03/12/2013 3:08PM

Santa Anita: Gary Stevens seeks Saturday stakes sweep

By Jay Privman
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Shigeki Kikkawa
Gary Stevens rode Great Hot to a win in the Santa Maria Stakes on Feb. 16 and will pilot her again in the Santa Margarita Stakes.

Gary Stevens has picked up right where he left off – seven years ago. The Hall of Fame jockey, who turned 50 last week, guided Great Hot to her victory in the Santa Maria Stakes on Feb. 16 and will be back aboard Saturday in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita. Similarly, he scored a gate-to-wire win with Slim Shadey in the San Marcos on Feb. 9, and they will reunite Saturday in the Grade 2, $150,000 San Luis Rey Stakes, giving Stevens a chance to sweep the day’s stakes.

The San Marcos marked the second straight time Slim Shadey led from start to finish in a 1 1/4-mile grass race at Santa Anita. In the San Luis Rey, he will attempt to stretch out to 1 1/2 miles, a distance he has yet to master in three tries, though he narrowly missed in this race last year to Bourbon Bay.

In two 1 1/2-mile attempts since then, Slim Shadey was eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf and fourth in the Hollywood Turf Cup. That was all in the pre-Stevens era.

In addition to Slim Shadey, the San Luis Rey field was expected to include All Squared Away, Bright Thought, Fire With Fire, Huntsville, Interaction, and John Scott.
 

Ann Maree 6 months ago
Gary is extremely personable, articulate, and he exudes a quiet confidence, which is backed up by consistency in his success. He is a charismatic personality. He is someone everybody loves to love! The writers and television personalities all know him personally, since he has worked with many of them and interviewed others. Not surprising that he gets lots of press. People love to read about him. His is a very positive "face" for the sport. Just what's not to like and what can it possibly hurt to run articles and stories about him. If you have Gary Stevens burn-out, don't read about him and don't watch the tv coverage. But, let the rest of us enjoy his comeback and successful return to racing.
Forego137 6 months ago
Slim shady might have a shot at the distance, he's really not facing much, as for Great Hot she also appears to be live with the field she is facing, lets see what happens. You go G Stevens you make us old timers proud LMAO
John Q 6 months ago
Does anyone know where Kauai Katie is?
mikey J 6 months ago
Have to agree with Joel. We get it ......Gary Stevens is back...
Jeff Brown 6 months ago
John Scott, easy.
Cranky 6 months ago
Well, as the late Jerry Reed would say "When your hot, you're hot"! And, obviously, Gary Stevens is hot when it comes to these horses. Keep winning Gary!
Luis E Astacio 6 months ago
C`mon Gary let`s give them hell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joel Winicki 6 months ago
Do we HAVE to have an article written for every Gary Stevens stakes horse entered, and proceed to make it ALL about him? It's becoming somewhat tiresome......what about Joel Rosario tearing it up back east, or Garrett Gomez winning at a 25% clip while riding next to nothing from the Baffert, Hollendorfer, O'neill barns??? Stevens' return is great for racing, don't get me wrong.......but this is getting a bit overkill now.
chairmanwong0 6 months ago
Gomez doesnt ride to lose
Forego137 6 months ago
Wow ! ! ! did someone not get attention today :’(
Greg Rouch 6 months ago
It will die down soon enough. Meanwhile, for him to be this successful in a late comeback in fairly remarkable.