Cecil B. DeMille Stakes rebound spot for Hit the Road

Hit the Road lost his unbeaten record on grass when he finished seventh by 2 1/2 lengths in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita, only to be disqualified to last of 14 for causing interference in early stretch.

“He ran a good race in the Breeders’ Cup,” trainer Dan Blacker said Friday.

“He had a terrible draw. They went no pace. Everything was against him. We were unlucky to be disqualified. I’m going to draw a line through that.”

In brighter days, Hit the Road won a maiden special weight race on turf on July 28 at Del Mar and the Zuma Beach Stakes on turf Oct. 6 at Santa Anita. Hit the Road is back at Del Mar for Sunday’s Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at a mile on turf.

Owned by a partnership that includes DK Racing, Radley Equine, and Taste of Victory Stables, Hit the Road drew the rail in a field of 13 in the $100,000 DeMille. Blacker said jockey Victor Espinoza is likely to have Hit the Road positioned off the pace.

“It looks like there is some speed in there,” Blacker said. “I know he likes the track. We won’t do too much with him early. We’ll let him settle early.”

The field includes Encoded, who won the Del Mar Juvenile Turf at a mile in September; Hariboux, winner of an optional claimer on Nov. 14 at Del Mar; and the maiden race winners Kandarel and Goliad.

Of the other runners, the quick Smooth Like Strait will have his stakes debut and first start at a mile. Lost Opportunity, a winner in Ireland in August, will have his American debut. Albert Park will have his turf debut after winning a minor stakes at Presque Isle Downs in October.

Encoded was fourth behind Hit the Road as the 9-10 favorite in the Zuma Beach and a troubled sixth in the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint at five furlongs on Nov. 1, closing with interest to finish 3 1/2 lengths behind winner Four Wheel Drive.

With hindsight, the longer Juvenile Turf may have been a better option, trainer John Sadler said recently.

“Maybe we zigged when we should have zagged,” Sadler said. “He got beat three or four lengths and had to steady.”

Kanderel and Goliad won maiden special weight races at a mile on turf in the span of a little more than an hour for trainer Richard Mandella on Sept. 28. Kanderel has not raced since. He was briefly sidelined in late October because of a minor illness, Mandella said.

“He had a little bit of a sore throat,” Mandella said. “His workouts are very good.”

Goliad was second to Hariboux in a four-runner field on Nov. 14 and has shown progress through the autumn, Mandella said.

“He’s a big, strong horse,” he said. “I think he’s a little green and learning.”