Shooters Shoot targets San Pasqual with allowance prep

Shooters Shoot started in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby last June on the strength of consecutive wins earlier in the spring at Santa Anita and Oaklawn Park. He finished fifth and did not start again in 2020, emerging from the Santa Anita Derby with a minor injury that led to a three-month rest on a local farm.

Saturday, Shooters Shoot returns in a strong allowance race at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita. The allowance race could lead to an appearance in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes here Jan. 30, trainer Peter Eurton said.

:: Click to learn about our DRF's Free Past Performance program.

Shooters Shoot had a steady series of workouts in December, including six furlongs in 1:12.20 on Dec. 21 and a half-mile in 48 seconds on Wednesday. Those workouts have left Eurton encouraged that the colt can be a factor Saturday.

“He looks so much better,” Eurton said. “Will he need the race? I’ve liked the last two works more than the two before that. Hopefully, he can get the trip and can show himself off.”

Shooters Shoot drew post 9 in a field of 10 and will be ridden by Abel Cedillo, who was aboard for a maiden race win last March and in the Santa Anita Derby. Owned by Erik Johnson, Exline-Border Racing, and Dan Hudock, Shooters Shoot tends to run near the front and will be urged to take that position Saturday.

“We’ve got a little bit of a run to the first turn compared to a mile,” Eurton said. “We need to bump on out of there.”

In the Santa Anita Derby, Shooters Shoot was 20-1 in a field of nine. He set the pace to early stretch before fading to finish 11 1/4 lengths behind winner Honor A. P. Authentic finished second and later emerged as the leading 3-year-old in the nation, winning the Haskell Stakes in July, the Kentucky Derby in September, and the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November.

Shooters Shoot resumed workouts in mid-October after a summertime rest.

“No surgery was necessary,” Eurton said. “He just had a strain here and there.”

:: Start earning weekly cashback on your wagering today. Click to learn more.

Shooters Shoot could be joined near the lead by Tizamagician, who was a well-beaten second in the Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup at 1 1/2 miles in September, and Paladar, who returned from a layoff of nearly 15 months to win a starter allowance at 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 8 at Del Mar.

Tizamagician is trained by Richard Mandella, who also starts Kanderel, winner of the Alcatraz Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at Golden Gate Fields in June. Kanderel was 10th of 11 at 121-1 in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby on turf on Nov. 28 at Del Mar and will start on dirt for the first time Saturday.

“He’s working well on it,” Mandella said. “I want to give it a try. We’re not going where we need to with him.”

Mandella will not be able to attend the race. He said Thursday that he is in the final days of a quarantine after a recent positive for COVID-19.