Om, Kentuckian could meet in Affirmed Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Om and Kentuckian won races at Santa Anita a little more than an hour apart on Sunday. They might be side by side in the starting gate for their next starts.

On Tuesday, trainer Dan Hendricks said Om will be considered for the $100,000 Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on June 7, a race that trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said is possible for Kentuckian.

On Sunday, Om won an optional claimer at a mile on turf in his first start on the surface and his first race around two turns. Om led throughout to win by 2 1/4 lengths even though jockey Fernando Perez struggled with his right iron on the backstretch.

Kentuckian won the first stakes of his career in the Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs. He closed from fourth to win by 6 1/4 lengths, earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 100.

Last August, Om won a maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar, beating a field that included eventual Kentucky Derby winner American Pharoah. Om did not start again until the San Pedro Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters on April 12, when he finished fifth.

“He liked the turf, but I don’t think that was the biggest thing,” Hendricks said of Sunday’s race. “I don’t think he’s a sprinter. He can’t keep up with six-furlong sprinters. I think this race showed a lot of his ability.”

Hendricks said a secondary plan is the $75,000 Singletary Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf June 20.

Hollendorfer stopped short of committing Kentuckian to the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes, saying he wanted to discuss options with owner Rick Porter.

“There are a lot of different choices at this time of year,” he said. “He came out of it really well.”

One race likely to be mentioned is the $500,000 Woody Stephens Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs at Belmont Park on June 6.