Pants on Fire Possible for Hal's Hope

Lori and George Hall’s 5-year-old Pants On Fire is a “possible” starter for the $100,000 Hal’s Hope Stakes (G3) to be run Sunday, Jan. 13 at Gulfstream Park, according to trainer Kelly Breen, who is in New York this weekend to run the Halls’ 3-year-old Vegas No Show in the $200,000 Jerome Stakes (G2) Saturday at Aqueduct.

“We just haven’t decided yet,” said Breen of the son of Jump Start, who finished sixth of seven as the odds-on favorite last out in the Delta Mile at Delta Downs in Louisiana Nov. 17. “He acted up in the gate and wasn’t ready for the start. He just galloped around behind the field from there.”

Winner of the 2011 Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds, Pants On Fire finished ninth of 19 behind Animal Kingdom in the Kentucky Derby (G1) in his next start. In his only previous race at Gulfstream he returned from a seven-month layoff to post a very impressive allowance score here on March 3, winning by 4 ½ lengths over Hunter’s Bay while timed the mile in 1:35 1/5.

Cool Blue Red Hot Doubtful for Hal’s Hope

Jim Bakke and Gerry Isbister’s 5-year-old Cool Blue Red Hot, who finished a strong third in the $100,000 Hal’s Hope Stakes (G3) here last year and was beaten 1 ¼ lengths for it all by Jackson Bend, is nearing his first start since then for trainer Angel Penna, Jr. at Palm Meadows.

“He’s doing very well and breezed (Friday) morning,” said Penna. “I haven’t ruled it out (Hal’s Hope), but I’m not sure he’s ready to come back off the layoff in such a tough spot. He pulled muscles in the race last year and it took a long time to heal, but we’re looking forward to him coming back this year.”

A son of Harlan’s Holiday, Cool Blue Red Hot breezed five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 Friday morning at Palm Meadows. He had won a 1 1/16 miles allowance test at Belmont Park in mid-October of 2011 prior to his good try in the Hal’s Hope.