Bench Warrant set for turf debut in Thursday sprint
ARCADIA, Calif. – Bench Warrant’s run on the Triple Crown trail largely ended with a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity last month. The new goal of focusing on sprints begins with an optional claimer for 3-year-olds on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on Thursday.
Bench Warrant was beaten 8 1/2 lengths by Dortmund in the Los Alamitos Futurity over 1 1/16 miles, the longest race of his career. Thursday’s optional claimer will be the turf debut for Bench Warrant, who is part of a field of eight in the race at about 6 1/2 furlongs.
Despite running in Grade 1 company, Bench Warrant will be tested Thursday against Stormy Liberal, who was second in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes on turf at Del Mar in November, and the unbeaten Jazzy Josh.
KEY CONTENDERS
Bench Warrant (Last 3 Beyers: 76-68-72)
◗ Bench Warrant beat maidens at Del Mar last July and did not race again until November, when he finished third in an optional claimer over six furlongs there after a slow start. In the Los Alamitos Futurity, Bench Warrant was last of five for much of the race.
“I want to get him in an easier spot,” trainer John Sadler said. “I went in the Los Al race because it was a short field.”
◗ Owned by Doubledown Stables, Bench Warrant could run in sprint stakes for 3-year-olds in the coming weeks, including the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes over seven furlongs Feb. 1.
“I don’t think the grass will be an issue,” Sadler said. “Being by Street Boss, I don’t know how far he wants to go.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Bench Warrant. Trainer John Sadler is 58-5-8-4 with a $0.98 ROI over the past five years going route to sprint on the Santa Anita downhill turf course. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Stormy Liberal (Last 3 Beyers: 59-78-79)
◗ Stormy Liberal has had erratic form in recent starts. He won a maiden race on the hillside turf course in October before losing the DeMille by a half-length. In the Eddie Logan Stakes over a mile on turf Dec. 27, Stormy Liberal set the pace but faded to finish 10th of 11.
◗ Leading jockey Rafael Bejarano rides Stormy Liberal for the first time Thursday.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Stormy Liberal. Trainer Doug O’Neill is 48-6-7-6 with a $0.93 ROI over the past two years going route to sprint on the Santa Anita downhill turf course. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Jazzy Josh (Last 2 Beyers: 75-76)
◗ A synthetic-track specialist, Jazzy Josh beat maidens in a $62,500 claimer at Del Mar in his debut Nov. 27 and won an optional claimer at Golden Gate Fields on Jan. 3. Trained by Peter Miller, Jazzy Josh is the only horse in Thursday’s field eligible to be claimed for $80,000.