St. Joe Bay seeks to end skid in allowance

CYPRESS, Calif. – In the six months since St. Joe Bay was claimed for $62,500, the gelding has earned $76,420, all for owners Pete and Kosta Hronis and trainer John Sadler.

During that time, St. Joe Bay is winless in four starts, including a second in the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes at Santa Anita in June, and a third in the Comma to the Top Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 28.

St. Joe Bay has a less-ambitious goal on Friday when he starts in a $55,000 allowance race at five furlongs on dirt at Los Alamitos.

The field includes Distinctive B, who was seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3, and Richard’s Boy, who was last of 14 in the BC Turf Sprint the same day. Distinctive B and Richard’s Boy are trained by Peter Miller.

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KEY CONTENDERS

St. Joe Bay, by Saint Anddan
Last 3 Beyers: 91-87-95

◗ St. Joe Bay was beaten five lengths by Battle of Midway in the one-mile Comma to the Top Stakes, which was too far for him, Sadler said. Battle of Midway returned to win the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar in late November.

“He’s just a versatile, hard-knocking horse,” Sadler said of St. Joe Bay. “He’s been such a good earner, even though he has won one for us yet.”

◗ St. Joe Bay, who was claimed from Miller, is winless in 12 starts since taking the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita in February 2017. St. Joe Bay was second by a neck in a five-furlong allowance race at Los Alamitos in September.

Richard’s Boy, by Idiot Proof
Last 3 Beyers: 51-90-100

◗ Richard’s Boy struggled on the yielding turf course at Churchill Downs last month, fading from contention in the stretch. In August, Richard’s Boy was beaten a nose in the Green Flash Handicap at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar, and was second, beaten a length at 3-10 in the California Flag Handicap for statebreds at five furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 20.

◗ Primarily a turf runner, Richard’s Boy, 6, was seventh in the Sensational Star Handicap in the mud at Santa Anita last March. A fast track is expected on Friday. Richard’s Boy won the California Cup Sprint for statebreds at six furlongs at Santa Anita in January 2017, his last start on a fast dirt track.

Distinctive B, by With Distinction
Last 3 Beyers: 87-81-100

◗ Distinctive B was beaten 13 lengths by stablemate and winner Roy H in the BC Sprint. Distinctive B was later fourth after a slow start in an optional claimer at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 23.

◗ A repeat of his second to Roy H in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship in October would make Distinctive B a factor in this competitive field.