After an eight-win year, Imperial Hornet restarts his count

In terms of wins, only four horses had better seasons in 2024 than Imperial Hornet, who is entered in a starter allowance at Santa Anita on Friday.

Imperial Hornet, trained by Sam Calvario for Mary Tucker, won 8 of 12 starts last year. The national leader in wins was Tennessee Moon, who won 13 of 18 races in Colorado, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, Texas, and Wyoming.

Imperial Hornet, a 5-year-old gelding, raced in Northern California. He was claimed for $12,500 by Tucker and Calvario when he won his 2024 debut at Golden Gate Fields in February, the third victory of an eight-race winning streak from December 2023 to last May.

Since the winning streak ended, Imperial Hornet has won 2 of 6 starts, including a conditional $6,250 claimer at Pleasanton on Nov. 24. For Calvario, Imperial Hornet has won 7 of 11 starts.

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“He likes my training,” Calvario said with a laugh.

In that regard, Imperial Hornet prefers minimal morning activity, Calvario said. Imperial Hornet has had four workouts in as many months, and two of those were in September prior to a comeback from a two-month layoff in early October.

Imperial Hornet is better suited to jogging or being ponied. A daily routine of galloping is not a good fit, Calvario said.

“Every day you look to see if he is happy,” Calvario said.

In Friday’s fourth race, Imperial Hornet starts from the outside post in a field of 10 runners. The race is restricted to horses or trainers based in Northern California in the last year. The condition is part of a continuing effort by Santa Anita to lure Northern-based horses to Santa Anita at a time when there is no live racing in that part of the state.

Calvario tied for leading trainer at the Pleasanton fall meeting, which ended on Dec. 18. Plans for a winter-spring meeting at Pleasanton were scrapped last month after business at the fall meeting failed to meet expectations.

Calvario has seven runners at Santa Anita on Friday and Sunday, his first starters at a meeting that began on Dec. 26.

“I need the action,” he said.

Calvario recently considered a move to Sam Houston, but said he was told by officials at that Texas track that he cannot be accommodated in the stable area.

“It’s full over there,” he said. “I’ll run at Santa Anita.”

Imperial Hornet is quick enough to lead and has won from a stalking position. He is a contender on Friday along with Halo Rando, Horse Doctor, and Man Overboard.

Calvario was drawn to the gelding after he won two races in late 2023.

“I tell my owner, Mary Tucker, this is a good horse and eligible for starters,” Calvario said.

For Tucker, Imperial Hornet has earned $60,760.

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