Oh So Regal back at two turns

Oh So Regal will be moving back to the distance of his most significant win Saturday night when he starts in the $200,000 Downs at Albuquerque Handicap.

The field for the 1 1/8-mile race also includes Hence, who when last seen in New Mexico won the Grade 3 Sunland Derby.

The Albuquerque Handicap is the meet’s marquee offering for Thoroughbreds and will share a card with the $55,000 Albuquerque Distaff, which drew multiple stakes winner Adore and Southern California import Life of Illusion.

Oh So Regal is stretching back out around two turns Saturday night for Judge Lanier Racing, a perennial leading owner in New Mexico, and jockey-turned-trainer Miguel Hernandez.

“I think the longer he runs, he’s a better horse,” Hernandez said.

That proved true in April, when Oh So Regal captured the $150,000 Sunland Park Handicap. He won the 1 1/8-mile race on the front end in the biggest victory of his career, covering the distance in a swift 1:47.20. Oh So Regal enters the Albuquerque Handicap off a third-place finish in an optional $25,000 claiming sprint June 29. He set the pace and finished third by a neck, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 88.

“He’s pretty sharp right now,” Hernandez said. “I like him. He’s training super.”

Oh So Regal had been entered in an Albuquerque sprint stakes following the June 29 start, but the card was canceled due to inclement weather. It was rescheduled as drawn, but Oh So Regal scratched because the race was too close to his meet objective, the Albuquerque Handicap, Hernandez said.

Oh So Regal on Saturday will break from post 4 under Enrique Garcia.

“As far as the pace, I see a couple of horses that have a lot of speed,” Hernandez said. “My horse has speed. Who knows what’s going to happen in the race after they open the gate? We could send him or take a hold. We’ll decide at the last second, plus we don’t know how the track is going to be – muddy, sloppy.”

Albuquerque was forced to cancel its final four races Wednesday night due to heavy rain. There is a 20 percent chance of precipitation Saturday, with the high forecast for 95 and the low 70 degrees.

Hence is the 120-pound starting highweight in the six-horse Albuquerque. He enters off a sixth-place finish in the Grade 3 Cornhusker on July 6 at Prairie Meadows. He finished 2 3/4 lengths behind winner Remembering Rita to earn a strong Beyer Speed Figure of 95. Alfredo Juarez Jr., who won the Sunland Derby aboard Hence, has the mount on Hence for Calumet Farm and trainer Steve Asmussen.

Asmussen and Juarez will also team with Adore in the Distaff, which is for fillies and mares at a mile. She is seeking her third straight win, following a May 5 allowance at Lone Star Park and the $75,000 Spotted Horse on June 22 at Evangeline Downs. Adore used her natural speed to wire her rivals in those races, both at a mile. She will break from post 2 for owner Winchell Thoroughbreds.

Retama stakes double

Retama Park will put on two $50,000 stakes for Texas-breds Saturday night to complement inductions into the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame.

Those set to enter the Hall during a trackside gala are 1936 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Bold Venture, Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher, Tom Durant, Jim Helzer, Julianna Hawn Holt, Corey Johnsen, and One Famous Eagle.

The Fiesta Mile for fillies and mares on turf is up first, going as the third race on a card that also races for Quarter Horses. Special Rockstar was a neck winner of the Fiesta Mile a year ago and is back again for trainer Mindy Willis, who also starts Mighty Ferrari and Texas Belle.

The chief threat could be multiple stakes winner Zippit E.

Gavin looks like a chief player in the Hall of Fame, a 1 1/16-mile race on the grass that also drew the Willis-trained Sunlit Song. Gavin is moving back to turf off a fourth-place finish to multiple stakes winner Supermason in the $50,000 Assault Stakes last month at Lone Star Park.