Stryker Phd steps out of his comfort zone in Big Bear
ARCADIA, Calif. – The presence of Longacres Mile winner Stryker Phd in Thursday’s $75,000 Big Bear Stakes at Santa Anita is an experiment, his first outing away from Northern California or Washington state.
“This is a test-the-water thing,” trainer Larry Ross said this week. “He deserves a chance.”
A 5-year-old gelding, Stryker Phd is in the best form of his career, having won all three of his starts this year in stakes at Emerald Downs. The Grade 3 Longacres Mile on Aug. 24 was Stryker Phd’s most recent race and led to the trip to Southern California.
Stryker Phd will be the first starter at Santa Anita for Ross since 2005. Ross won the Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes in 2003 with Ema Bovary.
“It’s been a while,” he said. “I might have to get out the MapQuest. They may have changed some of the roads.”
For the Big Bear Stakes over a mile, Stryker Phd is one of six stakes winners in a field of nine, a group that includes Regally Ready, the winner of the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, and Blue Tone, who won the Harry Brubaker Stakes at Del Mar in August.
KEY CONTENDERS
Stryker Phd (Last 3 Beyers: 97-91-97)
◗ Owned by Jim and Mona Hour, Stryker Phd’s four career stakes wins have been over a mile or 1 1/16 miles. In each race, he closed from the back of the field to take the lead in the final furlong.
◗ Ross is hoping that Stryker Phd does not have to do too much turning into the stretch at Santa Anita, where speed has been generally favorable.
“I don’t think there is much changing his style,” Ross said. “It seems like the speed horses hang on there a little better than Seattle, but they are better horses. There is quite a bit of speed in the race. The best thing for us is if they go wham-bam. He’s got quite a bit of a kick.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT:No. 6 Stryker Phd. Won last out in the Longacres Mile, but the race has come back weak with only one next-out winner and a top Beyer Speed Figure of 80 from eight runners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Blue Tone (Last 3 Beyers: 96-92-92)
◗ Blue Tone has won 4 of 9 starts, including his last two races. A 5-year-old gelding trained by Bob Hess Jr., Blue Tone can set the pace or stalk.
◗ Blue Tone has not raced since winning the Brubaker Stakes over a mile on a synthetic main track Aug. 30.
“He got a little freshening after that race,” Hess said. “I think he’s best with a target.”
◗ Blue Tone has never won on Santa Anita’s dirt track, finishing second, third, and fourth in three starts.
“I’ve always thought he’ll be better on dirt, but he’s 0 for 3 on dirt,” Hess said. “I think it’s been circumstances. It’s a question mark. We’ll find out Thursday.”
Regally Ready (Last 3 Beyers: 95-108-84)
◗ Regally Ready was pre-entered for Saturday’s BC Turf Sprint but was not among the invited runners. This is the consolation race for a 7-year-old gelding who has won his last two races – the West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker’s Cup on dirt at Mountaineer on Aug. 2 and the More Than Ready Mile Stakes on turf at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 13.
◗ Regally Ready has won 15 of 36 starts and earned $1,606,806. He has won eight stakes.
“It’s been good to see him back in form,” trainer Steve Asmussen said.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Soi Phet. Trainer Leonard Powell is 10-4-0-1 with a $4.84 ROI over the past two years going turf to dirt in routes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan