Turf or dirt, Mr Vargas and Thanks Mr. Eidson will go in Clockers' Corner Stakes

Rain or shine, Mr Vargas and Thanks Mr. Eidson will start in Sunday’s $70,000 Clockers’ Corner Stakes at Santa Anita.

With some rain expected this weekend, the race could be moved from six furlongs on turf to the same distance on dirt. While that could lead to the withdrawal of some runners in a field of eight, Mr Vargas and Thanks Mr. Edison have excellent credentials on both surfaces.

The Clockers’ Corner Stakes is restricted to non-winners of a graded stakes since Jan. 1, 2020.

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Mr Vargas, owned by Samantha Siegel’s Jay Em Ess Stable, won the Grade 3 Green Flash Handicap at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar in August 2019. Mr Vargas was winless in his next three starts before a convincing win by four lengths in an allowance race at five furlongs at Los Alamitos on Dec. 12.

The race has already turned out to be productive. Brickyard Ride, who finished last after a troubled start, returned to win the California Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on Jan. 16.

Apprentice jockey Jessica Pyfer rode Mr Vargas for the first time on Dec. 12 and has the mount on Sunday, even though she cannot claim a weight break in a stakes.

The Dec. 12 win was the third start following a year-long layoff for Mr Vargas, who was last of seven in the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes on turf in September and fifth in an allowance race at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar in November.

“I thought he was coming back good off the layoff,” trainer Brian Koriner said. “First time, he didn’t break. Second time, he was between horses and he didn’t get to run. We had excuses.”

If rain does fall this weekend, Koriner said he would prefer that the Clockers’ Corner is run on dirt. Mr Vargas has drawn the rail, a position Koriner would prefer to avoid in a turf sprint.

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Mr Vargas is quick enough to set the pace, which is little consolation to Koriner if the Clockers’ Corner Stakes remains on turf.

“Can we redraw if we run on dirt?” Koriner said on Friday. “I feel like it’s such a disadvantage. Overall, I’d rather run on the dirt than be on the rail on the grass.”

Thanks Mr. Eidson, who races as a stalker, won an allowance at five furlongs on turf by a neck at Del Mar on Nov. 14 and was second by a nose in an allowance race at 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt at Los Alamitos on Dec. 6.

“We’re going to run on either surface,” trainer Jeff Bonde said. “He’s a good, honest horse and he’s trained with enthusiasm.”

This will be the second start of the meeting for Ghoul, who won an allowance race at six furlongs on turf on Jan. 2, and for Strongconstitution, who was sixth in the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile on turf on Dec. 26. Strongconstitution won the restricted Let It Ride Stakes on turf at Del Mar in November.