Run Away trying to stretch speed in Affirmed

ARCADIA, Calif. – It was a long wait from the Triple Crown victory by Affirmed in 1978 to the next Triple Crown sweep by American Pharoah in 2015.

Sunday marks the 40th anniversary of the Crown-clinching victory by Affirmed in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes on June 10, 1978, and while the Triple Crown might be less elusive nowadays, the same question pops up each year – how far can can a 3-year-old run?

Sunday at Santa Anita, in a race named in honor of the 1978 Triple Crown winner, the stakes-winning sprinter Run Away will try to answer the question – how far can he run?

Six entered the Grade 3, $100,000 Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles. It will be the longest race of Run Away’s career, and a class drop for favorite Solomini, 10th in the Kentucky Derby won by Bob Baffert-trained stablemate Justify.

Four others entered the Affirmed – King Cause, Afleet Ascent, Axelrod and Draft Pick.

Simon Callaghan trains Run Away, a three-time stakes winner who finished sixth under regular rider Flavien Prat in his comeback over a wet Pimlico track on the Preakness undercard. Callaghan acknowledges the two-turn challenge, but will not hold Run Away’s comeback against him.

“His first run back was on that wet track, and he didn’t break that good,” Callaghan said. “Thankfully, he came out of it good, and he’s trained really good since. Flavien was pretty adamant to try going longer. I really do think he can handle the distance.”

Run Away was a top 2-year-old sprinter last year, winning four of his first five starts, including a Grade 2, and finishing third behind Bolt d’Oro in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity.

Solomini is the class of the field, and distance-proven. He was disqualfied from victory for causing interference in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity in December. His 3-year-old campaign hints he is a notch below the top. Before the Derby, Solomini finished second and third in graded stakes at Oaklawn Park.

The Affirmed leads to the Grade 3, $150,000 Los Alamitos Derby on July 14.

KEY CONTENDERS

Solomini, by Curlin
Last 3 Beyers: 87-92-92

◗ After being ridden by Prat in all seven of his starts, Solomini will be ridden Sunday by Martin Garcia. Solomini is expected to rally from off the pace.

Run Away, by Run Away and Hide
Last 3 Beyers: 68-71-74

◗ With Prat aboard from the inside post, Run Away will need to use his speed to establish position. Only one of 10 races this meet at 1 1/16 miles was won by the pacesetter.

Afleet Ascent, by Northern Afleet
Last 3 Beyers: 81-77-88

◗ His only dirt start was a third-place finish in his debut, after which he has raced exclusively on turf or synthetic.

◗ Runner-up in a turf stakes three back, Afleet Ascent is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer and will be ridden by Stewart Elliott.

◗ Hollendorfer won the Affirmed last year with Battle of Midway, the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner who returns to training in July after fertility issues stalled his stallion career.