Timing strategy pays off for Nessy in San Juan Capistrano

ARCADIA, Calif. - Nessy’s win in Sunday’s Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at about 1 3/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita was all about timing.

Jockey Mike Smith was confident through the race that the odds-on favorite could rally when needed.

“I was able to get him in a spot, turn him off, get him in a spot, and turn him off,” Smith said. “He got into a beautiful rhythm.”

For trainer Ian Wilkes, the win reflected careful scheduling with two prep races in graded stakes at Gulfstream Park in late January and early March.

“I planned for this with the races at Gulfstream Park and seven weeks off to allow me to ship,” he said.

Nessy responded with his first stakes win for owners Ed and Sharon Hudon’s Sierra Farm in the $100,690 San Juan Capistrano. Nessy ($3.80) closed from third to take the lead in the final furlong, winning by a length over a game pacesetter, the 11-1 chance A Red Tie Day.

Rye, who won the California Cup Turf Classic for statebreds in January, closed from sixth to finish third, followed by Evo Campo, Lazzam, Principal Bob, and Moonman.

Smith had Nessy along the inside for the first 1 1/2 miles, tracking A Red Tie Day. Nessy was always within three lengths of A Red Tie Day before Smith guided his mount to the outside entering the stretch. Nessy trailed by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong to go, but reached the front with yards to spare.

“It helps when you have a horse that can get a mile and three-quarters,” Smith said.

Nessy was timed in 2:48.03.

A 5-year-old gelding by Flower Alley, Nessy has won 3 of 21 starts and earned $300,420. The Hudons and Wilkes had the San Juan Capistrano in mind for Nessy in recent months through an early season campaign that included a second in the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight Handicap at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 27 and a third in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida Stakes there March 3.

Nessy closed well to miss by a half-length in the McKnight and rallied from the back of the field in the Mac Diarmida to finish 1 1/2 lengths behind Sadler’s Joy. Those races made Nessy a standout in the betting for the San Juan Capistrano.

Nessy was the second winner for Wilkes at Santa Anita. He won the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Classic with Fort Larned.

Wilkes said in the winner’s circle that he does not have any specific race plans for Nessy, but that the Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup, a $400,000 race at two miles on June 8 is a consideration.

Races such as the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3 are not quite in the discussion - at least not yet, Wilkes said.

“He’s got to improve,” Wilkes said. “He’s getting good now.”