5 Stakes Races Scheduled for Santa Anita Park’s Strub Stakes Day on February 2

Posted on Thursday, January 31st, 2008

With the addition of the Grade I Santa Monica Handicap, postponed from last Sunday, five stakes races — four of them graded — will form an elite and varied racing program on Saturday’s Strub Stakes Day at Santa Anita Park.

The $300,000 Strub Stakes, which honors Santa Anita’s founding family, is one of the most storied stakes on the track’s seasonal calendar. A Grade II event at 1 1/8 miles for 4-year-olds, the Strub became an important showcase for such racing standouts as Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, Alysheba, Best Pal and Silver Charm as they matriculated into the ranks of older horses.

Top weighted Tiago, Air Commander and Monterey Jazz are among the nine maturing young 4-year-olds who will contest the 61st running of the Strub Stakes, the ninth race on an 11-race program that gets underway at 12 noon.

The Grade II, $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles, the sternest local test yet for 3-year-olds heading down the 2008 Kentucky Derby Trail, attracted a compact field of five including the unbeaten stretch-running sensation Reflect Times, a Japanese-bred son of French Deputy who will be routing for the first time.

The $250,000 Santa Monica, for fillies and mares at seven furlongs, marks the return to action of Hystericalady, idle since coming within a neck of winning the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff on October 27. The 5-year-old mare will carry high weight of 122 pounds against five rivals including Pussycat Doll, the defending champion.

Completing the stakes portion of the card are the Grade III, $100,000 La Habra Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs over the hillside turf course and the $75,000 Thunder Road Handicap at one mile on turf.

Set Play, winner of the Grade I Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs when she last sprinted on September 3, is the 122-pound high weight among 10 entrants in the 35th running of the La Habra.

Million-dollar earner Awesome Gem, third behind Curlin in the Breeders’ Cup Classic last October, returns to grass as the 122-pound top weight among 14 entrants in the Thunder Road.

Tiago, the 2007 Santa Anita Derby winner, will be attempting to avenge a stunning upset loss to Air Commander when they are rematched in the Strub. Making his first start since a fifth place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Tiago could not overhaul 52-1 shot Air Commander when third as the 7-5 favorite in the Grade II San Fernando Stakes on January 12.

A winner of $1,264,270 from 5 wins in 10 starts for Jerry and Ann Moss, stretch-running Tiago and jockey Mike Smith will get an extra sixteenth of a mile to work with on Saturday. A son of Point Given trained by Bob Baffert, Air Commander survived a pace duel with Johnny Eves to record his first stakes victory in the San Fernando. Monterey Jazz, coming off two wins on the turf including the Grade III Sir Beaufort Stakes, is another who likes to race on the lead, which could benefit Tiago.

The complete field for the Strub Stakes (ninth race), with jockeys and weights in post position order:

  1. Great Hunter under jockey Victor Espinoza, 119 lbs.
  2. Slew’s Tizzy under jockey Joe Talamo, 119 lbs.
  3. Tiago under jockey Mike Smith, 123 lbs.
  4. Monzante under jockey Garrett Gomez, 117 lbs.
  5. Air Commander under jockey Aaron Gryder, 121 lbs.
  6. Sahara Heat under jockey Tyler Baze, 117 lbs.
  7. Giant Gizmo under jockey Rafael Bejarano, 117 lbs.
  8. Warning Zone under jockey Joel Rosario, 117 lbs.
  9. Monterey Jazz under jockey David Flores, 121.

While rallying from far off the pace, Reflect Times won at 6 and 6 1/2 furlongs in preparation for his first distance test in the Lewis. Trained by John Shirreffs, who also conditions Tiago, Reflect Times has demonstrated a long stride that suggests he will be up to the test for owner Koji Maeda. His opposition includes seasoned stakes competitor Indian Sun and Crown of Thorns, an impressive 7 length winner of a maiden race for trainer Richard Mandella and owner B. Wayne Hughes.

The complete field for the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (fifth race), with jockeys and weights in post position order:

  1. Indian Sun under jockey Alex Solis, 115 lbs.
  2. Crown of Thorns under jockey Victor Espinoza, 115 lbs.
  3. Coast Guard under jockey Rafael Bejarano, 115 lbs.
  4. Reflect Times under jockey Mike Smith, 117 lbs.
  5. Meal Penalty under jockey Garrett Gomez, 117 lbs.

Hystericalady will be reunited with jockey Rafael Bejarano in the Santa Monica. She was ridden by Eddie Castro in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff at 1 1/8 miles in which she bumped eventual winner Ginger Punch at the eighth pole before winding up second.

Rafael Bejarano, who happens to be the regular rider of Ginger Punch, last rode Hystericalady six races previous which was the last time she sprinted, and they formed a dominant duo.

At odds of 7-1 on May 5 at Churchill Downs, Hystericalady, with Rafael Bejarano in the saddle, won the Grade I Humana Distaff by four lengths over Pussycat Doll at the seven-furlong distance of the Santa Monica.

The chestnut daughter of Distorted Humor, co-owned by Rancho San Miguel, has been preparing for her return with weekly drills at Golden Gate Fields under the direction of Hollendorfer. She will bring earnings of $1,150,503 from a 7-3-1 record in 15 starts into the 51st running of the Santa Monica.

The complete field for the Santa Monica Handicap (seventh race), with jockeys and weights in post position order:

  1. Pussycat Doll under jockey Garrett Gomez, 119 lbs.
  2. Society Hostess under jockey Jose Valdivia Jr., 117 lbs.
  3. Silky Smooth under jockey Aaron Gryder, 115 lbs.
  4. Overly Tempting under jockey David Flores, 112 lbs.
  5. Hystericalady under jockey Rafael Bejarano, 122 lbs.
  6. Intangaroo under jockey Alonso Quinonez, 112. lbs.

Set Play, with a 2-1-2 record in 8 starts for earnings of $255,450, is the most accomplished of the 3-year-old fillies in the La Habra. She has not raced since a fourth-place finish in Grade I Hollywood Starlet on December 15. Her best efforts have come at sprint distances for trainer Peter Miller. Brice Blanc, aboard for the victory in the Del Mar Debutante, has the mount.

The complete field for the La Habra Stakes (sixth race), with jockeys and weights in post position order:

  1. Pronto Marmay under jockey David Flores, 116 lbs.
  2. Fanatical under jockey Mike Smith, 116 lbs.
  3. Czechers under jockey Tyler Baze, 116 lbs.
  4. Ariege under jockey Garrett Gomez, 116 lbs.
  5. Yasinisi under jockey Alex Solis, 116 lbs.
  6. La Mina under jockey Michael Baze, 116 lbs.
  7. Passion under jockey Rafael Bejarano, 118 lbs.
  8. Brides Folly under jockey Victor Espinoza, 116 lbs.
  9. Sweet August Moon under jockey Aaron Gryder, 116 lbs.
  10. Set Play under jockey Brice Blanc, 122 lbs.

Turning back to one mile in distance in the Thunder Road, Awesome Gem will find the same conditions as in his last start on grass, a fast-closing second in the 2006 Sir Beaufort Stakes. The 5-year-old gelded son of Awesome Again, trained by Craig Dollase, will be looking for his first victory on turf after finishing second in 2-of-3 grass starts. David Flores rides the chestnut who nosed out Midnight Lute in capturing last year’s San Fernando Breeders’ Cup Stakes.

The complete field for the Thunder Road Handicap (eighth race), with jockeys and weights in post position order:

  1. Mr Napper Tandy under jockey Richard Migliore, 115 lbs.
  2. Isipingo under jockey Mike Smith, 118 lbs.
  3. Awesome Gem under jockey David Flores, 122 lbs.
  4. Storm Military under jockey Garrett Gomez, 117 lbs.
  5. Siren Lure under jockey Alex Solis, 118 lbs.
  6. Fitz Flag under jockey Goncalino Almeida, 116 lbs.
  7. Lang Field under jockey Jon Court, 120 lbs.
  8. Night Chapter under jockey Brice Blanc, 116 lbs.
  9. Frank the Barber under jockey Martin Pedroza, 116 lbs.
  10. It’s a Bird under jockey Rafael Bejarano, 114 lbs.
  11. Moth Ball under jockey Michael Baze, 116 lbs.
  12. Stratham under jockey Joel Rosario, 117 lbs.

Also eligible:

www.santaanita.com

"5 Stakes Races Scheduled for Santa Anita Park’s Strub Stakes Day on February 2" was posted on Thursday, January 31st, 2008 at 7:54 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, Santa Anita Track, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Previous Horse Racing News Entry:

Next Horse Racing News Entry:

Horse Racing News »

Post Comments