Songforjohnmichael ready to step up
ARCADIA, Calif. – Songforjohnmichael is more than a former maiden claimer in the mind of trainer Dan Hendricks.
The gelding has won two of his last three starts, giving Hendricks confidence to try Songforjohnmichael in a first-level optional $40,000 claimer over 1 1/4 miles on the main track at Santa Anita on Friday.
“He loves the track,” Hendricks said. “I’d rather we go a mile and a sixteenth or a mile and an eighth, but we don’t have that option. He’ll be up front. If he relaxes, he’ll be tough.”
The race is a rare chance to see a dirt race at the distance. The seventh race drew a field of seven. Songforjohnmicahael and My Jealous, who has raced in low-level claiming races in recent starts, are the only members of the field who won their last starts.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Songforjohnmichael. Trainer Dan Hendricks is 7-3-2-0 over the past two years in dirt routes at Santa Anita with Joe Talamo aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Timeless Indy was last of eight in the Downs at Albuquerque Handicap in New Mexico on Sept. 21 and is one of two runners in the field entered to be claimed for $40,000.
Race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Songforjohnmichael (Last 3 Beyers: 88-71-77)
◗ Songforjohnmichael won a $30,000 claiming race for maidens over seven furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 7 in his fourth career start. Hendricks said he was not worried that Songforjohnmichael would be claimed that day because of a layoff.
“He’d been off, and I thought he was claim-proof,” Hendricks said.
Owned by RL Stables, Songforjohnmichael was fourth in a starter allowance over a mile on turf Aug. 27 after a slow start and returned to win a starter allowance over a mile here Oct. 3.
“The other race, he didn’t get out of the gate and was farther back than he should have been,” Hendricks said. “He ran lights out in the next race. It makes sense to go here.”
Valley Cat (Last 3 Beyers: 78-82-84)
◗ Valley Cat was second as the 3-5 favorite in an optional claimer over a mile at Los Alamitos on Sept. 7. He is winless in five starts since a $32,000 claimer over 1 1/16 miles here in April. The 7-year-old Valley Cat was claimed that day by current trainer and co-owner Jerry Hollendorfer and George Todaro.
Valley Cat was considered for a race earlier this month, according to Dan Ward, Hollendorfer’s assistant.
“We decided to give him the time and extra distance,” Ward said.
Valley Cat has won 6 of 30 starts and will be ridden by Rafael Bejarano on Friday. Bejarano has been aboard for all of Valley Cat’s wins.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Valley Cat. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is 21-6-6-2 with a $2.90 ROI over the past two years in dirt routes at Santa Anita following a layoff of at least 45 days. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan