Kobe’s Back on the shelf until late summer

ARCADIA, Calif. – Kobe’s Back, the three-time stakes winner who finished sixth in the $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park on June 6, is unlikely to start again until late summer.

Trainer Peter Eurton said he considers the 4-year-old Kobe’s Back a candidate for the $250,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs on Aug. 22 at Del Mar instead of the $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes at six furlongs there July 26.

“We’ll probably point for the Pat O’Brien,” Eurton said. “I don’t want to shorten him up too much to go in the early sprint, but that could change.”

Kobe’s Back was beaten 11 1/2 lengths by Honor Code in the Met Mile. Owned by Lee and Susan Searing, Kobe’s Back joined Eurton’s stable earlier this year and won the Grade 2 Commonwealth Stakes at seven furlongs at Keeneland in April.

Eurton said She’s a Big Winner, the winner of the minor Sweet Life Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the hillside turf course in February, is sidelined with a leg injury and is unlikely to race again until 2016. She’s a Big Winner was fifth in the Ultrafleet Stakes at Santa Anita on May 1 in her most recent start.

“She’ll have four months off,” he said. “She’ll be out until next year.”