Sharp debut winner Run Away rates top billing in Santa Anita Juvenile

An impressive first-out maiden winner here on May 26, Kaleem Shah’s Run Away rates top billing among a field of six 2-year-olds in Monday’s $100,000 Santa Anita Juvenile at 5 ½ furlongs. Trainer Kristin Mulhall’s Sir Valentine, who broke sharply and never looked back in a big first-out win versus statebreds, and Peter Redekop’s Argosy Fleet, who won with deceptive ease at first asking, also rate huge chances as they try to ascend the Southern California 2-year-old ladder. Originally named the Hollywood Juvenile, it was first run at Hollywood Park in 1938 and will be contested for the 78th time on Monday.

RUN AWAY: A $325,000 Barrett’s March 2-year-old in Training Sale purchase, he was the 3-5 favorite in his maiden voyage and responded with an emphatic 2 ¼ length win while getting 4 ½ furlongs in 52.20 under Flavien Prat. Equally impressive was the way in which he galloped out. As convincing as his victory was, his connections toyed with the idea of running him next on turf at Royal Ascot and consequently opted to ship him to Keeneland, where he breezed a half mile on grass June 11. According to Callaghan, the decision was then made that he indeed is better suited to the main track, so following an additional half mile breeze on dirt at Keeneland, Run Away returned to Santa Anita and breezed a handy five furlongs on June 25 in 1:01.40.

SIR VALENTINE: Trained, bred and owned by her Twilight Racing, LLC, Kristin Mulhall “has ’em surrounded” with this talented California-bred colt by Heat Shield, a California-based son of Distorted Humor. Out of Mulhall’s Horsesanddivorces (by Popular), Sir Valentine drew the rail in his debut versus state breds on May 6 and fairly aired by 2 ¼ lengths over a tight wet fast surface, covering 4 ½ furlongs in a rapid 51.40. Ridden by Martin Pedroza, Sir Valentine was flattered by the fact runner-up Cono came back to win his next start for trainer Michael McCarthy and has also been entered in Monday’s Juvenile. Although impressive in his debut, Sir Valentine will be taking a significant raise in class as he’ll be facing talented open company.

ARGOSY FLEET: Trained by Eddie Truman, this Kentucky-bred colt by Mineshaft sold for $250,000 at the Ocala Breeders March 2-year-old in Training Sale and validated the investment with a solid head win going 4 ½ furlongs here on May 12—a race in which he was ridden with supreme confidence by Kent Desormeaux. Favored at 8-5, he held off the late charge of next-out winner Runaway Ghost while in-hand. With Truman and Desormeaux once again on the same lineup card, Argosy Fleet would appear to have ample upside and thus rates a huge chance as he stretches out to 5 ½ furlongs.

BIG BOY CANDY: The 7-5 favorite in an open $50,000 maiden claimer at five furlongs here on June 4, this Kentucky-bred colt by Twirling Candy broke a bit slow, was jostled early, but quickly asserted his superiority en route to an 8 ¼ length tally. Purchased for $35,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, Big Boy Candy was claimed out of his debut win for $50,000 by trainer Alfredo Marquez, who worked him five furlongs out of the gate June 24 in 1:00.40, which was 10th fastest of 70 drills at the distance. Big Boy Candy takes a big step up on Sunday for owner Robert T. Cannon.

CONO: Trained by Michael McCarthy, he was second in his debut May 6 to Sir Valentine and came back to defeat nine state breds going five furlongs by 2 ¼ lengths on June 16. A Kentucky-bred ridgeling by Lucky Pulpit, out of the Cowboy Cal mare Cashmere, Cono is owned by his breeders, John and Diane Fradkin and will be ridden for the third time in a row by Joe Talamo.

THE $100,000 SANTA ANITA JUVENILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 5 of 9 Approximate post time 3 p.m. PT

1. Cono—Joe Talamo--122

2. Big Boy Candy—Tyler Baze--120

3. Argosy Fleet—Rafael Bejarano--122

4. Run Away—Flavien Prat—122

5. Sir Valentine—Martin Pedroza—122

6. Encumbered—Mario Gutierrez--118