Jakaby Jade Ready for Saturday's Surfer Girl Stakes
Jakaby Jade, an English-bred daughter of Royal Applause, seeks her second straight stakes win in the United States when she runs in Saturday’s $100,000 Surfer Girl Stakes for two-year-old fillies at one mile on turf.
The bay filly won the Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar Sept. 7 in her U.S. debut.
“She’s doing great,” said Doug O’Neill, conditioner of Jakaby Jade for Steven Keh and Nick Cosato, who campaigns as Slam Dunk Racing. “We’re hoping she can equal her debut performance for us and if she does, I think we’ve got a big chance.
“We lose (injured Flavien) Prat but we’ve got another great rider in (Rafael) Bejarano, so we’re excited about her chances.”
Jakaby Jade is among the contenders for the Juvenile Fillies Turf at one mile Oct. 30.
The Surfer Girl, the seventh of 10 races: Do the Dance, Tiago Pereira; Stay in Vegas, Alex Solis; Mirage, Tyler Baze; Aguacate, Joe Talamo; Jakaby Jade, Rafael Bejarano; Sooner Time, Mario Gutierrez; Lucky Folie, Gary Stevens; Imflatoutsweet, James Graham; One True Kiss, Victor Espinoza; One Last Shot, Martin Garcia; and Optimism and Hope, Mike Smith.
NEW VENUE FOR FREEDOM HALL IN ZUMA BEACH
Freedom Hall moves from a high-priced maiden sprint win to the $100,000 Zuma Beach Stakes for two-year-olds at one mile on turf Saturday. Mark Glatt feels it’s the best available option right now for the son of Summer Bird, which he owns a share of along with Rodney Orr.
“Once a two-year-old breaks his maiden this time of year, you’re kind of stuck for a spot to run him back,” Glatt said. “He will definitely get the distance; turf is some question, although Joe (Talamo) thinks he’ll handle the turf well.
“He’s ridden him and worked him several times, so he’s got a pretty good feel that he’ll like the grass. It’s an even race. They all kind of look the same to me, so we’ll give it a shot.”
The Zuma Beach, race five of 10: Coach Q, Rafael Bejarano; Getoffmyback, James Graham; Go Long, Kent Desormeaux; Freedom Hill, Joe Talamo; Bully Pulpit, Tiago Pereira; Mighty Moses, Martin Garcia; I’malreadythere, Mike Smith; Phantom Heat, Gonzalo Nicolas; Dressed in Hermes, Gary Stevens; and Lucky Bryan, Iggy Puglisi.
FINISH LINES: Undefeated Nyquist, winner of the Grade I Del Mar Futurity and bound for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Oct. 31, worked four furlongs Friday at Santa Anita in 52 seconds flat, while Land Over Sea, ticketed for the Juvenile Fillies, went the same distance in 51 flat. Both two-year-olds are trained by Doug O’Neill . . . When Poythress posted a 2 ½-length victory inThursday’s fifth race, it marked the fifth win for trainer Dan Hendricks from his last seven starters. “I was two-for-two at Los Alamitos, won the Del Mar Derby with Om, and won two out of four at Santa Anita this meet,” Hendricks said . . . Tomorrow, the first-ever Santa Anita Wings & Beer Festival will be presented on track, featuring a variety of hot wing flavors paired with craft brews. Save $10 by using promo code HOT15 when visiting santaanita.com/events . . . Santa Anita offers special holiday racing this Monday, Columbus Day. It will also be Dollar Day on track with beers, hot dogs and sodas available throughout the day at the bargain price of a buck apiece. The feature race will be the $100,000 California Flag Handicap for California-bred or sired horses, age three and up, at about 6 ½ furlongs on turf.
Source: Santa Anita Park