Stilleto Boy leads all the way in Californian

Race strategy changed for Stilleto Boy on Saturday morning, hours before the Grade 2 Californian Stakes at Santa Anita.

With expected pacesetter Shaaz withdrawn from a small field, jockey Juan Hernandez and trainer Ed Moger Jr. opted to place Stilleto Boy on the lead. Stilleto Boy led throughout to win his first graded stakes in the $196,000 Californian Stakes at 1 1/8 miles.

“Mr. Moger said to be aggressive out of the gate,” Hernandez said. “He broke sharp and I was on the lead.”

The second choice, Stilleto Boy ($6) set a sharp pace of 22.92 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.30 for a half-mile, closely tracked by 2-5 Express Train, the winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 5.

Express Train, ridden by Victor Espinoza, was well-placed on the outside of Stilleto Boy on the turn and into the stretch, but could not get any closer to the leader.

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“I thought we’d nail them at the wire,” Espinoza said. “He ran good. I’m proud of him.”

Stilleto Boy led by a length with a furlong remaining and won by 2 ¼ lengths over Express Train.

“We couldn’t catch him,” said John Shirreffs, who trains Express Train. “They went decent fractions. We just couldn’t get there. The other horse ran a super race.”

Stilleto Boy was timed in 1:48.07, ending a seven-race losing streak since the Iowa Derby. Stilleto Boy earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 108.

Earlier this year, Stilleto Boy was third in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 29 and third behind Express Train in the Santa Anita Handicap.

Hernandez rode Stilleto Boy for the first time in the Californian, and was impressed by the way the 4-year-old gelding responded through the stretch.

“I felt the pressure and I knew we had a strong pace,” Hernandez said. “I saw Express Train and I thought I’d better start riding. He made me work a little bit today.”

Spielberg finished third, 22 lengths behind Express Train, with Holden the Lute last of four. Shaaz, a $1.1 million purchase as a 2-year-old training in 2020, was withdrawn in favor of a potential start in the Grade 3 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park on May 30, trainer Sean McCarthy said.

Stilleto Boy races for Moger’s brother, Steve, and was bought for $420,000 at the Fasig-Tipton July sale, days after the win in the Iowa Derby. Stilleto Boy, by Shackleford, has won 3 of 15 starts and earned $1,031,175.

Stilleto Boy and Express Train may meet for a third time this year in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup on May 30.