Santa Anita: Garcia to ride Jeranimo in San Gabriel

Martin Garcia has picked up the mount on Jeranimo for the Grade 2, $150,000 San Gabriel Stakes for older horses at 1 1/8 miles on turf Monday, trainer Michael Pender said Wednesday morning.

Garcia is filling in for Garrett Gomez, who fractured his left heel Sunday and was scheduled to undergo surgery Thursday.

Gomez rode Jeranimo to victory in his last start, the Citation Handicap at Hollywood Park, but Garcia is 2 for 3 on Jeranimo, with victories in the Oak Tree Mile last fall and the Strub Stakes in 2010. Their only loss came in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, in which Jeranimo was seventh.

Out of Bounds back to track fast after win

Out of Bounds bounced out of his victory in the Sham Stakes last Saturday in such great shape that his trainer, Eoin Harty, had to take him back to the track Tuesday morning at Hollywood Park, less than 72 hours after the race.

“He was tearing the barn down,” Harty said. “I couldn’t believe it. He lost a sum total of nine pounds, shipping across town and racing. That’s it.”

Harty has penciled in the Grade 2, $300,000 San Felipe Stakes on March 10 as the likely next start for Out of Bounds.

Gomez, who rode him in the Sham, should be back by then.

Out of Bounds came into the Sham with only a pair of sprints, a fourth-place finish in his debut here, followed by a win against maidens on Dec. 10 at Hollywood Park. But he made an impressive presence in the paddock and ran to his looks.

“He’s very big, the better part of 17 hands, but he’s a gentle giant,” Harty said. “He’s come around mentally as well as physically. He seems to be learning what we’re trying to teach him to do.”

Plans for Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint winner Secret Circle, who suffered his first loss in the Sham when finishing second as the odds-on favorite in his first route race, are uncertain. His trainer, Bob Baffert, said he is not sure whether Secret Circle will remain around two turns for his next start or go back to a sprint. He said the seven-furlong San Vicente next month is an option.

Baffert thought the hot pace of the Sham – 22.66 seconds for the opening quarter, 45.89 for a half-mile – compromised Secret Circle’s chances. The race was the third on the card.

“He just couldn’t kick away,” Baffert said. “They were going too fast. Early in the card, the sand is a little looser. As they water it more and more as the day goes on, it gets faster, and by the last race, they’re smoking. Those are the kind of fractions they run at the end of the day.”

San Vicente next target for Consulado

If Secret Circles goes in the Grade 2, $150,000 San Vicente on Feb. 19, he likely will face Consulado, who crushed maidens going 6 1/2 furlongs Saturday in his second lifetime start.

“It’s six weeks to that race, seven-eighths, a nice progression,” said Mike Puype, who trains Consulado. “We’ll see what happens then.”

Consulado won by 7 1/4 lengths in 1:15 on Saturday.

“He ran huge,” Puype said. “He was impressive. He’s for real.”