Shirreffs takes rare juvenile stakes shot with Gormley

ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer John Shirreffs rarely wins stakes with juveniles. Gormley will try to give Shirreffs his first stakes win with a 2-year-old in 13 years when he runs in Saturday’s $300,000 FrontRunner Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita.

Shirreffs, best known for his success with the older female Zenyatta from 2007-10, does not run many 2-year-olds. His last stakes win with a juvenile came when Hollywood Story won the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet in 2003.

Gormley romped by 4 1/4 lengths in a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Sept. 4 in his debut. Gormley was a 6-1 shot and a delightful surprise for Shirreffs.

“Winning first time out, you can’t predict it,” he said. “When you win first time out, you have to step up immediately. The race didn’t rattle him at all.”

Owned by Jerry and Ann Moss, Gormley must improve significantly to be a factor in the Grade 1 FrontRunner, a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 5. The winner of the race receives a fees-paid berth in the BC Juvenile through the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program.

“With a promising 2-year-old, you have to take a shot,” Shirreffs said.

The FrontRunner field is expected to be led by Klimt, Straight Fire, and Midnight Pleasure, the first three finishers of the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs on Sept. 5.

The Santa Anita autumn meeting begins Friday. There are five Grade 1 races at Santa Anita on Saturday, all preps for Breeders’ Cup races.

Shirreffs plans to have Fresh Feline and Keri Belle in the $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes, a Grade 1 for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles on turf.

Fresh Feline was second in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Del Mar on July 16 and was last of 12 in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes there on Sept. 4. Keri Belle was sixth in the Yellow Ribbon and a fast-closing fourth in the John C. Mabee.

Avenge, trained by Richard Mandella, is a leading candidate for the Mabee. The winner receives a fees-paid berth in the BC Filly and Mare Turf.