Two Thirty Five could wade into deeper waters in Awesome Again

DEL MAR, Calif. – The ex-claimer Two Thirty Five became a stakes winner in Wednesday’s $89,201 Harry Brubaker Stakes at Del Mar.

Now the team behind the 5-year-old gelding – owners Tom Mansor, Tammi Nielsen, Kim Rasmussen, and trainer Richard Baltas – face a decision on how ambitious to be in the next few months.

One option is the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on Sept. 28, a race that could draw the top older horse McKinzie and leading 3-year-olds Game Winner and Omaha Beach.

The $100,000 Los Alamitos Special at 1 1/4 miles on Sept. 15 is not an option. The Los Alamitos Special, the leading race of the track’s Los Angeles County Fair meeting, is restricted to non-winners of $50,000 in a stakes at a mile or over. Two Thirty Five earned $53,310 in the Brubaker, run at a mile.

In the Brubaker, Two Thirty Five ($14.80) closed from fifth in the final quarter-mile under jockey Abel Cedillo to win by a nose over Leading Score.

“He came out of the race great,” Baltas said.

Two Thirty Five was claimed for $25,000 from a sprint at Santa Anita in January 2018 and has since won four races and earned $175,735.

Last summer, Two Thirty Five ran in the two leading races for 3-year-olds and up on dirt at the Del Mar meeting, finishing fourth in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap and last of seven in the $1 million Pacific Classic.

The Brubaker was Two Thirty Five’s third start of the year after third-place finishes in optional claimers at Santa Anita in May and here on July 24 as the 7-5 favorite.

By Stay Thirsty, Two Thirty Five has won 5 of 18 starts and earned $200,415.