Conducted gets back to stakes in TAA after maiden romp

DEL MAR, Calif. – Conducted’s smart win in a maiden race at Santa Anita earlier this month did not merit a pre-entry in Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. The $200,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes for 2-year-olds at a mile on Friday at Del Mar, though, is more than a suitable alternative.

Conducted, trained by O.J. Jauregui, led throughout the maiden race on Oct. 4, winning by 6 1/4 lengths. The victory was flashy enough for Mike Iavarone and his wife, Jules, to privately buy a majority share in the colt, partially owned by Dan Eplin and Arthur Spencer.

The Iavarones can get a fast payday when Conducted starts against eight others in a compelling TAA Stakes.

Conducted will be ridden by Hector Berrios, who will be entrusted with the decision of where to place the colt in the first half-mile.

“If he’s not on the lead, he’ll be close to the lead,” Jauregui said. “He doesn’t need to have the lead. He can be tactical.”

Conducted was fifth of 13 in the Grade 3 Del Mar Juvenile Turf at a mile on Sept. 7 as a maiden, breaking slowly and racing wide under jockey Mike Smith. The loss left Jauregui hopeful the colt had promise.

“Mike sat on him and made a run,” Jauregui said. “I thought he was a little too far back. He showed me he can run with those horses.”

In the TAA Stakes, the competition features runners from across the nation.

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Later Than Planned won the Speakeasy Stakes at five furlongs on turf on Oct. 4 at Santa Anita and is on the also-eligible list for Friday’s BC Juvenile Turf Sprint. A race for Later Than Planned will be determined when scratches are finalized early Friday.

Proton won the Laurel Futurity at 1 1/16 miles on turf for Graham Motion on Sept. 27 to remain unbeaten after two starts.

Itza Lock finished well to be fourth in the Hollywood Beach Stakes at five furlongs on turf on Sept. 27 at Gulfstream Park after chasing a hectic pace. Itza Lock, trained by Jose D’Angelo, will start at a mile for the first time Friday.

“This is a horse that is improving every week,” D’Angelo said.

D’Angelo said “that everyone was faster” than Itza Lock early in the Hollywood Beach, which had an opening quarter-mile in 20.74 seconds. Race winner Lennilu starts in Friday’s $1 million BC Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Itza Lock is likely to be near the front in the TAA Stakes, while Plutarch, an impeccably bred maiden who has had three starts, will race from off the pace.

Plutarch, trained by Bob Baffert, was second by 1 1/2 lengths in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf and third by three-quarters of a length in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes on dirt on Oct. 4 at Santa Anita. In the Del Mar Juvenile Turf, Plutarch raced without blinkers and lugged out through the stretch. The blinkers were back on for American Pharoah Stakes.

“He’s still very immature,” Baffert said. “I almost ran him in the [BC] Juvenile.”

Plutarch, who is by top stallion Into Mischief and out of Stellar Wind, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2015, is likely to return to dirt races after the TAA Stakes, Baffert said.

Sen. Kenny Maddy Stakes

Queen Maxima, winner of three consecutive turf sprint stakes for fillies and mares in late winter and spring, is part of a field of 10 in Friday’s $200,000 Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes at five furlongs on turf.

While Queen Maxima has had a successful year, the conditions of the Maddy Stakes could pose a problem, according to trainer Jeff Mullins.

“Honestly, I don’t think five furlongs is her best trip,” Mullins said. “Anything from 5 1/2 furlongs to 6 1/2 is her best.”

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Queen Maxima is one of four 2025 stakes winners in the field along with the intriguing Japanese shipper Puro Magic, the Gulfstream Park stakes winner Great Venezuela, and Jungle Peace, who won the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita in April.

Queen Maxima tends to run from off the pace. She had two troubled trips on turf at Del Mar over the summer, finishing sixth in the Osunitas Stakes at a mile when she lacked room and sixth by two lengths in the Grade 3 Green Flash Handicap against males on Aug. 30 after being bumped at the start.

Puro Magic has won three sprint stakes on turf in the last 18 months, including the Grade 3 Summer Dash Stakes at five furlongs at Niigata Racecourse in Japan on Aug. 3. She was eighth of 16, beaten three lengths, in the Group 1 Sprinters Stakes at six furlongs on Sept. 28 at Nakayama, one of Japan’s leading sprint races.

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