Noblety has already earned his keep
RCADIA, Calif. - Noblety had trainer Eric Kruljac fooled when the gelding finished eighth at Santa Anita last November, the day Kruljac claimed him for $40,000.
"I thought I blew $44,000," Kruljac said, adding the sales tax involved with the purchase.
Kruljac claimed Noblety with the intent of shifting the gelding to turf sprints. Five months later, Kruljac could not have anticipated the success Noblety has had in his first five starts for him.
Noblety has won four claiming races for turf sprinters, and will attempt to win his third consecutive race in an optional claimer over about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course in Wednesday's first race at Santa Anita.
The first race is the feature on a program that includes two carryovers - a pick six carryover of $139,664 and a super high five carryover of $47,227.
Noblety is entered for a $32,000 claiming price, and Kruljac admits he could lose the gelding. "He's very eligible to be claimed," Kruljac said on Sunday. "I knew that when I put him into this spot. Hopefully, he'll win, and if he gets claimed, fine. If he doesn't, we'll go on from there."
If Noblety is claimed on Wednesday, Kruljac and partners Carmen Miceli and Peter Mizioch will make a tidy profit. Noblety has earned $78,600 since being claimed.
"He's been very lucky and has gotten confidence now," Kruljac said. "We keep running him cheap. We decided to take a shot in this race."
Kruljac considered starting Noblety in a $35,000 to $40,000 claimer on the hillside turf course on Saturday, but wanted to avoid facing Giganticus, who won the race. "I dodged him and I feel good about it," he said. "I think we're in a better spot."
Noblety is one of two horses in Wednesday's field with a win this year. Worth Repeating won a maiden race on the hillside turf course on Jan. 10, but has finished second and seventh in two subsequent starts against winners on turf. In a one-mile race on March 17, Worth Repeating was in traffic in the stretch and was beaten 3 3/4 lengths.
Greenwich Park, a South African import, is making his U.S. debut. Now trained by John Sadler, Greenwich Park had 1 win in 8 starts in South Africa in 2008 and 2009, winning a maiden race over about seven furlongs on turf in his third start.