'House' has been worth wait

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Patience is a virtue all trainers preach but not all practice.

It is something of an acquired skill that trainers must learn and then pass on to their owners.

Trainer Art Sherman has gotten the most out of his horses by exercising patience. A good example is Another House, who runs against six foes in an entry-level allowance Friday at Bay Meadows.

A $29,000 yearling by Favorite Trick, did not race until Nov. 3, late in his 3-year-old year. He won his debut, a $32,000 maiden claimer, missed by a neck in a tough $40,000 starter allowance race, and then returned at the same level to score a six-length victory.

When asked why it took so long to get Another House to the races, Sherman said, "He was really green.

"He's gotten better and better."

Sherman took a chance when he ran Another House for a tag in his debut. Another House broke slowly, raced four wide on the turn, and still won by a length.

"We hoped we could get him eligible for a starter allowance race," Sherman said. "He didn't have really fast works so we thought no one would claim him."

The gamble paid off, and Another House has subsequently turned in a pair of strong efforts. He sat just off the pace and grabbed the lead in the stretch before being caught in his first starter allowance, then went wire to wire in his last start.

Sherman said Another House can come from off the pace if necessary. "It's all dictated by the way the race shapes up," he said.

Another House will probably be on the lead in Friday's race. Another House not only has a pace advantage, he has a favorable outside draw.

has speed, but it may have been dulled a bit by recent route tries. Mr. Fondue has flashed speed, but he came from off the pace in his Dec. 30 comeback following a seven-month break.

Sunday Times has 2 wins and 2 seconds in his last 4 starts. Both wins came sprinting, and he cut out a decent pace in both routes.

, coming off a bang-up second to an odds-on favorite, will be a stalker.