Kentuckian searching for niche in Laz Barrera Stakes
ARCADIA, Calif. – Kentuckian lost for the first time when he finished a troubled third in the minor San Pedro Stakes at Santa Anita on April 12. The loss did not diminish Kentuckian’s potential to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.
“I don’t think we’ve found out what he really is,” Hollendorfer said. “We’re still working at that.”
More evidence will be known after Kentuckian makes his graded stakes debut in Sunday’s $100,000 Lazaro Barrera Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs. This will be the longest race of Kentuckian’s three-race career, which began with an 11-length win in a maiden race at six furlongs at Golden Gate Fields on March 7.
The Grade 3 Laz Barrera features a rematch of the first three finishers of the San Pedro, which was won by Yiannis, who finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of Serbian Syclone.
Serbian Syclone is one of three runners in the Barrera trained by Peter Miller, who also starts St. Joe Bay, who was sixth in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds on March 28, and Forest Blue, a sharp maiden race winner in his debut April 18.
Laz Barrera, race 7
KEY CONTENDERS
Yiannis (Last 2 Beyers: 88-70)
◗ Yiannis will be the horse to catch in the Barrera from his starting position on the rail. The inside post is not a concern to trainer John Sadler.
“I don’t mind the rail because he’s fast,” Sadler said. “He’ll be in front.”
◗ Yiannis led throughout the San Pedro at six furlongs. In the stretch of that race, he drifted out and made contact with Serbian Syclone in the final furlong. The incident was the subject of a stewards’ inquiry, but there was no change to the order of finish.
“After the bumping, his energy was good,” Sadler said. “He was going away at the end.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Yiannis. Trainer John Sadler is 10-1-1-0 with a $0.26 ROI over the past five years in dirt sprint graded stakes with last-out winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
:: Learn more about Formulator | Buy Formulator PPs
:: Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts
Kentuckian (Last 2 Beyers: 79-90)
◗ Kentuckian was steadied on the turn of the San Pedro when racing on the inside. He recovered to finish third as the 3-5 favorite, 3 1/2 lengths behind Yiannis. Hollendorfer was left wondering what might have been had Kentuckian had a clean trip.
“He got down inside with nowhere to go,” Hollendorfer said. “A horse came over and didn’t shut him off but made it tight.”
◗ By Tiznow, Kentuckian races for Fox Hill Farms. The colt was purchased for $610,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale. Hollendorfer said Kentuckian is not necessarily a sprinter.
“We’re taking the view that we’d like to get him stretched out,” he said. “He’s bred to be a nice horse.”
Serbian Syclone (Last 3 Beyers: 85-65-68)
◗ Serbian Syclone won an optional claimer Dec. 31 but was disappointing in his next two starts, finishing sixth in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes on Feb. 1 and seventh in the Baffle Stakes on the hillside turf course Feb. 15.
◗ In the San Pedro, Serbian Syclone was fifth early but never farther than 1 1/4 lengths from the lead. The Laz Barrera equals the longest race of his career.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 The Man. Trainer Bob Baffert is 11-1-3-2 with a $0.34 ROI over the past five years in dirt sprint graded stakes in the first start following a maiden victory. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 St. Joe Bay. Trainer Peter Miller is 54-10-5-11 with a $6.15 ROI over the past five years going route to sprint on dirt at Santa Anita. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan