Wake Up Nick a short price in Graduation

DEL MAR, Calif. – Wake Up Nick, already a stakes winner against open company, moves back into a race restricted to California-breds at Del Mar on Wednesday and looms an overwhelming favorite in the $100,000 Graduation Stakes for 2-year-olds.

Wake Up Nick crushed Cal-breds in his debut May 1, romping by 9 1/4 lengths going 4 1/2 furlongs. The margin was smaller but the result the same when he prevailed in the Santa Anita Juvenile going 5 1/2 furlongs June 22. The strength of that race was validated when runner-up Story to Tell won the Proctor Memorial at Los Alamitos next time out.

The Graduation, like the Santa Anita Juvenile, is at 5 1/2 furlongs. Wake Up Nick drew the outside post in a field of seven.

“He’s worked really well over the track,” said Doug O’Neill, who trains Wake Up Nick. “You don’t want to get too cocky until they run over the track, but we’re feeling pretty good about him.”

KEY CONTENDERS

WAKE UP NICK (Beyers: 76-72)

◗ He looks to have a setup similar to his debut, being drawn outside all his rivals in a small field against fellow California-breds.

◗ He earned a solid Beyer in his debut and improved a bit off that in his next start. He’s clearly the one to beat.

GLOBAL MAGICIAN (Beyers: 56-50)

◗ He was an easy winner of his debut at Golden Gate on May 17, after which he was purchased privately and transferred to trainer Peter Miller.

◗ Miller brought him to Southern California but shipped him back up north for the Everett Nevin at Pleasanton on July 6, a race in which he just missed after surging to the lead in deep stretch. “He can sit and finish,” Miller said.

◗ The Nevin, like the Graduation, was for Cal-breds at 5 1/2 furlongs. That race was on dirt, but he won on synthetic in his debut at Golden Gate.

PERADVENTURE (Beyers: 60-75)

◗ He flashed high speed from the rail and never looked back in an impressive debut win at Santa Anita on June 27 when facing Cal-breds.

◗ Wheeled back a little more than two weeks later in the Proctor, against open company, he set the pace but tired late to finish third in a four-horse field. That race was won by Story to Tell, whom Wake Up Nick defeated in the Santa Anita Juvenile.

◗ Peradventure comes back on just 17 days’ rest, for his third start in five weeks, an ambitious schedule.

◗ He is one of two horses in the race trained by Scott Rollins, who also sends out Colorado Strong, a winner against Cal-breds at Los Alamitos on July 4 in his lone start.

ATTA BOY WOODY (Beyer: 62)

◗ Pummeled his six rivals in his lone start June 13 at Santa Anita, winning a five-furlong maiden race for Cal-breds by 7 3/4 lengths.

◗ Had the advantage of an outside draw in his debut and got a cozy trip but will have to flee the rail this time.