Tenderfoot to get class check in Jazil Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – When Charlton Baker claimed Tenderfoot last summer at Saratoga, jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., who had ridden the horse in that race, had a message for Baker.

“He told me he’s a nice horse, you’re going to have a lot of fun with this horse,” Baker said.

So far, Santana has proven prophetic.

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After finishing fifth in his first start for Baker, Tenderfoot has reeled off three consecutive victories. He brings that streak into his stakes debut in Saturday’s $100,000 Jazil Stakes at Aqueduct.

“I thought he might be okay, win some nice condition races,” Baker said. “He turned out to be a lot more than we actually thought.”

Tenderfoot’s winning streak began at Belmont in an off-the-turf maiden $40,000 claiming race on Oct. 29, which he won by 10 1/2 lengths. He came back five weeks later at Aqueduct to win a starter allowance over next-out winner Invaluable. On New Year’s Day, in the mud, Tenderfoot won a first-level allowance by six lengths, earning a 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I thought it was a good race,” Baker said. “He’s a horse that trains like that. I thought he took a step forward from his first race to his second, and he took another step forward from that race to his last race. I don’t know where he goes from here.”

Baker said he had been looking at a second-level allowance race in February for Tenderfoot until Sunday, when the horse worked a half-mile in 46.26 seconds over the Belmont Park training track.

“He galloped out real strong,” Baker said. “I figured if he’s doing as good as he looks like he’s doing, let’s take a shot and see where he fits”.

The Jazil drew a field of only five, including Mr. Buff and Backsideofthemoon, who have combined to win the last three runnings of this race.

Eric Cancel will ride Tenderfoot in the Jazil.

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Baker said that Honor Way, who ended her 6-year-old season with back-to-back stakes wins, missed Monday’s $100,000 Interborough Stakes at Aqueduct due to a bruised foot.

Baker said he could have run Honor Way in the race, but she wouldn’t have been 100 percent. Baker said that he opted to give Honor Way some time off and point her to the Grade 3, $150,000 Distaff Handicap going seven furlongs on April 2 at Aqueduct.

Honor Way won the Pumpkin Pie Stakes on Nov. 1 and the Garland of Roses on Dec. 6. She has won 13 of 41 races and earned just less than $700,000.

“She has done so much I figure give her some time, give her a little breather, and there’s a race in April for her, so we’ll point her to that,” Baker said.