Hot Market returns from long absence on hillside turf course
ARCADIA, Calif. – Hot Market was in need of a rest after he won an optional claimer for California-breds on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita last April.
“He had lost a lot of weight,” trainer Andy Mathis said. “It took a toll on him.”
The layoff ends for Hot Market in a first-level optional $40,000 claimer against open company at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course in Friday’s seventh race at Santa Anita.
Hot Market drew the outside post in a field of 10 which includes Daddy D T and St. Joe Bay, who were third in graded stakes as 2-year-olds in 2014.
In race 6, Howdy may be ready to break through in an allowance race for California-breds at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.
KEY CONTENDERS
Race 7
Hot Market, by Singletary
Last 3 Beyers: 85-85-84
◗ Hot Market has been in the top three in all three of his starts on the hillside turf course.
◗ A closer, he will be ridden by Flavien Prat. Rafael Bejarano rode Hot Market last year, but rides Hawkedon, another contender in Friday’s field.
◗ Hot Market has been training steadily at Golden Gate Fields.
“We’ve had this race in mind for a while,” Mathis said. “I think he’s come back a better horse. We’ll need one of his better races.”
St. Joe Bay, by Saint Anddan
Last 3 Beyers: 87-45-75
◗ St. Joe Bay was third in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes for 2-year-olds at Del Mar in November 2014. He was sixth in the Louisiana Derby last March and last of six in the Grade 3 Laz Barrera Stakes last May in his final start of the year.
◗ Trained by Peter Miller, St. Joe Bay was second in an optional claimer at six furlongs on dirt here on Jan. 18, leading in the stretch before finishing a head behind Silent Bird.
◗ This will be St. Joe Bay’s second start on turf. He was fourth in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes on turf at Del Mar in 2014.
Daddy D T, by Scat Daddy
Last 3 Beyers: 76-82-81
◗ Daddy D T was third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf here in October 2014, and winless in six subsequent starts. He was fifth in an optional claimer on the hillside on Feb. 4, his first race over the unique course.
Race 6
Howdy, by Sundarban
Last 3 Beyers: 86-90-81
◗ Howdy has finished in the first three in his last four starts, all at a mile or farther. He needed nine races to beat maidens, finally doing so at a mile at Santa Anita last March.
“He wasn’t quick enough in sprints,” trainer Peter Eurton said. “The pedigree is distance-oriented.”
◗ Howdy has been second in his last two starts, optional claimers for California-breds at a mile.
Ain’t Misbehavin, by Elusive Warning
Last 3 Beyers: 84-80-69
◗ This will be the third start of 2016 for Ain’t Misbehavin, and a class test for the 4-year-old gelding. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Ain’t Misbehaving won a $16,000 claimer for non-winners of three on Jan. 10 and was fourth in a starter allowance on Feb. 16.