Texas Red Puts in Strong, 'Eventful Work'
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red, a finalist for an Eclipse Award tonight at Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino as Outstanding Male 2-year-old of 2014, worked six furlongs from the gate Saturday morning as he prepares for his 3-year-old debut in the Grade II San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs on Feb. 1.
“He had a nice, strong, eventful work,” said trainer Keith Desormeaux, who gave his brother, three-time Kentucky Derby winner, Kent, a leg up for the drill, which was clocked in 1:14, handily, considerably quicker than last Saturday’s six furlong gate work of 1:17.80.
“Some horse joined the group at the half-mile pole and made it more exciting,” Keith said of today’s escapade. “My horse finished real strong; this gets us where we want to be.”
Asked about the two works from the gate, Desormeaux said, “It was just a way to pick his head up. The first work was slow, so this was more to re-familiarize him with the gate.
“Today was the real thing.”
GRAZEN’S HOPE WORKS FOR CAL CUP SPRINT
Grazen’s Hope, prepping for the $150,000 California Cup Sprint next Saturday, worked six furlongs on a refreshingly warm Saturday morning in 1:12 flat for trainer Steve Miyadi.
“He worked great,” said Miyadi, who conditions the 4-year-old gray son of Grazen for owner/breeder Nick Alexander.
Exercise rider Jacinto Munoz was aboard for the drill. “He works all my horses,” Miyadi said. “He does a great job.”
Miyadi also plans to run “Miracle Horse” Tough Sunday in the $250,000 California Cup Derby at a mile and a sixteenth, against unbeaten and unchallenged monster Acceptance.
Tough Sunday, also a son of Grazen owned and bred by Alexander, broke his maiden by 6 ¾ lengths going seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Dec. 28.
Heaven’s Stairway, winner of four of her last five races for trainer Marty Jones, worked four furlongs in a bullet 46.20 for the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint at about 6 ½ furlongs. Corey Nakatani was aboard for the workout.
Join NTRA President and CEO Alex Waldrop and NTRA lobbyist Greg Means of The Alpine Group at Santa Anita Park on the morning of Cal Cup Day next Saturday, Jan. 24, for a federal legislative briefing.
This one-hour event begins at 10:30 a.m. and features updates on federal legislation that will impact horse racing and breeding and an insider’s view of the new Congress. Waldrop and Means also will take questions. The briefing is open to the public.
The briefing will be held in the Baldwin Conference Room (third level of Grandstand above Clockers’ Corner).
FINISH LINES: Jerry Hollendorfer has three more breezes scheduled at Golden Gate Fields for Shared Belief before the winner of the Grade I Malibu Stakes ships in for the $500,000 San Antonio Stakes on Feb. 7. “He’ll work Wednesday, then the following Tuesday, and the following Tuesday after that,” said the Hall of Fame trainer . . . Two-time Eclipse Award champion Beholder is back with Richard Mandella at Santa Anita after a spell at Julie Adair-Stack’s facility in Chino. “She’s been here about a week, she’s galloping and doing great,” the Hall of Fame trainer said of the daughter of Henny Hughes, who missed the Breeders’ Cup Distaff last Oct. 31 when she came down with a fever shortly before the race. “She should be ready in a couple months." . . . Santa Anita today is proud to welcome Billy Kilmer, an All-American quarterback at UCLA and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame who went on to a remarkable All-Pro career that spanned 17 years in the National Football League. He led the 1972 Washington Redskins to Super Bowl VII at the Los Angeles Coliseum. A legendary figure in the annals of pro football, Kilmer is also is a great friend of racing from coast to coast and will present the trophy to the winning connections of today’s La Canada Stakes . . . Santa Anita races through this Monday but will be dark Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week. Santa Anita will be open for simulcast racing Thursday, however, with free admission and free parking.
Source: Ed Golden, Santa Anita Stable Notes