Holy Lute faces tough test in optional claimer comeback

ARCADIA, Calif. – Holy Lute was not the same horse last December as he was in the summer of 2013.

In his stakes debut on Labor Day weekend, Holy Lute won the El Cajon Stakes for 3-year-olds at Del Mar. But he finished last in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26, a loss attributed to a lung infection.

More than four months later, Holy Lute returns to racing in an optional claimer at Santa Anita on Friday. Because of the illness, trainer Jim Cassidy is unsure what to expect in a race with implications for stakes in the coming months.

“He’s training very well,” Cassidy said. “He had those issues with a lung infection. We had to treat it medically. I wish I could say he was 100 percent, but I won’t know until we run him.”

Holy Lute, owned by Class Racing Stable, drew the rail in a field of five in Friday’s second race. His comeback will not be easy.

A closer, Holy Lute might have a difficult task in catching the quick runners Declassify, trained by Bob Baffert, and Seeking the Sherif, an improving 5-year-old gelding trained by Ron Ellis.

Declassify has won 2 of 3 starts, going off as a heavy favorite in each race. Declassify has not started since finishing fourth in an allowance race over six furlongs Oct. 6 at Santa Anita. He beat maidens here last April, winning by 11 1/2 lengths, and won a six-furlong allowance race by 7 1/2 lengths at Hollywood Park last June.

In the October race, Declassify fought for the early lead but faded through the stretch to lose by 10 lengths. Typical of a Baffert-trained runner, Declassify has recorded quick workouts recently, including six furlongs in 1:11.60 last Saturday.

Seeking the Sherif has won his last two starts in six-furlong races – a starter allowance Feb. 15 and an optional claimer April 5. In both races, Seeking the Sherif led throughout and was in control in the stretch.

Seeking the Sherif was claimed for $12,500 on Dec. 28, when he won a sprint over 5 1/2 furlongs. In three starts this year, Seeking the Sherif has earned $56,800 for a partnership.

The California-bred stakes horses Omega Star and Spud Spivens also start.

Omega Star won the $200,500 Echo Eddie Stakes in March 2013 but has one win in 10 subsequent starts.

Spud Spivens, entered to be claimed for $62,500, was fifth in the Santana Mile on March 30. He was third in California-bred stakes in 2011 and 2012 and fourth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup in 2012.