Gormley gets ready to smile for camera in Sham Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – John Shirreffs not only trains Gormley, he’s a bit of a fan.

When Gormley walked off the track after a five-furlong workout in 1:00.60 at Santa Anita on Monday, Shirreffs took a moment to take a few photos.

“I got a new camera for Christmas,” Shirreffs said. “I love photography anyway.”

Gormley could be the subject of many photos in the coming months. Already a Grade 1 winner, having won the FrontRunner Stakes here on Oct. 1, Gormley will have his 3-year-old debut in Saturday’s $100,000 Sham Stakes at a mile.

Shirreffs held Gormley out of the $300,000 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 10 to prepare for the Grade 3 Sham Stakes, the first stakes of the winter-spring meeting in the buildup to the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 8.

“There are only so many races to participate in,” Shirreffs said. “I want to place the horse properly.”

Gormley had his final work for the Sham on Monday, going in company with stablemate Cool Samurai. Jockey Victor Espinoza worked Gormley over a track the clockers rated “good.”

“I thought he worked spectacular,” Shirreffs said. “I wasn’t looking for a particular time.”

Gormley is part of a projected field of six that is expected to include American Anthem, Big Hit, Blabimir, Colonel Samson, and Term of Art.

Gormley races for Jerry and Ann Moss and has not raced since finishing seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile here on Nov. 5, his first loss in his third start. Gormley bobbled at the start and raced wide before fading in the final quarter-mile.

The Sham is one of four graded stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday and Sunday. The richest races of the weekend are Saturday’s $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes, scheduled for 1 1/8 miles on turf, and Sunday’s $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes, for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs.

There is a chance of rain later in the week, which could affect the San Gabriel Stakes. Trainer John Sadler said he plans to have a runner, regardless of the surface.

Conquest Daddyo, who won the Toronto Cup on turf at Woodbine last July, was purchased for $120,000 at the Keeneland November breeding sale and will have his debut for Sadler in the San Gabriel if the race stays on turf.

If the race is run on the main track, Sadler plans to run Hard Aces, the winner of the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita in 2015 and third in the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 27. Hard Aces worked six furlongs in 1:13.80 on Monday. He would have to be supplemented to the San Gabriel for $4,000.

Conquest Daddyo and Hard Aces are owned by Pete and Kosta Hronis.

The Santa Ynez candidates are led by Unique Bella, the winner of a maiden race for sprinters by 10 1/4 lengths at Del Mar on Nov. 26.

Saturday’s card also includes the $100,000 Las Cienegas Handicap for fillies and mares on the hillside turf course.