Santa Rosa: Sherman Bartlebort gets another chance in Cavonnier Juvenile

Will a nightmare trip to Del Mar haunt Sherman Bartlebort in Sunday’s closing day $50,000-added Cavonnier Juvenile at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa?

A 2-year-old Tannersmyman gelding, Sherman Bartlebort won the Everett Nevin Alameda County Futurity at Pleasanton to increase his record to two wins and a second in three starts. But nothing went right when he went to Del Mar and was the even-money favorite in the $100,000 Graduation Stakes on Aug. 3.

One of the runners acted up in the gate, upsetting Sherman Bartlebort, who banged into the gate and went up in the air. He was taken out of the gate.

“When he went back in, he was hesitant, and he broke bad,” said Hess.

The gelding had broken sharply in his three previous starts and had always shown speed. The bad start left him in a stalking position in the middle of the field.

Sherman Bartlebort wanted to run but had no room on the turn of the six-furlong race.

“From the three-eighths to the quarter pole, the jockey was standing up,” said Hess, who then saw his star steady again in the stretch.

“It was a bad experience. He did need some stitches after the race, but he seems to be feeling good. He’s been eating up good.”

Sherman Bartlebort was taken to the gate at Santa Rosa on Wednesday and seemed nervous. Hess said he would take the gelding to the gate again Thursday, Friday and Saturday to make sure the young runner felt comfortable in the gate again.

Sherman Bartlebort will have to break well for his best chance in the Cavonnier. He drew the rail in the field of six.

Drawn beside him is Sold Short, who defeated him in his debut. Farther out is Longview Drive, the runner-up when Sherman Bartlebort won a maiden race. Longview Drive, a full brother to Grade 1-winning millionaire Pyro, won his next start by five lengths and has worked steadily in the nearly seven weeks since that effort for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

“I know Hollendorfer likes his colt,” Hess said.

Call Me Kelly makes his debut in the race for trainer Jeff Bonde and comes off a sizzling 58.60 five-furlong bullet gate drill at Del Mar.

Our Mandate and Marshal Marini, both of whom are coming off a victory in a $25,000 maiden claimer, round out the field.