Road warrior Hogy makes local debut in Janus Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After barnstorming the country, having made 47 starts at 16 different racetracks since beginning his career in June 2011, the turf-sprint specialist Hogy finally will make his first appearance at Gulfstream Park, where he figures to go postward the heavy favorite in Monday’s $75,000 Janus Stakes.

The Janus shares top billing on a special New Year’s Day program with its filly counterpart, the $75,000 Abundantia, both at five furlongs on turf. First post for the 11-race card is noon Eastern.

Hogy, who will turn 9 on Monday, most recently met the elite of his division in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 4 at Del Mar, but a poor post and a wide trip resulted in an 11th-place finish, although the old pro finished only 3 1/2 lengths behind race winner Stormy Liberal.

Hogy, haltered by trainer Mike Maker for owner Michael Hui for $80,000 last summer at Saratoga, returned quick dividends for his new connections when capturing the Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint just five weeks later. He subsequently earned a spot in the Breeders’ Cup with a second-place effort in the Grade 2 Woodford at Keeneland, his third shot at that race.

:: CLOCKER REPORT: Get workout grades and comments for the Gulfstream Park Championship meet

Maker put blinkers on Hogy for the first time in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and will keep them on for the Janus.

“I put the blinkers on for the Breeders’ Cup, hoping it would help keep him closer to the pace, and while they seemed to work, he just got hung out wide from a tough post,” Maker said. “And although he finished 11th, he got beat less than four lengths, so considering the trip, I was very pleased with the effort.”

Even with the equipment change, Maker said Hogy, who has earned $1.17 million in his career, remains pace dependant. And there figures to be plenty of that in the Janus, with Successful Native, Chestnut Johnny, Sandy’z Slew, and Platinum Prince all likely to be running hard early.

Extravagant Kid also could benefit from a swift pace. The versatile gelding has been freshened by trainer Milt Wolfson since posting back-to-back stakes wins on turf here at the summer meeting but could have his hand forced after breaking from the rail Monday.

Sandy’z Slew makes his local debut following a career-best effort, a 6 1/4-length optional-claiming win against New York-breds for trainer Jeremiah Englehart at Aqueduct.

Successful Native indicated he’s rounding back to his stakes-winning form by registering a hard-fought allowance win here two weeks ago. The victory came at the expense of Platinum Prince, who lost the nose bob after taking the lead in deep stretch.

The Abundantia lured just seven filly-and-mare turf-sprint specialists, led by Brandy’s Girl, who returns from a 3 1/2-month hiatus for owner and trainer Eddie Broome, and Code Warrior.

The stretch-running Brandy’s Girl finally returns against her own kind after facing males in her final five starts of 2017 and should benefit from a field loaded with speed. Code Warrior, a Grade 3 winner on synthetic last spring at Woodbine, finished a tiring fourth while making the only turf start of her career in July in the Grade 3 Royal North.

Maker will counter the likely favorites with Touch of Bling, who made only two starts in 2017 and is looking to rebound from a seventh-place finish Nov. 22 at Churchill Downs.

“I’m just tossing her last start out,” Maker said. “She never seemed to handle the soft ground that day.”

◗ Trainer Dale Romans pronounced Dak Attack “ready to go” after the undefeated stakes winner worked five furlongs from the half-mile pole in 58.86 seconds here Saturday. Dak Attack will make his 3-year-old debut Saturday in the one-mile Mucho Macho Man.

Romans was just as pleased with Tiz Mischief, who went an easy five-eighths from the half in 1:00.14. Romans said Tiz Mischief, beaten a head in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes in his 2-year-old finale, will await the Grade 2 Holy Bull here Feb. 3.