Stilleto Boy gets back to work, eyes Californian Stakes

Stilleto Boy, third in three consecutive Grade 1 races since Christmas, recently resumed workouts after a brief vacation in March. Trainer Ed Moger Jr. said Friday that the 4-year-old Stilleto Boy is under consideration for the Grade 2 Californian Stakes on April 30 or the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup on May 30.

Owned by Moger’s brother, Steve, Stilleto Boy was third in the Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs on Dec. 26, third behind Life Is Good and Knicks Go in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park, and third behind Express Train in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 5.

Last fall, Stilleto Boy was fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar. Stilleto Boy had his first workout since the Big Cap on April 2, going a half-mile in 49.40 seconds. The mid-March rest was deserved.

“We ran him a lot and we backed off a little bit,” Ed Moger said. “He was a little tired, but other than that seemed good.”

Moger said the $200,000 Californian Stakes at 1 1/8 miles may fit Stilleto’s Boy’s schedule, judging from recent behavior.

“He’s been tearing the barn down,” Moger said.

The Californian is one of four graded stakes on the April 30 program, the next day with stakes at Santa Anita.

There are two minor stakes on Sunday, but none scheduled for the weekend of April 15-17. There is no racing on the weekend of April 22-24 to provide a break in the racing schedule before the final two months of the winter-spring meeting, which closes on June 19.