Brandothebartender mixing it up, back on turf for California Dreamin'
Despite a two-race losing streak, the 8-year-old gelding Brandothebartender will start in Sunday’s $150,000 California Dreamin’ Stakes at Del Mar in the midst of his best season.
Brandothebartender won consecutive turf stakes for California-breds at Santa Anita in the spring, the Sensational Star Stakes at six furlongs on March 21 and the Crystal Water Stakes at a mile on April 24. That was the first time Brandothebartender won consecutive stakes in his 45-race career.
June was not as kind. A good second in the Albany Stakes at five furlongs on turf at Golden Gate Fields on June 12 was followed two weeks later by a dull fourth in the five-runner Bertrando Stakes at a mile on dirt at Los Alamitos.
Trainer Craig Dollase is ready to forget the Bertrando Stakes and focus on Brandthebartender’s return to turf in the California Dreamin’ Stakes for statebreds at 1 1/16 miles.
“I think going back on turf is a big plus,” Dollase said. “He didn’t take to the dirt too well at Los Al. He was on the inside and he wasn’t a happy camper.”
Owned by the partnership of Flawless Racing, Brian Flanagan, and Michael Jarvis, Brandothebartender is one of several contender in a field of 10. Desmond Doss, Indian Peak, Galilean, North County Guy, Ward ’n Jerry, and Wound Tight have won stakes since the beginning of 2020.
Margot’s Boy has yet to win a stakes, but was second in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby last September. Secret Club and Unbridled Ethos have won allowance races on turf this year.
“I think we’re in the mix,” Dollase said. “There are a lot of comebackers, but we’re in good form.”
Galilean and Brandothebartender were first and third in in the 2020 California Dreamin’ Stakes. Desmond Doss was fourth in that race and more recently won the Bertrando for his first stakes win in his 14th start.
Sunday’s race will be the 2021 debut for Galilean, a six-time stakes winner unraced since a fourth as the even-money favorite in the Cary Grant Stakes for statebreds at seven furlongs at Del Mar last November.
The California Dreamin’ is the second start of the year for Wound Tight, who won the Unusual Heat Turf Classic for statebreds at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita in January 2020. Wound Tight was fourth in the Siren Lure Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on June 19 in his first start in 15 months.
“When I ran him, he was maybe 80 percent fit,” trainer Bob Hess Jr. said. “I was shocked at how well he ran. We’ve been pointing to this race for three months.”
Hess expects jockey Kent Desormeaux to have Wound Tight on the front end from post 2. There really is no other option.
“We have a lot of speed,” Hess said. “He’s ready to run.
“The horse is pretty headstrong. He’s pretty much going right to the front. The horse pulls.”