Richard's Boy towers over rivals in California Flag

ARCADIA, Calif. – Age is not the issue for 7-year-old Tribalist, and current form is not the problem for allowance-caliber Eddie Haskell returning from a layoff.

Nope, the challenge facing Blake Heap-trained Tribalist and Mark Glatt-trained Eddie Haskell in the $100,000 California Flag Handicap on Saturday at Santa Anita is beyond their control. As Glatt stated, “You’ve still got Richard’s Boy to contend with.”

Six California-bred geldings sprint five furlongs on turf in the reconfigured California Flag, shortened from 6 1/2 furlongs on the hill. The cutback benefits Richard’s Boy, a five-furlong specialist closing in on the $1 million earnings mark.

Richard’s Boy has lost 10 straight. No big deal. After all, he routinely faces the country’s top turf sprinters and returned to form last out finishing second to by a nose to Stormy Liberal in the Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar. Richard’s Boy is likely to set the pace, while his main rivals each have an off-the-pace upset chance.

Tribalist misfired last out in the Green Flash, finishing sixth. He had excuses according to his trainer.

“He didn’t come out of the gate; he kind of broke downward,” Heap said. “He got sore in the back after that, like he wrenched his back.”

A wide trip compromised Tribalist also, and he bounced following a big comeback effort. None of those will be factors Saturday. Tribalist, who has undergone chiropractic treatment, drew the rail and sizzled a half-mile in 46.60 seconds in his final work six days ago.

“He was feeling good,” Heap said.

Eddie Haskell was a $50,000 claim by Glatt in April, after which he was gelded.

“He had extra-large testicles, and maybe they were bothering him because they were so big,” Glatt said. “He was kind of funky moving behind, so I thought [gelding] might help him.”

In his second start for Glatt, in early August, Eddie Haskell won a second-level allowance. What will it take to win Saturday? “Ideally, [front-runner Mason B] can make things hard on Richard’s Boy and [Eddie Haskell] is sitting right there,” Glatt said.

P Club and Brandothebartender also entered.

KEY CONTENDERS

Richard’s Boy, by Idiot Proof
Last 3 Beyers: 100-NA-79

◗ Peter Miller trains Richard’s Boy, who carries 127 pounds for the first time. Flavien Prat rides.

Tribalist, by Tribal Rule
Last 3 Beyers: 92-100-86

◗ Gary Stevens rides the lightly raced 7-year-old for the first time. The gelding has won 4 of 11.

Eddie Haskell, by Square Eddie
Last 3 Beyers: 91-84-84

◗ He is 0 for 5 on the Santa Anita turf, but Saturday is his first Santa Anita try at five furlongs and first since he was gelded.