Refocus to have company on the front end in Graduation Stakes

Refocus, the promising California-bred colt trained by Doug O’Neill, is likely to be near the lead early in Friday’s $125,000 Graduation Stakes for 2-year-old statebred sprinters at Del Mar.

“He’s got gate speed,” O’Neill said on Wednesday. “I’d like to see him forwardly placed. Sometimes, that’s you’re hope – that he has a little better speed than the others.”

The problem for O’Neill is that there are several other quick runners, leaving the Graduation an open race with several contenders in a field of eight.

The maiden race winners Lord Prancealot, Mici’s Express, Salsation, and Smokem Ez are capable of showing improvement.

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Refocus, a well-beaten third in the Fasig-Tipton Futurity at Santa Anita June 17, is one of four runners with stakes experience. Wild Jewels was second in the Everett Nevin Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Pleasanton July 9, while Last Call London and Shady Appeal were farther back in that race.

The Graduation Stakes, run at 5 1/2 furlongs, is the sixth race on an eight-race program that begins at 3:30 p.m. Pacific. The track moved first post time 30 minutes earlier, from 4 p.m., this week.

Refocus, who races for owners and breeders Paul and Zillah Reddam, disputed the pace in his debut in a maiden race for statebreds at 4 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita May 21, easily beating Last Call London and Mici’s Express. In the Fasig-Tipton Futurity, Refocus was second early, but no factor in the stretch, fading to finish 8 1/2 lengths behind easy winner Tranche.

“I might have been a little light on him after his debut,” O’Neill said. “He’s come back and he’s trained really solid. We’re optimistic we’ll see more of his debut.”

Wild Jewels, trained by Steve Specht, drew the outside post for his third start. Wild Jewels won his debut at Pleasanton June 25, and was beaten 3 1/2 lengths by the filly Dreamfyre in the Nevin Stakes.

“I ran him back in two weeks and he ran a good race,” Specht said.

Wild Jewels had two quick five-furlong works at Pleasanton in late July before he was shipped to Del Mar.

Mici’s Express, who closed from eighth of 10 to record a 32-1 upset on July 22, and Lord Prancealot, who led throughout at 12-1 on July 29, are the two runners in the field with wins in five-furlong maiden races for statebreds at Del Mar this summer.

Lord Prancealot pulled clear to win by 3 1/2 lengths.

“He’s been the kind of horse that does everything right,” trainer Jeff Bonde said. “He’s got good early speed.”

Bonde also starts Shady Appeal, who won a five-furlong maiden race for statebreds from the front at Santa Anita June 11, but was last of seven in the Nevin as the 6-5 favorite after a poor start. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith rides Shady Appeal for the first time in the Graduation.

“He didn’t run a step that day,” Bonde said. “We thought he’d win. We’re hoping he rebounds. He’s got early speed.”

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