Eastwood, Kentuckian avoid heavy hitters in Los Angeles Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – The Grade 3 Los Angeles Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday is the ideal race for Eastwood and Kentuckian this month. None of the leading sprinters in California will be near the starting gate for the $100,000 race at six furlongs, giving the two an easier chance to show that they belong in the division.

Denman’s Call and Masochistic, first and second in the Grade 1 Triple Bend Stakes on March 11, are bound for Churchill Downs on May 6. Solid Wager, the winner of the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes in February, is resting after a fourth-place finish in the $2 million Golden Shaheen in Dubai on March 25.

There are five entrants in the Los Angeles Stakes. While three are stakes winners – Grazen Sky, Ike Walker, and Kentuckian – none has won a graded stakes in the last two years.

The Los Angeles Stakes will be the stakes debut of Lord Simba, the eight-length winner of a maiden race March 19, and the California debut of Eastwood, who was fourth in the Grade 2 True North Stakes at Belmont Park in June 2015 in his last start.

KEY CONTENDERS

Kentuckian, by Tiznow

Last 3 Beyers: 93-76-84

◗ Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer for Rick Porter, Kentuckian was considered for the Triple Bend after a win in an optional claimer at six furlongs on Feb. 20. Kentuckian won the Grade 3 Laz Barrera Stakes in May 2015 but has had only five starts since. The February race was his first start since September.

“He had some foot problems,” Hollendorfer said. “We had to work on that, and he seems better.”

◗ Kentuckian drew the rail and is likely to race from a stalking position under jockey Stewart Elliott. Hollendorfer is hopeful Kentuckian is back to his stakes-winning form from 2015.

“He’s a stakes horse now, I think,” Hollendorfer said. “He deserves a chance to run in a stakes.”

Eastwood, by Speightstown

Last 3 Beyers: 99-98-97

◗ Eastwood’s career has had its fits and starts the last few years. He was in training with Todd Pletcher through 2015 before being sent to California.

◗ Eastwood was briefly in training in 2016 before he was given another break and has been in steady training with Richard Mandella since the start of this year. Mandella said he is taking a cautious approach to Saturday’s race.

“I hate to start in a graded stakes,” he said. “I’ve got him nearly ready to run.”

◗ Eastwood, 7, has won four of nine starts, all in sprints. He breaks from the outside and is likely to race from off the pace.

Lord Simba, by Discreet Cat

Last 3 Beyers: 97-94-82

◗ Lord Simba needed four races to beat maidens, doing so with a gate-to-wire win in 1:09.14 for six furlongs March 19. Trained by Bob Baffert, Lord Simba is quick, often running an opening quarter-mile in 22 seconds or less.

◗ Purchased for $300,000 at a sale of 2-year-olds in training, Lord Simba will face a class test in the Los Angeles Stakes, even if the race has not drawn the circuit’s top sprinters.