Dr. Schivel targets Allen Jerkens Stakes
The Grade 1 Allen Jerkens Stakes for 3-year-olds at Saratoga on Aug. 28 is a summertime goal for Dr. Schivel, the sharp winner of an allowance race at Santa Anita in his 2021 debut last Friday.
Trainer Mark Glatt said Dr. Schivel could run before then in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes against older horses at six furlongs at Del Mar on July 31, or the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes against 3-year-olds at six furlongs at Saratoga the following day.
“We’ll see what happens over the next week or two,” he said. “We have a little time on our hands.”
The $500,000 Jerkens Stakes is run at seven furlongs.
Dr. Schivel won his final start of 2020 in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity last September, his last start for trainer Luis Mendez. Dr. Schivel was rested last fall and winter and resumed training earlier this year with Glatt.
Prior to the Del Mar Futurity, Dr. Schivel was purchased by his current owners – Red Barons’ Barn, Rancho Temescal and William Reeves. Bill Branch, who owned Dr. Schivel with Arnold Hill for his first three starts, has retained a share in the colt, who is by Violence.
After the Del Mar Futurity, Dr. Schivel was in need of a rest after making four starts from late June to Labor Day, Glatt said.
“He was a little jammed up at that time,” Glatt said. “He had a hard campaign. He ran four times as a 2-year-old.
“I’m pretty conservative and so are the owners. I advised them if we go on with him we might end up with an issue we don’t want to deal with. We gave him some time.”
In a six-furlong allowance race last Friday, Dr. Schivel closed from fourth in a field of five to win by a neck over Canadian Pride. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Dr. Schivel raced on the rail until Prat moved the colt outside of a rival in the stretch.
“I thought it was terrific for a horse running against older and coming off a layoff,” Glatt said. “It was not an easy trip.
“When Flavien was able to get him off the rail and find a place to run, he ran that horse down.
“There’s a lot ahead for him,” Glatt said. “Potentially, he’s a Breeders’ Cup horse. He’s got the Malibu at the end of the year.”
The Grade 1 Malibu Stakes is run at seven furlongs for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita on Dec. 26.