Not much separating Earls Rock and Du Jour in American Stakes
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Earls Rock has won his last two starts by a head and a nose. Du Jour has lost his last two races by a nose and a neck.
Aside from recent close finishes, the two 5-year-old geldings have other similarities. They are lightly raced for their age, run from off the pace, and are on the same career path, meeting for the second time this year in Sunday’s Grade 3 American Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita.
In their first meeting, Earls Rock prevailed by a nose in the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf on Feb. 4, winning for the fourth time in his seventh start. Earls Rock has not raced since that win, while Du Jour returned to finish a game second by a neck to Gold Phoenix in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf on March 4.
There is a strong chance Earls Rock and Du Jour will be close together at the finish of the $100,000 American Stakes, which drew a field of six. The American Stakes is the seventh race on a nine-race program that includes the $100,000 Pasadena Stakes for 3-year-old turf milers.
Earls Rock, owned by Anthony Fanticola and trained by Phil D’Amato, drew the rail and will be ridden for the first time by Umberto Rispoli.
Earls Rock won the 11-runner Thunder Road Stakes from an inside post, closing from sixth in the final quarter-mile.
“He’s a horse with tactical speed,” D’Amato said. “Last time, there was so much speed and he came with a nice run.”
Earls Rock is likely to be in pursuit of Bob and Jackie, who will race as a gelding for the first time in the American Stakes. Bob and Jackie was near the front early in the Thunder Road before fading to finish seventh. A 7-year-old, Bob and Jackie is a four-time stakes winner in 20 starts.
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Du Jour won the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs in May 2021 in his only stakes win, and may be better at that distance.
“A mile is a little short for him,” trainer Bob Baffert said.
Du Jour’s closing style was helped by a quick pace in his first two starts this year against larger fields than he will face in the American Stakes.
Du Jour’s two recent losses are his only starts since late 2021. He was gelded in early 2022 and was ill for a period that year, Baffert said.
“I can tell he’s getting stronger,” Baffert said.
Exaulted, Irideo, and Vanzzy are the other runners.
Exaulted has won his last two starts in allowance races at a mile on turf, the best two races of his career. A 6-year-old, Exaulted is a danger from a tracking position.
Pasadena Stakes
The 3-year-old colt Johannes has changed for the better in recent months, even as the results are unchanged.
That’s the point of view of jockey Umberto Rispoli, who rode Johannes to a win in a maiden race at six furlongs on turf on Dec. 31 and in the colt’s stakes debut in the Baffle Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course on March 5.
“He was a different horse” from the maiden race to the Baffle, Rispoli said on Friday. “I could settle him.”
A more patient Johannes will start at a mile for the first time in the Pasadena Stakes, Sunday’s third race.
Owned by Joe and Debbie McCloskey, Johannes starts from the outside in a field of five, and should have a pace to follow from Game Time and Wizard of Westwood.
“He gives me the feeling that he can go long,” Rispoli said. “With five runners, it will be a tactical race.”
In the Baffle, Johannes closed from seventh of nine to win by 1 1/4 lengths as the 3-2 favorite.
“I won geared down,” Rispoli said. “The job was done.”
Johannes, trained by Tim Yakteen, has won 2 of 5 starts.
“He gives the impression that he can get the distance,” Yakteen said of a mile.
Wizard of Westwood, second in the Baffle, will have his third career start and first at a mile in the Pasadena. He may inherit the lead, although trainer Michael McCarthy would prefer a stalking trip.
“I’d prefer someone else [set the pace], but it may end up that way,” McCarthy wrote in a text message on Friday.
Game Time held an early lead when fourth in the Eddie Logan Stakes at a mile on turf in his last start on Dec. 30, but is not reliant on that style.
“He doesn’t have to run in front,” trainer John Sadler said. “He’s been in front because of the way the race has unfolded.
“It depends on how the pace goes. I’d probably see him laying second.”
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