New rivals get acquainted in Friday allowance
ARCADIA, Calif. – Awesome Return and Abbey Vale meet for the first time in an optional claimer on turf at Santa Anita on Friday. They could become frequent rivals in distance turf stakes in Southern California.
Awesome Return won three restricted stakes for 3-year-olds last year but has yet to win in two starts against older horses this year. Abbey Vale has not raced since last April when he was pulled up and later found to have a tibia injury. They are part of a field of nine in Friday’s race, run at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
KEY CONTENDERS
Awesome Return (Last 3 Beyers: 91-90-89)
◗ This will be Awesome Return’s fourth start of the winter-spring meeting. Owned by breeder Richard Kritzski, Awesome Return was third in the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile for 3-year-olds on Dec. 26, sixth in the California Cup Turf Classic on Jan. 24, and second by a head in an optional claimer at 1 1/4 miles on turf on Feb. 27.
◗ The cutback in distance “should be no problem,” trainer Mike Puype said.
“He’s won at a mile,” Puype said. “He made a good run last time and I expect a good race.”
◗ Puype’s primary concern is that the inner turf rails on Friday are 24 feet out from the permanent position, a configuration that leads to a narrower course.
“If you’re a closer, you’re not on the advantageous side of the race,” he said. “There is less room to close into. If you do it, you have to go very wide.”
◗ The $100,000 Last Tycoon Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on April 25 could be a spot for Awesome Return and Abbey Vale after Friday.
“The fact that he can run a distance will open some opportunities this summer,” Puype said of Awesome Return.
Abbey Vale (Beyer: 87)
◗ Bred in Ireland, Abbey Vale won his American debut last March but was pulled up as the 6-5 favorite a month later.
“We ended up giving him four or five months off,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “He’s come back as good as ever. I’m expecting him to go up the ladder rather than being an allowance horse.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Abbey Vale. Trainer Phil D’Amato is 14-5-1-3 with a $3.55 ROI over the past five years in turf routes in the first start following a trainer switch. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Lucky J Lane (Last 3 Beyers: 90-90-82)
◗ Lucky J Lane won consecutive starts at a mile on turf earlier this year – an optional claimer for statebreds on Jan. 15 and a similar race against open company on Feb. 15.
◗ Leading rider Rafael Bejarano has the mount on the improving 4-year-old gelding.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Opsec. Trainer Bob Baffert is 16-1-2-4 with a $0.78 ROI over the past five years in turf races at Santa Anita with last-out winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan