Air Force Red leads all the way in Joe Hernandez Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - Air Force Red was ready for a winning effort well before he reached the starting gate in Saturday’s Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes for turf sprinters at Santa Anita.

“He was feeling strong in the post parade,” jockey Juan Hernandez said. “I thought, this is good.”

Air Force Red led throughout the $252,500 Joe Hernandez Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course for his second consecutive stakes victory and first in a graded stakes.

While the course was listed as good after light rain through the morning, Air Force Red was clocked in the solid time of 1:11.53 and earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 99. He set a sharp pace of 22.19 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 43.65 for a half-mile.

“He broke on top and I let him go,” Hernandez said. “I was going a little fast and that’s the way he wanted to go. He was doing everything by himself. He was comfortable all the way.”

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Air Force Red ($16.40) finished 1 3/4 lengths in front of Lane Way, who tracked the pace throughout under jockey Mike Smith. Lane Way broke from the inside in a field of 10 and was within a length of Air Force Red on the hillside portion of the course, which has a right-handed turn followed by a sweeping left-handed turn leading to the stretch.

“He ran too well to lose,” Smith said of Lane Way. “The only thing I could have done was get up in there when we made the right-hand turn, but the pace had picked up so dramatically. When you’re in the one-hole, you give up ground.”

Gregorian Chant (7-1) closed on the inside through the stretch to finish third, 3 1/4 lengths in front of 8-5 favorite Smooth Like Strait, who was beaten four lengths.

The remaining order of finish was Irideo, Whatmakessammyrun, Kiss Today Goodbye, Front Run the Fed, Sigiloso and Hit the Road. Super Ocho was withdrawn on Saturday morning.

Air Force Red, a 4-year-old ridgling by Air Force Blue, has won 5 of 10 starts and earned $354,140 for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Holly Golightly. Trained by Leonard Powell, Air Force Red won the restricted Lure Stakes from the front at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 29.

Earlier this year, Air Force Red was fourth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Sept. 3 and fifth in the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes on Oct. 1 on the hillside turf course in his first two stakes appearances.

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