O'Neill, Miller have live runners in pair of maiden races
Odonato, a 2-year-old owned by Calumet Farm, gave trainer Doug O’Neill the impression in the spring that he was a colt for the Del Mar summer meeting, which begins on July 22.
Workouts in the last few weeks have changed that outlook. Odonato will have his debut Sunday in race 7 at Los Alamitos, a maiden special weight at five furlongs.
“His last works were like – he’s ready,” O’Neill said.
Odonato worked five furlongs from the gate in 1:00.60 at the San Luis Rey Downs training center on Tuesday, his sixth workout since late May.
Odonato, by Laoban, was purchased for $190,000 as a yearling. He drew the rail in a field of six. He is a half-brother to Moonachie, who won his debut at Saratoga in 2019.
“Drawing the rail is never great first time out, but he’s trained like he’s got some solid talent,” O’Neill said.
Odonato may need a flashy first start to beat stablemate Giovinazzo, a colt by Sharp Azteca who was purchased for $60,000 earlier this year at a 2-year-olds in-training sale.
Giovinazzo has worked quickly at San Luis Rey Downs several times in the last month, including a half-mile in 47.60 from the gate on Tuesday.
“He acts like he’s a little better than average,” O’Neill said.
The field includes Mister Iceman, a colt by Girvin who worked quickly at San Luis Rey last month. Mister Iceman is trained by Peter Miller, who won with a first-time starter at Los Alamitos last weekend.
The booking of Juan Hernandez, the leading rider at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting earlier this year, will certainly draw attention to Mister Iceman.
The seventh race is the second of two maiden special weight races for 2-year-olds on the nine-race program.
In the fourth race, O’Neill runs I Am Not Uncertain, a colt by Will Take Charge owned and bred by Calumet Farm. I Am Not Uncertain is a half-brother to Dabster, who finished first in his debut at Santa Anita in 2016 but was disqualified and placed fourth. Dabster later won two stakes, at a mile and 1 1/4 miles.
“He’s acts like a nice colt,” O’Neill said of I Am Not Uncertain. “He definitely has talent in the morning and you hope he can translate that to afternoon. He looks like a two-turn horse, but he has some speed.”
Miller starts South Coast Route, a colt by first-year stallion West Coast, and Abeliefinthislivin, a colt by Arrogate who is a half-brother to the stakes-placed Fully Living. South Coast Route and Abeliefinthislivin have shown strong recent workouts at San Luis Rey Downs.
Trainer Ryan Hanson starts Man Child, a colt by Creative Cause who is the first foal out of Neck of the Moon, a stakes winner on turf at Gulfstream Park in 2016.
Ramon Vasquez, who won with four of his first eight mounts at the Los Alamitos meeting, rides Neck of the Moon, who worked a half-mile in 47.20 seconds from the gate at Santa Anita on June 9.