Santa Anita: Jeranimo headed to BC Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jeranimo, the winner of the Grade 2 Oak Tree Mile at Santa Anita last Saturday, will make his next start in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5, trainer Mike Pender confirmed on Thursday.

“He’s tearing the barn down,” Pender said.

Jeranimo won his first stakes of 2011 in the Oak Tree Mile, a race preceded by an eighth-place finish in the Pacific Classic on Del Mar’s synthetic main track on Aug. 28. “He came out of this race so much better than the Pacific Classic,” Pender said.

The Breeders’ Cup Mile is expected to draw a tough field, including the three-time defending champion Goldikova and the American stakes winners Gio Ponti and Courageous Cat. “On his best day, our horse can run with those horses,” he said.

Owned by B.J. Wright, Jeranimo has won 6 of 22 starts and $660,400. He won two Grade 2 races at Santa Anita in 2010 – the Strub Stakes on the synthetic main track and the San Gabriel Stakes on turf. The Oak Tree Mile was his seventh start of 2011.

Up In Time will stick to a mile, max

The $100,000 Harold Ramser Handicap over a mile on turf for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita is an ideal fit for Up In Time. A longer distance for Up In Time no longer appeals to trainer Simon Callaghan.

“A mile is the max she’ll go,” he said.

Up In Time won the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap at Del Mar in July but was seventh in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks over 1 1/8 miles on turf on Aug. 20.

“The distance was too far for us,” Callaghan said. “She needs to be relaxed.”

Up In Time is a threat from off the pace. By Noverre, the filly will be after her fourth career win in the Ramser, which drew a field of 11. A win could lead to a start in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes over a mile on turf against older fillies and mares at Hollywood Park on Nov. 25.

“If she wins this we could try her against older,” Callaghan said.