Lieutenant Colonel, Later My Love may be hard to catch
ARCADIA, Calif. – The forecast of rain led to the cancellation of a turf-sprint stakes scheduled for Sunday at Santa Anita, but no problem. The $75,000 Arboretum Stakes for fillies and mares is replaced by two appealing main-track allowance races.
In both races, the key entrants are front-runners. The lightly raced Lieutenant Colonel is expected to set the pace in race 5, a second-level optional $62,500 claiming race at 1 1/8 miles. His main rivals are Rockport Kat and Just Kidding.
In race 8, a six-furlong allowance for California-bred 3-year-old fillies, the blazingly fast Later My Love returns from a six-month layoff as the likely pacesetter.
“She’s very fast,” trainer Jeff Bonde said.
Her main rivals are the closers Shy Carmelita and Sky Diamonds.
The race-8 allowance is a prep for the $200,000 Evening Jewel Stakes, a sprint stakes for Cal-bred 3-year-old fillies on April 9. The race-5 allowance gives the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained Lieutenant Colonel a chance to move up the ladder.
“He needed a confidence-builder,” assistant Dan Ward said, referring to Lieutenant Colonel’s wire-to-wire win last out. “And he’s come back and worked beautifully since.”
A field of eight entered, including the pace presser Ike Walker and Soi Phet, an 8-year-old stakes winner entered for the $62,500 tag.
Race 5
KEY CONTENDERS
Lieutenant Colonel, by Colonel John
Last 3 Beyers: 90-74-67
◗ Rafael Bejarano rides the 2-for-5 gelding, who led wire to wire in a first-level allowance last out at 1 1/16 miles.
“A mile and an eighth, I think we’ll get a softer pace,” Ward said.
◗ He raced three times in New York for Chad Brown before he was sent to California. His comeback was a seventh-place finish in a sprint; he improved when he stretched out.
Rockport Kat, by Rockport Harbor
Last 3 Beyers: 61-92-55
◗ Richard Baltas trains the enigmatic Rockport Kat, whose wins in maiden and allowance races were sandwiched between up-the-track finishes. Baltas believes he was compromised last out by a mild case of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis.
“He was not 100 percent behind,” Baltas said. “I’m thinking that’s why he ‘in and out.’ ”
◗ The gelding stayed in training while receiving 30 days of treatment and responded. Jockey Mario Gutierrez has been working him.
“According to Mario, he feels better,” Baltas said. “He’s coming up to the race really good.”
◗ Rockport Kat, 2 for 5, figures for a pressing trip in the clear.
Just Kidding, by Kiss the Kid
Last 3 Beyers: 91-93-88
◗ A closer, Just Kidding finished in the money in three straight second-level allowances. Trainer Peter Eurton believes he benefits Sunday by the extra distance.
“I like the mile and an eighth,” he said. “He’s not real fast. He’s steady.”
◗ Just Kidding, 2 or 14, was nominated to the Santa Anita Handicap in case the allowance race Sunday did not fill.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 El Huerfano. Trainer Peter Miller is 39-7-6-5 with a $4.26 ROI over the past five years going turf to dirt in routes at Santa Anita. – Mike Hogan
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Race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Later My Love, by Lucky Pulpit
Last 3 Beyers: 54-77-24
◗ She won her debut and finished in the money in two Cal-bred stakes last summer at Del Mar before she wrenched an ankle and was turned out.
“She’s come back and trained very well,” Bonde said.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Later My Love. Trainer Jeff Bonde is 16-1-5-4 with a $1.32 ROI over the past five years on dirt in Southern California following a layoff of 180 days or more. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Shy Carmelita. Trainer Phil D’Amato is 15-5-1-2 with a $3.57 ROI over the past five years in the second career start following a winning debut. – Mike Hogan