Santa Anita: No Jet Lag gets unusual equipment change for Arcadia Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. No Jet Lag will have a different look when he starts in Saturday’s $200,000 Arcadia Stakes at Santa Anita.

In an effort to settle the 4-year-old gelding and keep him from setting the pace in the one-mile turf race, trainer Simon Callaghan plans to put cotton in No Jet Lag’s ears, hoping for a calming effect. The cotton will be held in place by a hood.

If the plan works, No Jet Lag will race as a closer in the Grade 2 Arcadia. No Jet Lag was seventh as the 7-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Sir Beaufort Stakes for 3-year-olds over a mile on turf Dec. 26 after racing near the front. No Jet Lag was ridden by Joel Rosario.

“Joel didn’t know the horse,” Callaghan said.

No Jet Lag has started four times in the United States, winning an optional claimer at Del Mar in August and the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile in October. In those races, he closed from off the pace. In the Breeders’ Cup Mile, No Jet Lag was close to a quick pace and finished six lengths behind Horse of the Year Wise Dan.

The equipment change could lead to a more patient performance.

“I don’t think it will be a problem,” Callaghan said. “I’d like to try to get him back off the pace.”

Valenzuela says he’s done

The career of jockey Patrick Valenzuela, who has a history of personal issues, might be over.

Valenzuela failed to appear at Santa Anita for his two mounts Friday and did not contact track officials or stewards to explain his absence. On Saturday morning, Valenzuela texted his agent, Tom Knust, writing, “I’m done,” Knust said.

“I’m not sure what’s happening,” Knust said. “I don’t know if he’s going through personal problems. He texted me and said, ‘I’m done.’ ”

Phone messages left with Valenzuela on Friday and Saturday were not returned.

Valenzuela, 51, has ridden sporadically in recent years. He did not ride from mid-October until the start of the current meeting Dec. 26. He is winless with 20 mounts this winter at Santa Anita.

Valenzuela has won 4,347 races in a career that began in New Mexico in 1978. In recent years, Valenzuela has struggled to gain attention. In 2013, he had four wins from 89 mounts. He was the regular rider of Acclamation, the champion older male of 2011 who was retired at the end of the 2012 season.

Valenzuela won the 1989 Kentucky Derby aboard Sunday Silence but has struggled with substance-abuse issues that led to several suspensions and interruptions to his career.

Dance With Fate scores on turf

Dance With Fate, eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November, won his turf debut in an optional claimer over a mile Friday, a prep for the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields on Feb. 18.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Dance With Fate ($4.40) closed from fifth in a field of six to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Dance With Fate left Bejarano impressed with the way he handled turf, trainer Peter Eurton said.

“He said he likes the turf and loves to come from behind,” Eurton said. “He doesn’t want to be rushed. It’s obvious his two favorite [surfaces] are synthetic and turf. He tolerates dirt.”

Dance With Fate was second in the Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes on dirt in September. Owned by a partnership, Dance With Fate has won 2 of 6 starts and earned $190,050.

“We’ll see how he comes out of it and look to the race in three weeks,” Eurton said.