Richard's Boy escaped fire, now seeks winning form

ARCADIA, Calif. – The race record shows Richard’s Boy has not started since he finished a brave second to stablemate Stormy Liberal in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 4 at Del Mar.

So much has happened in the last month that the gelding’s appearance in the $75,000 Joe Hernandez Stakes on Monday at Santa Anita will be welcome respite.

In early December, Richard’s Boy was briefly lost in the aftermath of the devastating wildfire that struck the San Luis Rey Downs training center on Dec. 7.

Richard’s Boy was found unscathed the following day at a local farm, trainer Peter Miller said Friday.

“He was clean,” Miller said. “Most did have scrapes, burns, scars, or bumps. He was clean.”

As with the other Miller-trained runners from San Luis Rey Downs, Richard’s Boy was shipped to Del Mar, where he resumed training. Richard’s Boy had three workouts at Del Mar in December. Miller and his team closely watched Richard’s Boy’s condition after each workout.

“He seems fine and none worse for the wear,” Miller said. “He’s training like his old self. He scoped clean after every work.”

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Owned by Gary Hartunian’s Rockingham Ranch, Richard’s Boy has won 9 of 27 starts and earned $848,440. The 2017 season was the best for Richard’s Boy, with earnings of $402,360. He won the California Cup Sprint on dirt at Santa Anita in January and the Jim McKay Turf Sprint at Pimlico in May.

Richard’s Boy will be favored in the Hernandez Stakes, but will face a stern test from runners such as Pee Wee Reese, who won the Grade 3 American Stakes at a mile on turf here in July; Tribalist, who won the Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar in August; and Om, the multiple stakes winner who was beaten a nose in the BC Turf Sprint at Santa Anita in 2016.

The Hernandez Stakes is the seventh race on a nine-race program that begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific. After Monday’s program, racing resumes Friday at Santa Anita.

KEY CONTENDERS

Richard’s Boy, by Idiot Proof

Last 3 Beyers: 102-97-89

◗ Richard’s Boy has lost his last three races by a little more than a combined length – a third-place finish by a half-length in the Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar in August, a half-length loss in the California Flag Handicap on the hillside turf course Oct. 21, and a head loss at 13-1 to Stormy Liberal in the BC Turf Sprint.

◗ Miller considered Richard’s Boy unlucky to lose the BC Turf Sprint.

“I thought he ran lights out,” he said. “I felt bad for him. I felt like he ran too good to lose. He’s run a lot of those races when he gets nailed on the wire. He’s a warrior.”

Pee Wee Reese, by Tribal Rule

Last 3 Beyers: 97-106-100

◗ Pee Wee Reese emerged from the American Stakes with a minor injury. A 5-year-old in 2018, Pee Wee Reese finished third in his comeback in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on turf Nov. 26 at Del Mar, leading to the final sixteenth before finishing a length behind Hunt.

“I think the extra sixteenth of a mile got him,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “I thought I was one breeze away from being ultra-confident.”

◗ Pee Wee Reese won his only start on the hillside turf course by 5 3/4 lengths, an allowance race with optional-claiming conditions last March.

◗ The recent start in the Seabiscuit Handicap has been a benefit, D’Amato said.

“His air is so good right now,” D’Amato said. “He’s got to run his ‘A’ race. There are class horses in there. We’ve got a graded stakes winner, and I think we’re a good fit.”

Om, by Munnings

Last 3 Beyers: 95-101-98

◗ Om is winless in 11 starts since the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile in December 2015. He was eighth in the BC Mile and fourth in the Seabiscuit Handicap in November. Trainer Dan Hendricks said he has not been discouraged by the losing streak.

“He is still feeling great and is a happy horse,” he said. “We’ve got all year long to have fun with him.”