American Pastime will face older in sprint

ARCADIA, Calif. – American Pastime won his debut in March in a manner suggesting that the 3-year-old was bound for an immediate stakes appearance.

Such high-class races are on the mind of trainer Bob Hess Jr. and the partnership that owns American Pastime, but Saturday’s Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs at Santa Anita is not. Instead, American Pastime will start against older horses in an optional claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs on the same program.

The distance played a pivotal role in the decision.

“At seven furlongs, they’re running hard the whole way,” Hess said. “This is against older horses, but it’s not a graded stakes.”

American Pastime won a six-furlong maiden race by disputing the pace and drawing off by 4 1/2 lengths March 11.

“He had a tickle of a shin in September, and that delayed his debut,” Hess said. “I could have gotten aggressive and started looking to run him back after the win. We, as a team, decided to play it cool and not rush him back.”

While American Pastime disputed the pace in his maiden-race win, Hess is optimistic that the colt can be patient. Rivals such as Papa Papa Papa and Rocit Speed are equally quick.

“At some point, we think he’ll be confident to tuck in, take dirt, and do what it takes,” Hess said. “I don’t know if he wants to run much past seven-eighths. That’s a question mark.

“He’s definitely going to be a one-turn horse. He’s not necessarily a one-dimensional speed horse.”