Chinese import Beat of the Drum spotted where she can win
ARCADIA, Calif. – In her seven-race career, Beat of the Drum has won a maiden race at Kempton Park outside of London and a $163,000 stakes on dirt at Mengjun Racecourse in China.
The well-traveled Beat of the Drum arrived at trainer Leonard Powell’s stable in Southern California in February and will make her American debut in a second-level optional $62,500 claimer at a mile on dirt in Friday’s seventh race at Santa Anita.
Powell, who received three horses from the China Horse Club syndicate earlier this year, said on Wednesday that the optional claimer is a race that Beat of the Drum can win.
“I expect her to run a good race,” he said.
The optional claimer drew a field of five, including Front Range, who was third in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks last year; Honey Ride and Sky Mega, who have won optional claimers in recent months; and Gusto Dolce, a stakes winner in Brazil in 2013.
Race 7
KEY CONTENDERS
Beat of the Drum (First North American start)
◗ Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will ride Beat of the Drum, who has won two of seven starts.
◗ Beat of the Drum, an Irish-bred mare by Duke of Marmalade, has not raced since finishing third in a turf stakes at the Nine Dragons Hill Polo Club outside of Shanghai, China, last October. Since Beat of the Drum began training with Powell earlier this year, she has worked on turf and dirt.
“She’s been training very nicely,” Powell said. “I worked her a few times on the dirt and a few times on the turf, but then there was no race on the turf. I had to change course. She’s been as good on the dirt as on the turf.”
Sky Mega (Last 3 Beyers: 85-79-69)
◗ Sky Mega might set the pace. Trained by Victor Garcia, Sky Mega won an optional claimer at a mile May 16, racing near the front throughout. Leading rider Rafael Bejarano has the mount on Sky Mega, who has won two of seven starts.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Sky Mega. Trainer Victor Garcia is 12-4-1-1 with a $3.26 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes with last-out winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Honey Ride (Last 3 Beyers: 85-80-80)
◗ Honey Ride and Sky Mega were first and second in an optional claimer March 15. While Sky Mega returned to win, Honey Ride was third in an optional claimer May 3, finishing behind My Monet, who was third in the Grade 3 Adoration Stakes last weekend.
◗ In the last month, Honey Ride has had a series of quick workouts for trainer John Sadler.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Front Range. Trainer Bob Baffert is 26-12-2-3 with a $4.10 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes following a layoff of 180 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan