Iron Rob tries to rebound from dull run
Iron Rob will try to make amends for his loss as the favorite in a $10,000 starter race on July 8 when he runs in a $10,000 starter race that has a $15,000 claiming option Friday evening at Emerald Downs. The six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up drew six horses, and with plenty of potential speed signed on, it could set up nicely for Iron Rob who does his best running late.
With a $10,571 carryover on the Jackpot Pick 7, patrons will want to be at Emerald before the first of seven races, which has a post time of 6:30 p.m. Pacific.
Prior to his fourth-place finish July 8, Iron Rob rallied to win back-to-back races going 6 1/2 furlongs in $10,000 starter races May 19 and June 17. Trained by Ken Elison, Iron Rob broke a bit slowly from the inside post last time, and he may have bounced after running a huge race when he won his previous start. The 80 Beyer Speed Figure he received for his 2 1/2-length win over Mixo wasn’t a career-best, but was easily his top figure this year.
With a bullet five-furlong move Aug. 17, he could be ready to redeem himself. He will break from post 3 with Jose Zunino riding.
After running second in Iron Rob’s two straight wins, Mixo won the race July 8, and they will face off again Friday. In midstretch it didn’t look like the Larry Ross-trained Mixo was going to catch the leaders, but he finished with a rush and got up in the last jump to edge Royal Privacy by a head.
KEY CONTENDERS
Iron Rob, by Twirling Candy
Last 3 Beyers: 64-80-74
◗ He has had three solid works since his flop as the chalk, and he was coming off a similar layoff when he won the $77,380 Baffle Stakes at Santa Anita as a 3-year-old in 2016.
◗ He could be a handful if he breaks with the field.
Mixo, by Abraaj
Last 3 Beyers: 78-74-69
◗ He made the lead too early when he finished second to Iron Rob on June 17, but jockey Kevin Orozco timed his move perfectly last time and he does seem to be trending in the right direction.
Serbian Syclone, by Wildcat Heir
Last 3 Beyers: 78-62-85
◗ He is the speed of the speed and could be tough to reel in if he can get the jump on Capital Expense.
◗ He is trained by Manny Ortiz, who is winning races at a 33 percent clip at the meet, and will be ridden by leading rider Rocco Bowen.
◗ Catch him if you can, and they didn’t in two of his last three starts. The wins came in $10,000 claimers on May 27 and July 1, though, and he did get fried in a duel in Iron Rob’s win on June 17.