Ward 'n Jerry and Red King head up San Juan Capistrano Stakes
A pair of long fused veterans, California-bred Ward ’n Jerry and Kentucky-bred Red King, third in last year’s running, lead a field of eight 3-year-olds and up going a marathon 1 3/4 miles on turf in Sunday’s Grade 3, $100,000 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at Santa Anita.
The 81st renewal of the San Juan, Santa Anita’s traditional closing day feature, will again include a hillside start at the top the Camino Real Turf Course, which opened for business in December 1953.
WARD ’N JERRY
Owner: Mr. and Mrs. Larry D. Williams
Trainer: Mike Puype
A homebred 7-year-old gelding by the late Lucky Pulpit, Ward ’n Jerry rates top billing in a wide-open affair in which just one of the runners have ever run this far. Although he was most recently a non-threatening fifth in the statebred Crystal Water Stakes at one mile on turf June 6, he took the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes at a mile and one half on grass by an impressive 1 1/4 lengths two starts back on March 21 in a manner that would suggest the added quarter mile should be within his reach as he retains the services of leading man Flavien Prat.
RED KING
Owner: Little Red Feather Racing, Gordon Jacobsen & Phillip Belmonte
Trainer: Phil D’Amato
A gutty nose winner of a one-mile allowance here on May 24, this 6-year-old Kentucky-bred horse by English Channel has four wins and as many thirds from 11 races over the Santa Anita turf. Third, beaten 1 3/4 lengths in last year’s San Juan Capistrano, Red King checks every handicapping box in terms of good recent form, ability to get the trip and solid connections as he’ll be ridden for the first time by turf specialist Umberto Rispoli for D’Amato on Sunday.
The race is No. 6 on the 12-race card, with approximate post time of 6 p.m. ET.