Nessy should like San Juan Capistrano distance

ARCADIA, Calif. – The 5-year-old gelding Nessy has raced in turf marathons in Florida, Kentucky, and New York in all eight of his starts since last May. Trained by Ian Wilkes, Nessy won an allowance race at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Churchill Downs last June and was second or third in four stakes since then.

Those results and the race distance of about 1 3/4 miles on turf led owners Ed and Sharon Hudon to send Nessy to Santa Anita for Sunday’s Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes.

“We’ve put a year’s planning to get this horse ready for this race,” Wilkes said.

The San Juan Capistrano is the longest stakes at Santa Anita. Once a Grade 1, the race has lost its stature in recent years due to a decline in the number of top-class turf marathoners in California.

Itsinthepost and Hayabusa One, first and second in two Grade 2 turf marathons at Santa Anita earlier this year, were entered in Saturday’s Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Keeneland.

There are seven runners in the San Juan Capistrano, four of which have run in claiming races in the last year. Aside from Nessy, the field is led by Rye, who won the California Cup Turf Classic for statebreds in January and was fifth behind Itsinthepost in the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes on March 24.

KEY CONTENDERS

Nessy, by Flower Alley
Last 3 Beyers: 98-97-90

◗ Nessy was second in the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 27, and a fast-closing third in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida Stakes at 1 3/8 miles there on March 3. In the McKnight, Nessy chased a slow pace of 1:16.35 for six furlongs and was beaten a half-length by the multiple stakes winner Oscar Nominated.

“I think he’s getting better and better,” Wilkes said. “He’s run winning races. Two starts ago, they went 1:16. He closed to be a half-length off the lead. That’s a winning race. In the next start he got in a little bit of traffic trouble and still ran big.”

◗ Wilkes seldom has starters in California. He has one win at Santa Anita – the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Classic with Fort Larned.

Rye, by English Channel
Last 3 Beyers: 92-92-76

◗ Rye was beaten 7 1/4 lengths by Itsinthepost in the San Luis Rey, closing from eighth in early stretch in his first start at 1 1/2 miles on turf.

“The last race came up tough,” trainer William E. Morey said.

◗ The longer distance of the San Juan Capistrano may suit Rye, who was claimed for $20,000 at Golden Gate Fields in February 2016.

“You only get so many chances at races like this,” Morey said. “He’s got a steady style. He won at 1 3/8 miles on turf.”