Hay Dude makes long-awaited U.S. debut in Lure
ARCADIA, Calif. – When Hay Dude arrived here from England last winter, trainer Phil D’Amato expected him to make his U.S. debut long before Sunday’s $75,000 Lure Stakes at Santa Anita.
“We had a lot of issues with quarter cracks, and we turned him out,” D’Amato said.
A 4-year-old gelding, Hay Dude “didn’t have any foot” when he arrived from England last winter. Furthermore, he was hard to deal with until he was gelded.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Hay Dude. Trainer Phil D’Amato is 53-14-3-7 with a $4.23 ROI over the past five years in turf routes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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“He was a bit of a rogue,” D’Amato said.
In recent weeks, Hay Dude has been better behaved, as evidenced by his training. He worked six furlongs on turf in 1:11.80 here Oct. 19.
The Lure Stakes is run over a mile, an ideal distance for Hay Dude, who is part of a field of nine. The race is restricted to horses who have not won a stakes, other than a statebred stakes, worth $55,000 at a mile or longer this year.
Key contenders
Hay Dude (No previous Beyer)
* Hay Dude won three minor races in England in 2012 and 2013 at distances ranging from 7 1/4 furlongs to a mile. After finishing second in the Group 3 Superior Mile at Haydock Park in September 2013, Hay Dude made his final two starts of that season in France, finishing third and sixth in stakes.
* Hay Dude is owned by Joe Scardino and Anthony Fanticola, who also have the Grade 1 winner Obviously with D’Amato. Obviously has been pre-entered for the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.
* On Thursday, D’Amato expressed concern that Hay Dude may need a race in the Lure but said the long-term outlook is promising.
“I don’t know if he’s 100 percent,” he said. “If he would be, he’d be tough to beat. We thought of him in the Obviously ilk when we bought him.”
Boyett (Last 3 Beyers: 96-86-90)
* Boyett won an optional claimer here on turf in June and was second in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs on dirt Aug. 24, the 4-year-old gelding’s most recent start. Trainer Mark Glatt said Boyett is equally effective on both surfaces.
“I don’t know if it really matters,” he said. “His turf races are pretty solid here. I think he’s pretty versatile.”
Pure Tactics (Last 3 Beyers: 87-80-93)
* Pure Tactics was fourth in the Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes on the hillside turf course Sept. 26. A winner of 7 of 18 starts, Pure Tactics has raced in turf sprints most of this year. He won the minor Barksdale Stakes over a mile on turf at Louisiana Downs in August 2013.
Starspangled Heat (Last 3 Beyers: 87-86-86)
* Trainer Barry Abrams considers the Lure Stakes a prep for the $3 million BC Turf over 1 1/2 miles next Saturday. In the past, Starspangled Heat has returned from short layoffs to run well.
* A 6-year-old gelding by Unusual Heat, Starspangled Heat was sixth in the California Flag Handicap on the hillside turf course Oct. 19, 2013, and won an optional claimer over the same course and distance seven days later.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Drill. Trainer Bob Baffert is 29-1-3-3 with a $0.09 ROI over the past five years going dirt to turf at Santa Anita. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan