Hard Aces will take third crack at Santa Anita Handicap

ARCADIA, Calif. – Hard Aces has had a nearly constant presence in the major stakes for older horses in Southern California in recent years. He even wins a few of them.

Owned by Pete and Kosta Hronis, Hard Aces won the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita in 2015 and will have his third consecutive appearance in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap next Saturday. He was fourth in 2015 and second last year to Melatonin.

On Friday at Santa Anita, Hard Aces worked seven furlongs in 1:26.40, his final major exercise before the Big Cap. Trainer John Sadler is guardedly optimistic that Hard Aces will play a leading role in the race. The distance of 1 1/4 miles is not considered an issue.

“He does better if there is a lot of speed,” Sadler said. “He can run a mile and quarter. We would like to see him get a good check.”

Hard Aces, 7, was fifth in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes on Feb. 4, his only start this year. Hard Aces is winless in four starts since the Grade 3 Cougar II Handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Del Mar last July.

Hard Aces is part of a probable field of seven or eight for the Big Cap, along with Follow Me Crev, Gangster, Imperative, Isotherm, Midnight Storm, Shaman Ghost, and Twentytwentyvision.

There is a chance that Twentytwentyvision could be held out of the Big Cap for the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes on March 25, trainer Richard Mandella said.

◗ In other works on Friday, Stellar Wind, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2015, worked five furlongs in 1:01.40. Trained by Sadler, Stellar Wind is scheduled to have her 2017 debut in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 14.

◗ Iliad, the winner of the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes on Feb. 12, worked seven furlongs in 1:26. He starts in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles next Saturday.

◗ Hoppertunity and Mor Spirit, first and second in the San Antonio Stakes, worked six furlongs in company in 1:12.60. Hoppertunity is being pointed to the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 25. Mor Spirit is a candidate for the Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park on March 18.