Juvenile Turf should offer Breeders' Cup clues for Hey Nay Nay
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Two wins in two starts, the latest a sprint stakes at Monmouth Park last month, has left high hopes surrounding the 2-year-old colt Hey Nay Nay.
Is he good enough to start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar on Oct. 31? The result of Sunday’s Grade 3 Del Mar Juvenile Turf at a mile will provide clues.
“He’s a pretty straightforward horse,” trainer John Sadler said last weekend, conveying a reserved tone.
“He seems mature. He’s done what we’ve asked of him.”
Hey Nay Nay won a maiden race at five furlongs on turf by 1 1/2 lengths at Santa Anita on June 1, prompting Sadler to wish the race had been run a few weeks earlier to allow owners Hronis Racing and Iapetus Racing to have entertained a potential trip to Royal Ascot.
Instead, Hey Nay Nay was sent to Monmouth Park where he was easy winner of the $98,000 Tyro Stakes at five furlongs on turf by seven lengths as the 3-10 favorite on Aug. 2. Hey Nay Nay was going so easily in the final furlong that he was not urged by jockey Paco Lopez.
Five weeks later, Hey Nay Nay will start at a new distance against a full field of 14.
“It’s the right timing and the right spacing,” Sadler said.
Hey Nay Nay has set the pace in his two wins, but Sadler said the colt is not committed to that style. “He seems very shut off-able,” he said.
Hector Berrios, who rode Hey Nay Nay on June 1, regains the mount. Hey Nay Nay has a favorable draw in post 5. Dirty Rich, the winner of a $150,000 claiming race for maidens on dirt, starts from post 2 and may show speed.
Aside from Hey Nay Nay, there are five other runners in the field that have won on turf – Caro Buono and Proletariat in sprints, and Later Than Planned, Won for Lou and Love the Pressure at a mile.
Love the Pressure won his turf debut by 2 1/4 lengths on Aug. 3 by leading throughout.
Trainer Bob Baffert starts the well-bred colt Plutarch, who finished second in his lone start in a maiden race at a mile on dirt on Aug. 23. Plutarch is by leading sire Into Mischief and is out of Stellar Wind, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2015.
The $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf will be the American debut of Caro Buono, who won once in four starts in France from early April to early June. Caro Buono won his third start in that country, in a six-furlong allowance race at Lyon on May 17. More recently, Caro Buono was fifth of seven in a minor stakes at five furlongs on turf at Chantilly on June 1.
“The distance was too short for him,” new trainer Leonard Powell said.
Powell predicts Caro Buono will race as a stalker.
“I don’t expect him to show a ton of speed,” he said. “I hope he’s not too far behind.”
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