Denman's Call finds easier spot in San Pedro Stakes
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLEARCADIA, Calif. – Denman’s Call finished third in his stakes debut in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes on Feb. 15, losing to the champion 2-year-old male of 2015 and the winner of a million-dollar race.
Denman’s Call will not have to worry about the champion Nyquist or Exaggerator, the winner of the Delta Downs Jackpot, in Friday’s $75,000 San Pedro Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters at Santa Anita. Denman’s Call will be the focus for many bettors in the six-furlong San Pedro, which drew six, including the three-time stakes winner Toews On Ice.
Denman’s Call has been nominated to the Triple Crown, but trainer Doug O’Neill said the short-term focus for the gelding is not necessarily those races.
“I think he’ll be a two-turn horse, and I think he will do well on all surfaces,” he said. “I’m eager to see him on the grass.”
KEY CONTENDERS
Denman’s Call, by Northern Afleet
Last 2 Beyers: 94-82
◗ Denman’s Call, who is owned by the partnership of W.C. Racing, Mark Verge, and Gilman Racing, was the sharp winner of a maiden special weight race at 5 1/2 furlongs in his debut Jan. 9, closing from fifth to win by 3 3/4 lengths. In the seven-furlong San Vicente, Denman’s Call was beaten four lengths by the O’Neill-trained Nyquist, a leading contender for the Triple Crown.
“He ran huge,” O’Neill said. “I think it showed how talented he is to come off an impressive debut race and do that. He’s got a ton of upside.”
◗ Denman’s Call is a stalker, and that could be an advantage in the San Pedro. Two runners trained by Bob Baffert – Toews On Ice and Mt Veeder – may show speed.
“It looks like there might be some pace and we can be in a garden spot,” O’Neill said.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Denman’s Call. Trainer Doug O’Neill is 24-1-3-3 with a $0.12 ROI over the past three years in dirt sprint stakes with 3-year-olds. – Mike Hogan
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Toews On Ice, by Archarcharch
Last 3 Beyers: 68-85-85
◗ Toews On Ice is the most accomplished runner in the field, having won 3 of 7 starts, with earnings of $245,700. He won three consecutive sprint stakes last fall, including the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar in November.
◗ Toews On Ice has been beaten in his last two starts, both around two turns – a second to Triple Crown contender Mor Spirit in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity at 1 1/16 miles in December and a disappointing sixth at 3-5 in the Smarty Jones Stakes at a mile at Oaklawn Park on Jan. 19.
◗ Baffert said he hopes those races did not dull Toews On Ice’s speed.
“I’ll keep him one turn,” Baffert said. “He didn’t run very well at Oaklawn. The sprinters, if you run them long too many times, it takes the starch out of them.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Toews On Ice and No. 4 Mt Veeder. Trainer Bob Baffert is 36-13-4-3 with a $3.76 ROI over the past five years going route to sprint in dirt stakes with 3-year-olds. – Mike Hogan
Mt Veeder, by Ghostzapper
Last 3 Beyers: 62-78-73
◗ Mt Veeder has not started since finishing sixth in the Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Sept. 26. He won the Contender Stakes at six furlongs at Los Alamitos on Sept. 13, a performance that could make him a factor in the San Pedro.