Man Friday feeling good for Let It Ride Stakes

Extra attention has benefited Man Friday in advance of Thursday’s $100,000 Let It Ride Stakes for 3-year-old turf milers at Del Mar.

Tyler Cerin, son of trainer Vladimir Cerin, is a co-owner of the ridgling and has developed a rapport with Man Friday.

“My son does a lot of equine physical therapy,” Vladimir Cerin said. “He’s worked his butt off to make him as good as he can be.

“He actually treats him more like a golden retriever than a horse. He gives him a massage every day, a lot of love.”

Man Friday, also owned by Marie Fritts, Lauri Seymour, and Todd Cady, was claimed by Cerin for $50,000 on Aug. 20 at Del Mar.

Man Friday closed from ninth of 10 that day to win by a half-length at 5-2. In his first start for Cerin, Man Friday won an allowance race at a mile on turf on Oct. 10 at Santa Anita.

“It looked pretty good,” Cerin said. “I hope he’s improved enough.”

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The Let It Ride Stakes, restricted to nonwinners of a stakes worth $60,000 or more to the winner at a mile or more since April 1, is Man Friday’s first start in a stakes since a third in the Singletary Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita in April.

The field of 10 includes Crew Dragon, second by a head in the Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar in July; Petruchio, who was second in the Singletary; Coulthard, a troubled fourth in an allowance race on Oct. 2; and Big Fish, who won the California Cup Derby in January.

Crew Dragon was 12th of 13 in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 4 in his third start of the Del Mar summer meeting, and was second in an allowance race at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course on Oct. 2 at Santa Anita.

“He ran a good race the other day,” trainer John Sadler said. “I think I made a mistake running him three times at Del Mar.”

Trainer Doug O’Neill has two runners in Sonic Brees, who has not raced since a third in the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar in August 2020, and Team Merchants, who was comprehensively beaten in his last two starts.

An injury kept Sonic Brees sidelined longer than expected.

“We’re excited to have him back to the races,” O’Neill said. “I would expect him to be forwardly placed. He’s got a lot of miles in him, but it’s hard to simulate afternoon racing.”

Team Merchants won an allowance race at 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt in July at Del Mar and was later last of five in the Shared Belief Stakes behind Kentucky Derby first-place finisher Medina Spirit on Aug. 29 at Del Mar and fourth in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby on Sept. 26 at Remington Park.

The Let It Ride Stakes is an experiment for Team Merchants, his first start in a one-mile race on turf.

“He’s got recency and he’s fit and ready,” O’Neill said. “We think he’s a talented colt, but we’re not sure what’s in his best interest as well.”