Keen eyes Del Mar success with a pair of one-eyed runners
Trainer Dallas Keen had experiences at Lone Star Park in Texas recently that make for top-rate story telling around the backstretch here, or anywhere else the widely-travelled veteran may be stationed.
Within a nine-day period, Keen saddled two one-eyed horses to win races. One from the No. 1 post.
“I don’t know of anybody else who’s done that,” Keen said Thursday from horseback at his Del Mar stable area.
Aglimpseofgabby, a 5-year-old gelded son of Tapit started it with a 5 ¼-length, wire-to-wire go in a June 23 allowance. Then on July 2, Iron Alex, a son of Unbridled’s Heart, won his career debut by 1 ¾ lengths.
Aglimpseofgabby is entered in the sixth race on the Four O’Clock Friday program. Iron Alex will run later in the meeting.
Neither horse was born without a right eye, but the circumstances in which they were lost remain uncertain. Aglimpseofgabby came to the Keen stable that way and Iron Alex got injured playing rough with a contemporary in a pasture and the eye couldn’t be saved.
“They’ve both adapted very well, they don’t act like there’s anything wrong,” said Donna Keen, wife and assistant to Dallas. “You just have to treat them a little differently, spend a little more time with them and never get rough with them on the side where they can’t see. But they do just fine.”
Aglimpseofgabby has two wins in eight career starts, six in Louisiana and two at Gulfstream Park. The horse was considered an “outlaw,” Donna Keen said, for antics that resulted in being shuffled from trainer to trainer and being ruled off at Louisiana Downs. He attempted to buck Dallas Keen off several times after arriving at the stable, but the “project” has become a favorite of late.
Iron Alex showed potential in his debut and his next start here could be something of a litmus test.
It’s been three years since the Keens brought a string to Del Mar for the summer meeting and, Donna said, they’re glad to be back.
“We went to Gulfstream Park one summer and we went to Canterbury Downs one summer, but there’s no place like Del Mar,” she said. “With the (Ship and Win program) incentives, I don’t see how you can’t love it. We plan on coming back in the fall.
“It’s fun being around the better horses and better horsemen and they treat you so well here.
SIRCAT SALLY TOPS FIELD OF NINE IN SUNDAY’S SAN CLEMENTE
Sircat Sally, undefeated in seven career starts, the last three at the graded stakes level, faces eight rivals in Sunday’s featured Grade II $200,000 San Clemente Handicap.
A 3-year-old, California-bred daughter of Surf Cat bred and owned by Joe L. Turner, Sircat Sally is trained by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer.
Three of the filly’s wins have been recorded at the one-mile distance on turf of the San Clemente since she was switched to the grass for all five of her races in 2017. Sircat Sally won her racing debut last November 20 at six furlongs on the main track here.
The field, from the rail: Noted and Quoted (Martin Garcia, 8-1), Storm the Hill (Kent Desormeaux, 12-1), Lull (Brian Hernandez, Jr., 7-2), Enthrall (Rafael Bejarano, 5-1), Kenda (Tyler Baze, 15-1), Spy Ring (Victor Espinoza, 12-1), Sircat Sally (Drayden Van Dyke, 8-5) and Blame It On Alphie (Flavien Prat, 6-1).
CBS’ CHARLIE ROSE DUE HERE FOR ARROGATE FEATURE ON 60 MINUTES
Preceded by a camera crew Friday morning, venerable television newsman Charlie Rose was scheduled to arrive in the afternoon to work on a segment on Arrogate for CBS’ 60 Minutes program that will likely air the week before the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar on November 3-4.
Noted for his insightful interviews, Rose’s itinerary called for getting together with trainer Bob Baffert on Friday afternoon and being close at hand for Saturday’s TVG San Diego Handicap.
ARROGATE POSTER GIVEAWAY SET SATURDAY
Posters commemorating Arrogate’s appearance will be given away Saturdaywhile supplies last. They will be distributed when the gates open at noon from inside the first floor Stretch Run area adjacent to the “Across the Board” concession stand and at the east end on the first floor of the Clubhouse section. Signs will direct patrons to both locations.
CLOSERS – Jockey Mike Smith has one mount on Saturday’s card – Arrogate. He’ll then make the cross-country trip to New York and the Saratoga Race Course to guide Kentucky Oaks winner Abel Tasman in the Coaching Club American Oaks … Arrogate’s am: backtracked to just short of the one-eighth pole then galloped 1 5/8th miles under exercise rider Dana Barnes … Boxing sensation Canelo Alvarez, training in San Diego for his challenge of Gennady Golovkin for the middleweight championship on September 16 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, made a stop at the track for some filming for the HBO program 24-7 that is following him leading up to the bout. Alvarez said he did seven miles of road work before coming to Del Mar and had two more workouts to do later in the day … Selected workouts from 177 officially timed Friday morning: Ocho Ocho Ocho (3f, :36.80), Danzing Candy (4f, :49.20), Excavation (5f, :59.00) and Frank Conversation (5f, 1:01.00).
Source: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club