Blue Tone gets stakes shot in Brubaker
DEL MAR, Calif. – More than a year has passed since Blue Tone beat maidens as a 4-year-old at Hollywood Park, winning so well that trainer Bob Hess Jr. was convinced the gelding was a stakes prospect.
The opportunity finally arrives in Saturday’s $90,000 Harry Brubaker Stakes over a mile. The Brubaker will be Blue Tone’s second start of the year. He won an optional claimer over a mile Aug. 3, his first start since late October.
Owned by a partnership, Blue Tone has won 3 of 8 starts.
“He’s had a lot of little things that have been annoying,” Hess said. “This is a jump up. He’s working slowly, but they’re nice works.”
Blue Tone will be ridden by Kent Desormeaux, who has teamed with Hess to win 10 races from 38 mounts at the current meeting through Wednesday. Desormeaux was on Blue Tone for the Aug. 3 race and could ride the gelding again in stakes this fall, pending the outcome of Saturday’s race.
“I think he’s got the potential to be a really nice horse,” Hess said. “No need to rush him. He’s a gelding, so I want to keep him around for a long time.”
Blue Tone drew the rail in the Brubaker. The field of six includes Drill, who won the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity in 2011 but has not won since May 2012, and Basket Weave, who was stakes-placed at Belmont Park last October.