Kristo to gun it in Brubaker Stakes
DEL MAR, Calif. – The defection of Firing Line from the first division of the Harry F. Brubaker Stakes on Wednesday at Del Mar does not alter the strategy for Kristo.
“No surprise, we’re going to the front,” trainer John Sadler said. “From the inside, that’s for sure.”
Sadler outlined plans for Kristo before news that 2015 Kentucky Derby runner-up Firing Line will scratch due to a setback believed to be a pulled muscle. His defection from race 5 establishes Kristo as the certain pacesetter and favorite Soi Phet as the most likely winner.
The race-7 second division of the Brubaker is less clear. Eight entered the $75,000, one-mile stakes race, including favorite Conquest Cobra, who faces a difficult pace scenario. He is drawn inside three others with a similar up-front style: Magic Mark, Lieutenant Colonel, and Avanti Bello.
The race could unfold in favor of the Bob Hess Jr.-trained Blue Tone, a versatile gelding who won the 2014 Brubaker and has excuses for recent off-the-board finishes in Texas and Northern California.
“He doesn’t travel well, and when he gets in a new environment, he stresses out,” Hess said. “He tied up both times going into each race.”
Although the muscle cramps soon passed and Blue Tone was able to run, Hess believes he was compromised both times.
“I just think he needs to be in a happy place, and Del Mar is a happy place for him,” Hess said.
Blue Tone has won 3 of 5 at Del Mar, all on synthetic, and has worked well for his first start in nearly three months and his first on Del Mar dirt. He can rally from behind.
Both halves of the Brubaker could go to old-timers ridden by Kent Desormeaux – the 7-year-old Blue Tone and the 8-year-old Soi Phet in the first division. Soi Phet can be excused for a recent misfire on turf. He was forced to use his speed from an outside post, but trainer Leonard Powell and Desormeaux agree that he went too fast.
“He grabbed hold of the bit, took Kent to the front – which was where we didn’t really want to be – dueled for three-quarters of the race, and then just spit the bit,” Powell said.
If the Brubaker unfolds as expected, Soi Phet should sit second to Kristo and run him down late. Others in race 5 are Grazen Sky, Solid Wager, Crittenden, and The Gomper.
Others in race 7 are Songforjohnmichael, War Envoy, and Smart Transition.
KEY CONTENDERS, RACE 5
Firing Line, by Line of David
Last 3 Beyers: 82-34-104
◗ The Kentucky Derby runner-up in 2015, Firing Line will scratch, according to trainer Simon Callaghan. He would have been the program favorite but is listed at 20-1 due to the anticipated scratch.
Soi Phet, by Tizbud
Last 3 Beyers: 88-103-100
◗ His workouts are on turf, but he is more effective racing on dirt. “At his age, grass is a bit kinder on him,” Powell said. “But I think his style, he could be better on the main track.”
◗ After finishing sixth on turf last out, Soi Phet returns to dirt Wednesday. Two recent dirt starts were highly rated California-bred stakes – a win two back and a wide-trip runner-up finish three back.
Kristo, by Distorted Humor
Last 3 Beyers: 96-99-96
◗ His three recent starts in second-level allowance routes produced two runner-up finishes and a third.
◗ Jockey Tyler Baze will put Kristo on the lead from the rail and try to wire the field. Six of 33 dirt races this summer at one mile have been won by the pacesetter.
KEY CONTENDERS, RACE 7
Blue Tone, by Birdstone
Last 3 Beyers: 82-82-99
◗ Blue Tone could be challenged by the footing. “The reality is he is 1 for 12 on dirt,” Hess acknowledged. “But I think it’s more circumstantial. He’s as good as he’s ever been. After the fiasco at Golden Gate, we just kind of backed off and pointed for this race.”
◗ An unusually fast recent workout, five furlongs in 58.80 seconds, was by design, according to Hess. “I just tried to wake him up.”
Conquest Cobra, by Pioneerof the Nile
Last 3 Beyers: 103-99-91
◗ Trainer Vladimir Cerin had Conquest Cobra gelded after purchasing him from Conquest Stables and bringing him to California. “It took about six weeks after he was gelded to begin to settle down,” Cerin said.
◗ Conquest Cobra is in peak form, having won successive second-level allowance/optional-claiming races – a two-turn mile at Santa Anita, followed by a seven-furlong Del Mar sprint that he won in a blistering 1:20.82.
Magic Mark, by Benchmark
Last 3 Beyers: 83-93-78
◗ A stakes winner at Los Alamitos, he was off for one year until a creditable fourth-place comeback last out in a sprint at Santa Anita.
“He’s not really a sprinter,” trainer Ron Ellis said. “He’s a hard-knocking little horse; he runs best if he is laying first or second.”