Surface adds bit of uncertainty for Dressed in Hermes
Even though Dressed in Hermes has made his last four starts on turf, winning two stakes, trainer Janet Armstrong likes the way he has trained on dirt, which has earned Dressed in Hermes a start on Saturday in the Grade 3, $100,000 Sham Stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.
But how Dressed in Hermes will perform on an expected off track is a guess, Armstrong said.
“Unfortunately, it might be a drying-out or muddy racetrack, and that’s a complete unknown,” Armstrong said Thursday from San Luis Rey Downs, where she is based. “He does train exceptionally well on dirt.”
Dressed in Hermes made his debut on dirt, finishing fourth of nine at Del Mar while going six furlongs, a distance far short of his optimum. Since then, he has run in four straight grass races, all at one mile. He won the Zuma Beach last fall at Santa Anita and the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille at Del Mar in November, and between those starts, he was a respectable fifth of 14 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland.
The Sham offers 17 points overall, including 10 to the winner, toward a berth in the Kentucky Derby on May 7 at Churchill Downs. That alone is incentive enough for Dressed in Hermes to return to the main track. In addition, Armstrong said Dressed in Hermes has thrived on a busy schedule.
“He loves it,” she said. “He doesn’t miss a meal. He’s continued to gain weight. Otherwise, I’d back off.”
The Sham, at one mile, is race 6 on a nine-race card. Eight others are entered, including three – Found Money, Semper Fortis, and Sorryaboutnothing – trained by Doug O’Neill, and two – Collected and Let’s Meet in Rio – trained by Bob Baffert.
KEY CONTENDERS
Dressed in Hermes (Last 3 Beyers: 86-78-74)
◗ He has not been able to do more than jog in recent days at San Luis Rey Downs owing to the wet weather. “But I guess it’s the same for everyone,” Armstrong said. “He’ll be on his toes.”
◗ This will be the fifth straight time he has run at one mile. Armstrong still thinks that’s not his ideal distance. “I wish it was farther,” she said.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Dressed in Hermes. Trainer Janet Armstrong is 15-4-1-0 with a $4.01 ROI over the past five years with all horses going turf to dirt. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Collected (Beyers: 83-71)
◗ He was second to Dressed in Hermes in the DeMille while making only his second start and his first around two turns, so he has a right to continue to move forward, but this will be his first try on dirt.
◗ He is bred to love an off track, with a wet-track Tomlinson rating of 431.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Collected. Trainer Bob Baffert is 10-3-1-2 with a $4.70 ROI over the past five years going turf to dirt in graded stakes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Found Money (Last 3 Beyers: 76-69-80)
◗ The most experienced horse in the race with seven starts, he comes off a hard-fought victory over California-breds in the King Glorious at Los Alamitos.
◗ He is 2 for 2 at Santa Anita.
Let’s Meet in Rio (Beyers: 79-58-71)
◗ He earned the best speed figure of his career when stretched out around two turns for the first time to defeat maidens at Los Alamitos in his last start.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Rare Candy. Trainer David Hofmans is 35-0-7-6 over the past five years with all horses going turf to dirt. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan