Talco gets away from big boys in Thursday allowance
ARCADIA, Calif. – After losses in four stakes from August to December – all Grade 1 or Grade 2 – Talco will be given a break from top-class competition and starts in an optional claimer at Santa Anita on Thursday.
Trainer John Sadler does not envision a lengthy absence from stakes action for Talco. A big race on Thursday would lead to a start in the $400,000 Frank Kilroe Mile, a Grade 1 at a mile on turf on March 7.
Talco, a 4-year-old who races for Hronis Racing, has won 2 of 10 starts and earned $134,823. Last year, Talco was third in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby and Grade 1 Hollywood Derby, and fifth in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby and Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile. He has not started since the Dec. 26 Mathis Brothers Mile.
Thursday’s optional claimer will have eight starters. The field includes Sofast, who was third in the Group 2 Prix du Muguet in France in 2013 but has not started in 18 months, and Helm, second in an optional claimer here on Jan. 11.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Sofast. Trainer Gary Mandella is 33-5-1-2 with a $1.25 ROI over the past five years with horses returning from a layoff of 180 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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KEY CONTENDERS
Talco (Last 3 Beyers: 88-89-86)
◗ Talco was entered for the Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes at a mile on turf last Saturday, but was scratched in favor of Thursday’s race.
“We thought he’d run well in there, but we wanted an easier race,” Sadler said. “We were able to find a race with his conditions.”
◗ Bred in France, Talco was beaten 1 3/4 lengths in the Mathis Brothers Mile after racing in traffic with three furlongs remaining. Alert Bay won the Mathis Brothers Mile, and returned to win the California Cup Turf Classic on Jan. 24.
“He’s been running against some good horses,” Sadler said of Talco.
Play Hard to Get (Last 3 Beyers: 85-88-79)
◗ Trained by Eric Kruljac, Play Hard to Get was fourth in the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes for turf sprinters here on Dec. 28 in his stakes debut and seventh start. Last August at Del Mar, Play Hard to Get won a maiden race at 1 1/8 miles on turf by 6 3/4 lengths in his fourth start.
Helm (Last 3 Beyers: 88-0-86)
◗ Helm had a poor finish to his 2014 campaign when he was eased in an optional claimer on turf at Belmont Park in October. On Jan. 11, Helm was second to El Nino Terrible in an optional claimer on a wet-fast track at Santa Anita.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Helm. Trainer Graham Motion is 31-3-4-5 with a $0.89 ROI over the past five years going dirt to turf in routes in the second start following a layoff. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 Ashleyluvssugar. Trainer Peter Eurton is 11-0-1-2 over the past five years in turf routes with Mike Smith aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan