Om seeks end of win drought in Seabiscuit

Om ran too well to lose when beaten a nose in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita three weeks ago. At the time, the race was thought to be the final start of 2016 for the multiple stakes winner. Om, through November, led trainer Dan Hendricks to change his mind, however.

Om will start in his 12th consecutive graded stakes in Saturday’s $200,000 Seabiscuit Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar.

“He seemed to recover better than from any other race,” Hendricks said Thursday. “He’s stronger and feeling good.”

Owned by K.B. Sareen, Om is winless in five starts this year. He’s had three consecutive second-place finishes in graded stakes on turf since returning from a layoff in late August. He was beaten a half-length by Midnight Storm in the Grade 1 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 21 and by a half-length by Vyjack in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita on Oct. 8.

Om and Vyjack are part of a field of eight in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit, the leading race on a nine-race program. The Seabiscuit will be the American debut of Hi Happy, the 2015 Horse of the Year in Argentina.

KEY CONTENDERS

Om, by Munnings
Last 3 Beyers: 106-105-105

◗ Om closed from last of 14 to just miss catching Obviously in the BC Turf Sprint. He trailed by 5 1/2 lengths with a furlong to go.

“I was disappointed not to win but really happy with the way he raced,” Hendricks said.

◗ In 2015, Om won three stakes for 3-year-olds on turf, racing on or near the lead throughout. Hendricks said Om is more patient this year, which could help him if What a View takes his expected position at the front of the Seabiscuit field.

“He’s settled in where he’s not so aggressive,” Hendricks said. “He relaxes more and really runs a good race. It gives us options whether we want to press the pace, be the pace, or sit off the pace.”

Vyjack, by Into Mischief
Last 3 Beyers: 80-107-103

◗ Vyjack won the City of Hope Mile for his fifth career stakes win, but the 6-year-old was a well-beaten seventh in the BC Dirt Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 4. He raced at the back of the field throughout and was never a factor.

“He was stuck on the inside and was never comfortable at all,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “I really think it’s a draw-a-line-through kind of race. From the way he trained to how he ran, that’s what I did.

“He didn’t like getting the dirt in his face. He made a move and got stopped. When he got stopped, he ran in place.”

◗ Vyjack joined D’Amato’s stable last spring and was second in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes for main-track sprinters at Del Mar in August in his first start in California.

◗ The Seabiscuit Handicap will be Vyjack’s fourth start of the year in California.

“I expect one of those previous two performances to pop up here,” D’Amato said.

Ring Weekend, by Tapit
Last 3 Beyers: 101-102-103

◗ Ring Weekend, a five-time stakes winner, won the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Saratoga on Sept. 5 but struggled in early fall with seventh-place finishes in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland and in the BC Mile at Santa Anita.

In the BC Mile, Ring Weekend was beaten 3 1/2 lengths by Tourist after encountering trouble early in the field of 14.