Santa Anita: In 3rd straight win, Stay Hot scores in Pasadena

Stay Hot made it three stakes wins in a row Saturday with another narrow victory in the $100,000 Pasadena Stakes at Santa Anita.

Dispatched as the even-money favorite, Stay Hot and jockey Antonio Fresu prevailed by a head over Guy Named Joe (3-1) in the one-mile turf test for 3-year-olds.

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Lord Bullingdon (3-1) finished another three-quarters of a length back in third with Island Cruiser, who set the pace under Hector Berrios, checking in last.

Trained by Peter Eurton, Stay Hot previously won the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille by a neck when going a mile on turf at Del Mar on Dec. 3. Most recently on Feb. 17, Stay Hot sprinted down the Santa Anita hillside turf course in the Baffle Stakes and rallied to win by a head.

“He makes it really exciting,” Eurton said from the winner’s circle.

Stay Hot tracked Island Cruiser in second while racing two wide as Guy Named Joe and Juan Hernandez saved ground on the rail in the second flight with Lord Bullingdon.

At the top of the stretch, four horses were lined up across the track in a drive to the wire. Both Stay Hot and Guy Named Joe would emerge from the scrum with the former coming out on top.

Following the scratch of Uncle Truly, there was no show wagering for the Pasadena. Stay Hot paid $4.00 and $2.60 for the popular victory with Guy Named Joe, trained by Doug O’Neill, returning $3.20 to place.

Stay Hot is a is a 3-year-old ridgling by Summer Front out of the Smart Strike mare Etsu. Exline-Border Racing purchased Stay Hot for $130,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky select yearling sale. Exline-Border campaigns Stay Hot with partners Burns Racing, SAF Racing, the estate of Brereton C. Jones and William Hudock.

Stay Hot improved to 7: 4-0-1 with $236,940 in earnings.

Fractions for the race were 22.97, 47.88, 1:12.15 and 1:23.80.