected inclement weather Saturday, the Seabiscuit Movie Night in the Paddock following tomorrow’s races has been cancelled . . . There were 403 winning Late Pick 5 tickets sold Sunday, worth $979.50 each . . . Charlie Stutts took a philosophical approach to running 6-year-old gelding Crimson Giant, winner of only a maiden race from 66 starts, in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap next Saturday: “If he gets beat,” the trainer said, “10 minutes later they’ll forget all about him. If he wins, he runs into immortality.”
Source: Santa Anita Stable Notes