True Valour auditioning for trip to Saudi Arabia in Joe Hernandez Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – The last time True Valour ran in a sprint he won the Group 3 Ballycorus Stakes at seven furlongs on turf in Ireland in June 2018. In five subsequent starts, all at a mile on turf in California, True Valour won two graded stakes and was 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.

A 6-year-old in 2020, True Valour will start in the shortest race of his career in Wednesday’s Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Santa Anita. The Hernandez is the eighth race on a 10-race program that begins at 11:30 a.m. Pacific.

A win by True Valour could lead to an international appearance in the $1 million 1351 Turf Sprint at about 6 3/4 furlongs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 29, on the undercard of the $20 million Saudi Cup.

“I think 6 1/2 furlongs would hit this horse between the eyes,” trainer Simon Callaghan said last weekend. “The race in Saudi is 6 3/4.

“This might be a little on the sharp side. I think we’ll see the best of this horse in the sprint races. The plan is for this race, and if he runs well we’ll go to Saudi.”

True Valour was beaten six lengths by Uni in the BC Mile, racing in traffic in the stretch.

“He was kind of on the bit,” Callaghan said. “When he had the chance, he got stopped.”

True Valour won consecutive stakes in 2019 in the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes last February and the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile on Oct. 5.

Callaghan is hoping runners such as Captain Scotty and Grinning Tiger set a quick pace to help True Valour’s rally. Drayden Van Dyke, who has ridden True Valour in his last two starts, has the mount Wednesday.

“To sit back off a really hot pace and make a run at the end of the sprint race, he’ll do well,” Callaghan said.

The $200,000 Hernandez Stakes, which was upgraded to a Grade 2 this year and as a result had its purse doubled, drew a field of 11, but will be limited to 10 starters. Bay Muzik is on the also-eligible list.

Trainer Doug O’Neill starts two stakes winners from 2019 – Blitzkrieg and Legends of War.

Blitzkrieg won the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile on turf at Golden Gate Fields last April and has not raced since finishing last of seven in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita last May. Blitzkrieg won three consecutive starts last winter and spring on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita, which is no longer in use for sprints.

Legends of War won the Grade 3 Franklin-Simpson Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on turf on Sept. 12 at Kentucky Downs, but was last of 12 in the BC Turf Sprint at five furlongs here Nov. 2.

Captain Scotty is one of two runners in the field trained by Peter Miller, along with Texas Wedge.

The Hernandez Stakes will be the turf debut for Captain Scotty, who is by Quality Road. Captain Scotty was third in an allowance race with an $80,000 claiming option at six furlongs at Churchill Downs on Nov. 28 in his first start in more than eight months.

“Quality Roads run well on grass,” Miller said. “I thought he ran well in his comeback and got a little tired late after a hot pace. If he can run well on grass, it opens up a lot of avenues.”

Texas Wedge won an allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option at five furlongs on turf on Nov. 1 at Churchill Downs and was later second in an allowance race at 5 1/2 furlongs on the main track on Nov. 28.

“I think he’s a little better on the grass,” Miller said. “He’s won on both surfaces. The 5 1/2 furlongs suits him well.”