Turnback not a problem for Boyett

ARCADIA, Calif. – From sprinters to milers to routers, recent winners dominate the entries for Thursday’s fourth race at Santa Anita over a mile on turf.

Five of the six runners – Avare, Better Bet, Boyett, Oliver’s Tale, and Super Ability – won their last start. The other entrant, Jules Journey, was second in an optional claimer on May 10 and won an optional claimer two races ago, on April 6.

Remarkably, all five of the recent winners won their last starts on turf by racing on or near the lead. Oliver’s Tale won an allowance race on the hillside course, Better Bet and Super Ability won allowance races over a mile, Avare won an optional claimer over a mile, and Boyett won an optional claimer over 1 1/4 miles.

The shorter distance of Thursday’s race is not a concern for Mark Glatt, who trains the 4-year-old gelding Boyett. Earlier in his career, Boyett won a maiden race over 5 1/2 furlongs at Emerald Downs in Washington State and a $62,500 claimer over 1 1/16 miles at Hollywood Park last November.

“I think he’s capable at a mile,” Glatt said. “If the race is full of speed, it will be nice to see if he can come from off of it. His natural speed put him in front in the races over a mile and a quarter. We’ll see if he can finish and run by horses.”

Thursday’s mile race will be the longest in the career of Oliver’s Tale, who was the runaway winner of a maiden race over about 6 1/2 furlongs on April 13, drawing off through the stretch to win by 3 1/4 lengths. Trained by Mark Tsagalakis, Oliver’s Tale is expected to set the pace.

Better Bet finished fifth behind California Chrome in the California Cup Derby in January, but won his turf debut in an allowance race for 3-year-olds in February, his most recent start. Thursday’s race is Better Bet’s first start against older horses.

Super Ability, a 6-year-old gelding, has not raced since his win in an allowance race at Hollywood Park last July. Trained by Carla Gaines, Super Ability has worked quickly in recent weeks.

Avare is a two-time stakes winner, having won the Eddie Logan Stakes in 2012 and the Pomona Derby last September. A 4-year-old gelding, he was claimed for $62,500 by trainer Dean Pederson on May 3, the day he won a $40,000 optional claimer by a nose.