Tough Sunday preps for Real Good Deal in Friday feature
CYPRESS, Calif. – When Tough Sunday reaches the wire of Friday’s seventh race at Los Alamitos, chances are jockey Tyler Baze will not be in a hurry to stop.
Owner Nick Alexander and trainer Steve Miyadi consider Friday’s race – an optional claimer for California-breds at 5 1/2 furlongs – a prep for the $200,000 Real Good Deal Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 2. Ideally, Friday’s race would have carded at a longer distance, so Baze might ride Tough Sunday past the finish to gain more from the race.
“I want him to get a lot out of it,” Alexander said Wednesday.
Tough Sunday is not the only 3-year-old in Friday’s race who could run in the seven-furlong Real Good Deal. Atta’ Boy Woody, who drew the rail, will start for the first time since a second in the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar last July.
Colorado Strong and Smack Talk also will have their first starts of the year. Colorado Strong was fourth or fifth in three stakes last summer. Smack Talk has not raced since finishing fifth in the Golden State Juvenile at Santa Anita last November.
Key contenders
Tough Sunday (Last 3 Beyers: 38-83-72)
* Tough Sunday beat maidens by 6 3/4 lengths in a seven-furlong race at Santa Anita last December but was last of seven in the California Cup Derby on Jan. 24. Alexander said Tough Sunday emerged from the race with a non-displaced fracture that did not require surgery, only rest.
* Tough Sunday was entered in an optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs June 26 at Santa Anita but withdrawn because Miyadi wanted additional time to prepare the colt for his comeback, Alexander said.
“Steve didn’t think he had him tight enough,” he said. “He’s a big, heavy horse, and he was off long enough that it took a little extra time to get him ready.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Tough Sunday. Trainer Steven Miyadi is 17-4-2-1 with a $3.90 ROI over the past five years in dirt sprints following a layoff of 100 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Atta’ Boy Woody (Last 2 Beyers: 59-62)
* Atta’ Boy Woody beat maidens by 7 3/4 lengths at five furlongs in his debut in June 2014 at Santa Anita and was second to Wake Up Nick in the Graduation Stakes. He led throughout the maiden race and closed from fifth of six in the Graduation Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs to finish a clear second.
* Martin Garcia rides Atta’ Boy Woody for the first time Friday.
Smack Talk (Last 2 Beyers: 41-65)
* Trainer Vann Belvoir said he was impressed with Smack Talk’s final workout for Friday’s race, a half-mile in 47.80 seconds from the gate at Santa Anita last Sunday.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Odin. Trainer Eric Kruljac is 46-3-6-10 with a $0.61 ROI over the past five yeats going turf to dirt in sprints. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Dixieland Blues. Trainer Marty Jones is 37-0-9-4 over the past five years with all horses going from turf to dirt. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan