Downhill racer Burnin Turf streaks into Daytona

Since heading downhill, Burnin Turf has been going up.

Burnin Turf, a 6-year-old gelding, has found Santa Anita’s downhill turf course to be ideal for his style. He’s won two straight on the unique layout, part of a three-race win streak that began in January, and he’ll try to improve on those numbers Sunday in the Grade 3, $100,000 Daytona Stakes for older turf sprinters.

Six are entered in the Daytona, which is run at about 6 1/2 furlongs. It goes as race 3 on the nine-race card.

Burnin Turf will be making his stakes debut in the Daytona, but he comes into the race in peak form. He won a first-level allowance in March and a second-level allowance in April, earning Beyer Speed Figures of 96 and 95, respectively, the best two numbers of his career.

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“He seems like he can run against a lot better competition down the hill,” his trainer, Dan Blacker, said Friday morning. “He’s a big, long horse. He won against maidens going two turns, and we thought that might be what he’s best at, but saying that, if the pace was slow he’d run off, and typically those types like coming down the hill with the faster pace. They’re not fighting the jockey.”

Burnin Turf is a case in point. Owing to the course being on hiatus for an extended period, he had never sprinted down it until March 5, but he immediately took to it. Burning Turf has been a late bloomer. He did not get to the races until he was 4, and was 5 when he defeated maidens in January 2021.

“A horse coming into his own at 6 is not common these days,” Blacker said. “Mentally and physically, he’s come around. He’s a cool horse.

“I’m appreciative of the owners,” Blacker said, referring to Next Wave Capital and breeder Old English Rancho, “for being patient to allow him to reach the next level. They did the right thing. And sometimes you do the right thing and it doesn’t work out. But this is a case where it did.”

Burnin Turf starts from the rail, with Drayden Van Dyke aboard.

His main rival, and the likely favorite, is Bran, who was a gallant runner-up at Churchill Downs May 6 in the Grade 2 Turf Sprint.

“He ran a great race. Really good,” said his trainer, John Sadler. “Big field, little bit of trouble on the turn, kept bearing down.”

This will be the third straight time Bran is running back on just three weeks’ rest, making him a throwback.

“He really is,” Sadler said. “Each time he’s taken me there. He takes his races so well. He seems to be thriving. He’s a very sound, happy horse.”

Bran was second down the hill earlier this meet in a stakes-class allowance race.

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Trainer Neil Drysdale sends out the trio of Homer Screen, Majestic Eagle, and Nero. Majestic Eagle was second in the Daytona last year when it was run on the flat course.

Kanderel, a two-time winner sprinting on the flat course, makes his second start following a 10-month layoff.