Distance favors Puype’s pair
ARCADIA, Calif. – Through the summer, the 4-year-old geldings Freddies Dream and Unusually Green each won an allowance race at Del Mar in the manner of a horse who needed longer races. They were rolling at the finish of wins at a mile or 1 1/8 miles.
On Friday at Santa Anita, Freddies Dream and Unusually Green will start at 1 1/4 miles on turf for the first time, giving trainer Mike Puype two excellent chances to win an optional claimer that drew a field of eight.
All of the runners are racing at 1 1/4 miles on turf for the first time, although one of them, King of Jazz, was third in a race at 1 3/8 miles on turf at Del Mar in August.
KEY CONTENDERS
Unusually Green (Last 3 Beyers: 86-85-84)
◗ Unusually Green won an allowance race for California-breds at 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 13, his first victory against winners in his 15th career start. On Sept. 7, Unusually Green finished fifth of 12 in an optional claimer at a mile, closing from last to be within 1 3/4 lengths of race winner Yes Yes Yes at the finish.
“He was too far back for a flat mile,” Puype said.
Freddies Dream (Last 3 Beyers: 81-81-75)
◗ Friday’s race will be the first for Freddies Dream against open company. In his first eight starts, he raced against California-breds, winning twice at 1 1/8 miles on turf – a maiden race at Santa Anita in April and an optional claimer at Del Mar on Sept. 2.
◗ In the Del Mar race, Freddies Dream closed from seventh of nine to take a comfortable lead in the final sixteenth, winning by 1 3/4 lengths.
“I think he’ll do quite well in the race,” Puype said. “He seems to be getting better. We’re getting in the right spot with him.”
King of Jazz (Last 3 Beyers: 87-87-86)
◗ Trained by Hector Palma, King of Jazz was third in an optional claimer at 1 3/8 miles on turf, setting the pace before fading in the final furlong. A 5-year-old Argentine-bred, King of Jazz was fourth in the same race as Unusually Green on Sept. 7.
◗ King of Jazz is likely to be near the front and may set the pace. He has yet to win beyond a mile.
Shake Things Up (Last 3 Beyers: 76-76-71)
◗ The optional claimer will be a class test for Shake Things Up, who has won his last two starts – a $40,000 claimer for maidens at Belmont Park on June 25 in his final start for Christophe Clement and a starter allowance at Del Mar on Sept. 4 in his first start for trainer Peter Miller.