Bob and Jackie by a nose in Let It Ride Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – Trainer Richard Baltas said he had Bob and Jackie ready to run last month at Santa Anita, but with all the time he had put into getting him back to the races, he figured a little more time, and a potentially softer spot, might be worthwhile.

His theory was put to the test on Saturday at Del Mar, and it proved out, but just barely, as Bob and Jackie just did hold off the onrushing Proud Pedro to win the $77,550 Let It Ride Stakes for 3-year-old grass horses by a nose.

Bob and Jackie was making his first start since December, owing to a hairline fracture of a rear leg that occurred in a workout. He’s already a stakes winner, so pickings at Santa Anita were slim – and potentially tougher – so a stakes race for non-winners of a stakes race since April 1 offered appeal.

“He was ready at Santa Anita, but this seemed like a better spot,” Baltas said of the Let It Ride. “I was able to get a couple more works into him.”

He needed every bit of fitness. The finish was so close that Baltas said he “didn’t think he got the bob.”

Bob and Jackie ($6.60) was second in the early going of the one-mile grass race, sitting just off of Golden Birthday, who was setting a moderate tempo of 48.19 seconds for a half-mile. Bob and Jackie, under Heriberto Figueroa, took the lead in upper stretch, and then Proud Pedro came motoring down the center of the course to just miss.

Bob and Jackie was timed in 1:34.97 on the firm course, with a final quarter in 23.43 seconds.

Ocean Fury was third, then came Dueling and Golden Birthday, who tired to finish last in the field of five. Carnivorous was a scratched by the veterinarian earlier in the day.

Bob and Jackie, a colt by Twirling Candy, was bred and is owned by the Zayat Stables of Ahmed and Justin Zayat. He was second in his debut in October 2018 at Santa Anita, then won two straight, against maidens at Del Mar on Nov. 10 – beating some horse named Omaha Beach – and then the Eddie Logan on Dec. 28 at Santa Anita. The next month, he got hurt.

“He had an injury to a hind pastern, his right hind, a hairline fracture. We put a screw in it,” Baltas said. “Took our time and he came back 100 percent.”

The biggest race for 3-year-olds at this meet is the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in three weeks, but Baltas said he thought that was “too quick back” considering his colt had just had a hard race following a lengthy layoff.