New 1,000-yard races made to order for Hardcore Troubador

Hardcore Troubador is a very good racehorse for approximately one minute. After about five furlongs, he is not as effective.

“That’s a far as he goes,” said Ed Freeman, who owns and trains the 6-year-old. “Fortunately, he goes fast enough that every once in a while he wins.”

Hardcore Troubador was a troubled third in the $20,000 Wheatland Handicap for Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses at 870 yards at Los Alamitos on April 18, a distance slightly shorter than four furlongs.

Sunday at Los Alamitos, Hardcore Troubador will start in an allowance race at 1,000 yards, or approximately 4 1/2 furlongs. The 1,000-yard races are a new addition to racing at Los Alamitos, and were launched this week following the temporary closure of nearby Santa Anita because of the coronavirus outbreak. As of Friday, it was unclear when Santa Anita would resume racing.

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The 870- and 1,000-yard races are designed for Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds and have frequently drawn Thoroughbreds who run sprint distances at Sana Anita. Sunday’s allowance race at 1,000 yards drew a field of eight Thoroughbreds. Three of them raced at Santa Anita earlier this year.

Hardcore Troubador starts in the fourth race on a nine-race program that begins at 9 p.m. Eastern, or 6 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Hardcore Troubador has won 4 of 9 starts at 870- and 1,000-yards and has won 5 of 20 starts racing exclusively against Thoroughbreds, with all those wins at five- and 5 1/2 furlongs.

“I like the 1,000-yard idea,” Freeman said.

Hardcore Troubador will be ridden by Vinnie Bednar, who has been aboard for the gelding’s last three starts. In the Wheatland Handicap, Hardcore Troubador was the 6-5 favorite. He started from the outside in a field of seven, raced four-wide on the turn and was beaten four lengths by Rule He Will.

“He had a terrible trip,” Freeman said. “He was drawn outside. You can’t be four-wide on the turn at Los Al.”

Hardcore Troubador will start from post 4 on Sunday. He is unlikely to set the pace, but could get a stalking trip behind Run Factor, who has won four of his last five starts at Los Alamitos at 870 yards and lower-level claiming races for Thoroughbreds at 4 1 2 furlongs.

Trained by Angela Aquino, Run Factor won an allowance race at 870 yards by 1 1/4 lengths on April 11 in his first start at the distance.

Sunday’s race will be the second start at 870 yards for Portando, who was promoted from second to first in an allowance race on April 4 after Biddy Duke was disqualified from first for causing interference on the turn.

Potrando, trained at Santa Anita by Jack Carava, is a threat from off the pace.