Home Run Kitten back on hillside for San Simeon
ARCADIA, Calif. – The last-to-first move that Home Run Kitten made last September to win his first graded stakes in the Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita still resonates with trainer David Hofmans.
In recent months, Home Run Kitten has raced in graded stakes at a mile on turf, finishing second or third each time. He is back on the hillside turf course for Sunday’s $100,000 San Simeon Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs.
Hofmans is hoping there will be ample speed among the eight runners to aid Home Run Kitten’s rally.
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“He’ll sit back and make one run,” he said. “There is so much pace in there.”
Home Run Kitten, who races for Tarabilla Farms, is part of a strong field that includes Pure Tactics, who won the Siren Lure Stakes on the hillside last June; Sweet Swap, who won the 2014 San Simeon; and Get Happy Mister, a winner of eight stakes, mostly at Arapahoe Park in Colorado, in the last three years.
San Simeon, race 7
KEY CONTENDERS
Home Run Kitten (Last 3 Beyers: 98-94-91)
◗ Home Run Kitten closed from eighth of 11 in the final furlong to finish third in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on March 7 in his most recent start.
“He was flying,” Hofmans said. “That was a good race.”
◗ Gary Stevens rode Home Run Kitten in the Kilroe and has the mount Sunday.
◗ The San Simeon will be the first start on the hillside turf course for Home Run Kitten since an 11th-place finish behind Bobby’s Kitten in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint here last November. He has won 2 of 3 starts on the course.
“The only bad race he’s run is the Turf Sprint,” Hofmans said. “Otherwise, he’s been pretty good.”
Sweet Swap (Last 3 Beyers: 93-94-88)
◗ Sweet Swap has not been worse than third in three starts on the hillside turf course at this meeting – finishing third in both the Grade 3 Daytona and Clocker’s Corner stakes in December and January before winning an optional claimer March 13. He was favored in each race.
Sweet Swap hopped at the start of the Clocker’s Corner and was beaten by Pure Tactics.
“We know he’s good down the hill,” trainer John Sadler said. “In the races that he didn’t win, he was unlucky.”
◗ Sadler said Sweet Swap has been schooled at the gate in recent weeks. The 6-year-old horse is likely to race on or near the lead. Holy Lute, seventh in the Kilroe Mile, is expected to set the pace.
Pure Tactics (Last 3 Beyers: 94-96-89)
◗ Pure Tactics closed from off the pace to win his third stakes in California in the Clocker’s Corner. In his only subsequent start, Pure Tactics was third in the Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf April 4 after setting the pace to the eighth pole.
◗ Trained by Doug O’Neill, Pure Tactics is likely to race from off the pace in the San Simeon.