Malibu longshot Timeless Bounty's claiming days long behind him

Timeless Bounty was claimed for $12,500 at Thistledown on Aug. 24 and for $15,000 at the same Ohio racetrack on Oct. 6. More than two months later, Timeless Bounty hardly seems like the same 3-year-old colt. Owned by Willow’s Green Stables, Timeless Bounty was the 59-1 winner of the $250,000 Steel Valley Sprint Stakes for 3-year-olds at Mahoning Valley in Ohio on Nov. 22.

Timeless Bounty will take his first trip to California for the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at seven furlongs for 3-year-olds on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.

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The Malibu Stakes will have an outstanding field, led by Dr. Schivel, who was second by a nose in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 6 at Del Mar; the undefeated and blazingly fast colt Flightline; Baby Yoda, another exceptionally fast colt who was a troubled seventh in the Steel Valley Sprint; and Triple Tap, a half-brother to 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.

Timeless Bounty joined the California stable of trainer Bob Hess Jr. earlier this month, having been recently trained by David Wilson Jr. Timeless Bounty worked a half-mile in 48 seconds on Monday at Santa Anita.

“I’ve had him 10 days,” Hess said Friday. “Obviously, it’s a super-salty race. He’s a beautiful horse and an athlete. He loves his job.

“There is nothing cheap about him. He doesn’t act like a $12,500 to $15,000 claimer.”

Timeless Bounty closed from ninth in a field of 12 to win the six-furlong Steel Valley Sprint by three-quarters of a length. A similar strategy is probably the only realistic way Timeless Bounty can collect part of the $300,000 purse of the Malibu.

Umberto Rispoli, who was aboard for the recent workout, has the mount.

“He liked him quite a bit,” Hess said. “Maybe it sets up great and he runs them a down for a piece or more.”

The Malibu has seven probable starters, including Stilleto Boy, who was fifth in the BC Classic, and Team Merchants, a stakes winner on turf at Del Mar in November.

The Malibu is one of six graded stakes on the opening-day program of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting. The Dec. 26 program includes two Grade 1 races for 3-year-old fillies worth $300,000 – the La Brea Stakes at seven furlongs and the American Oaks at 1 1/4 miles on turf.