Calder: Silver Cloud, Determinato meet again in Kaiser Handicap

Silver Cloud and Determinato traded decisions in their last two meetings. In the $50,000 Kaiser Handicap at Calder on Saturday, it looks like Silver Cloud’s turn.

Silver Cloud and Determinato are evenly matched in ability, but Silver Cloud would seem to have an edge in the five-furlong turf sprint because of his stalk-and-pounce style. Determinato is almost always on or near the front, and there is a surplus of speed among the 13 3-year-olds and up entered for the Kaiser, including two entered for the main track only.

Silver Cloud, owned and trained by Jason DeCosta, couldn’t catch Determinato in his last race, falling 1 1/2 lengths short in second in an Aug. 16 five-furlong turf sprint at Calder. Determinato shot clear that day and built a 3 1/2-length cushion in midstretch. Two starts ago, Silver Cloud took advantage of a contested pace and won the $100,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint on the July 6 Summit of Speed card at Calder. Determinato finished a head and a neck back in third.

While Silver Cloud has not raced in more than two months, he has a history of running well off such layoffs. Fernando Jara rides for the third straight time.

Determinato carries a two-race win streak into the Kaiser, having followed his Aug. 16 victory with a win in a five-furlong allowance race that was transferred from the turf to the Calder main track Sept. 21. Owned by Ron Marano and trained by Bill White, Determinato will be ridden by Jesus Rios.

Other contenders include Stat, who regained his form by winning a Calder sloppy-track sprint by 5 3/4 lengths in September; Close It Out, a stakes winner on dirt who has a powerful late punch; Mel Beach, runner-up to Determinato last out; and Wicked Tune, who has the speed to go with Determinato early.