Dubdubwatson enters Juvenile off big maiden win

ARCADIA, Calif. – The colts entered in the $125,000 Santa Anita Juvenile (race 4) are not as fast as the 2-year-old fillies in the Landaluce Stakes on Sunday, but so what?

An evenly matched field of six entered the Juvenile, which will be run without Nyquist or Annie’s Candy, each of whom earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure when finishing one-two June 5 in the highest-rated race this year for 2-year-olds. It would have been a 16-day turnaround for the Juvenile.

Nyquist will target the Grade 2 Best Pal on Aug. 8 at Del Mar, trainer Doug O’Neill said. Plans for the Peter Miller-trained Annie’s Candy are to run in a maiden race at Los Alamitos and follow that with the Best Pal.

O’Neill has two in the Juvenile – the speedy Found Money and Mrazek. Both are Square Eddie colts who won first out.

The horse to beat in the Juvenile looks to be Dubdubwatson, who crushed maidens one month ago for trainer John Brocklebank.

Three others in the field are Pistone Steel, a better-than-it-looked third in his debut; Swiss Minister, who won the meet’s first 2-year-old race for colts May 1; and the stretch-running maiden Xingontothebone.

Key contenders

Dubdubwatson (Last 2 Beyers: 67-69)

Third in his debut, Dubdubwatson won his second start by more than two lengths. Since that May 22 race, two of his three works have been bullets, including a 58.80-second work June 16.

“He is enthusiastic,” Brocklebank said. “We won’t have any [fitness] excuse. Whether he is good enough remains to be seen.”

Joe Talamo rides Dubdubwatson, sired by Kipling.

Found Money (Last Beyer: 65)

In his career debut on a wet-fast track, Found Money led gate to wire, setting a fast pace. He was ridden first out by Mario Gutierrez. Corey Nakatani takes over Sunday.

Mrazek (Last Beyer: 61)

Gutierrez rode Mrazek to a 5 1/4-length debut victory and sticks with the colt for his second start. Mrazek set relatively modest fractions in his debut and drew the rail for the Juvenile.