Weston working well for return, may go to lead in Bob Hope Stakes

Weston was all set to make his two-turn debut in the Grade 1 American Pharaoh in late September, but that plan had to be scrapped, and the reset button hit, when he acted as if he was getting colic the morning of the race.

He gets back in action on Sunday at Del Mar, a familiar track for him, and at a familiar distance, when he competes against five rivals, including familiar foes Ambivalent and Spielberg, in the Grade 3, $100,000 Bob Hope Stakes for 2-year-olds.

Weston won the Grade 2 Best Pal at Del Mar going six furlongs in August, then was third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity Sept. 7 going seven furlongs, the same distance as the Bob Hope. A gelding by Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Hit It a Bomb, Weston has a pedigree suggesting two turns should be in his wheelhouse, and that was where he was scheduled to be headed on Sept. 26.

“He was real uncomfortable on race day. He wasn’t right that morning. I’m not sure if he was trying to colic, but he was acting like it,” his trainer, Ryan Hanson, said Friday morning.

There was no decision to be made other than the horse’s immediate comfort. He had to be treated with an anti-inflammatory and a tranquilizer, which Hanson said calmed things down, but obviously necessitated a scratch.

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Weston returned to the work tab a few weeks later and has turned in four breezes in advance of the Bob Hope, two that were the best of the morning at the distance, including a five-furlong drill in 59.80 seconds last Saturday at Santa Anita.

“Had to move that work up a day because of the rain, but he breezed good, easy,” Hanson said.

Weston drew well compared to his two main rivals, landing post 3 in the field of six, with both Ambivalent and Spielberg inside him. He usually breaks well, and with his natural speed is a threat to lead from start to finish.

Ambivalent is still winless in five starts, but he crossed the wire third in the Best Pal and was second in a mile maiden race in two dirt starts at Del Mar during the summer. He gets some class relief from his last start, when he was overmatched against Jackie’s Warrior in the Grade 1 Champagne.

Spielberg is the likely favorite, as he has been in three of his four starts. He was second in the Del Mar Futurity, finishing 3 3/4 lengths in front of Weston, and subsequently was third in the American Pharoah. He got class relief last time and defeated maidens going two turns on opening weekend of the Del Mar meeting Nov. 1, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 85, easily the top fig among this field, but he is wheeling back quickly for this.

Red Flag beat maidens sprinting on turf in his second start Oct. 10 at Santa Anita and should be rolling late. Uncle Boogie was first and second in two starts against softer competition. Coastal Kid ships in from Emerald Downs, where he won once in two starts.

The Bob Hope goes as race 8 on a nine-race card that begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific.