Mullins claims a future pony

California trainer Jeff Mullins had two leading reasons to claim the 10-year-old gelding Jetovator for $20,000 last Saturday at Santa Anita.

“I may run him once and then have him for a pony,” Mullins said. “He’s a big, beautiful stout gray horse.”

Jetovator’s racing career is coming to an end in California. Racehorses aged 11 or older cannot start at Del Mar, Los Alamitos, or Santa Anita.

Jetovator, who has had 43 starts and earned $447,791, is winless in four starts since an allowance race for California-breds at five furlongs on turf last November at Del Mar.

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Last Saturday, Jetovator set the pace in an allowance race for California-breds but faded to finish last of eight. He was entered for the optional-claiming provision of the race.

Aside from potential purse earnings in a forthcoming start, Mullins said claiming a prospective pony for $20,000 made economic sense.

“It will cost you $15,000 to $30,000” to buy a pony, he said. “If I win, I’ll get a free pony.”

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