Unproven but promising group tries Pasadena

ARCADIA, Calif. – A deep group of budding 3-year-old turf horses tries to capitalize on a temporary lull in the division in the $100,000 Pasadena Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.

The 11-runner field is mostly unproven, and absent division leaders. Mackinnon, two-time stakes winner and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, is off until late spring. The next local race for stakes winner Maglev is the Singletary Stakes in April. Turf stakes winner Cabo Spirit will try dirt again in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes in early March. The one-mile Pasadena offers replenishment.

Principals in the Pasadena include well-bred Sumter, a maiden turf sprint winner three months ago, and Don’t Swear Dave, who goes long off a tough-trip second in a turf sprint stakes three weeks ago. Handy Dandy moves up from a starter allowance win, and Doitforandrew makes his U.S. debut with improving form since being gelded.

The Pasadena, won last year by subsequent Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World, is the ninth and final race Saturday. The wait was even longer for Sumter, impressive maiden winner Nov. 14 and nominated to the one-mile Eddie Logan Stakes on Jan. 2.

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“He had a sore foot we had to deal with,” trainer Richard Mandella said, adding that Sumter has trained very well for his first try around two turns. “He relaxed in the last work. He worked strong, and did it right.”

Although the Pasadena is the first route for Sumter, his pedigree suggests two turns is not an issue. He is by War Front, from a graded stakes-winning route dam who produced California Oaks winner Pizzazz. Flavien Prat rides Sumter, whose three turf starts were all five furlongs.

Don’t Swear Dave improved since moving to turf. He won a maiden turf sprint two starts back, followed by a runner-up sprint finish behind Maglev in the Baffle Stakes. He lost by nearly four lengths, but the margin is deceptive. As trainer Doug O’Neill noted, “He didn’t have the cleanest of trips.”

It was a nightmare. Don’t Swear Dave steadied and was shuffled on the turn, lost position, and re-rallied to finish second. Joe Bravo will take over Saturday for Mario Gutierrez. O’Neill said Don’t Swear Dave “is doing really well.”

“He’ll run all day,” O’Neill said.

Epoch won a highly rated turf sprint in his second start while earning an 83 Beyer, highest in the Pasadena field. Sired by first-crop stallion Mastery, Epoch was produced by a stakes-winning sprint dam.

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Fast Draw Munnings won the California Cup Derby last out on dirt; Handy Dandy won a starter allowance last out on turf; and Crosby Beach wired turf maidens last out at 1 1/8 miles. Red Road, Echosmith, and Grade 3-plaed Barsabas entered, along with a European import making his U.S. debut.

Doitforandrew lost his first six starts, all in Ireland, then was gelded. He returned in late November, won a maiden race on synthetic and seven days later scored an emphatic allowance win by more than five lengths. He is now trained by Phil D’Amato.