Wong looks to cash in with Noble Kent before heading east
CYPRESS, Calif. – The veteran gelding Noble Kent is outlasting California racetracks, while his young trainer might soon leave the state altogether.
Noble Kent in 2012 won a maiden race at now-closed Hollywood Park, and in the fall of 2013, he started during the final race meet at Fairplex Park.
Years later, at age 7, Noble Kent is thriving. An 8-for-36 former low-level claimer, Noble Kent enters the featured race Sunday at Los Alamitos in peak form. Good enough to knock out a first-level optional $40,000 claiming race? Trainer Jonathan Wong believes so.
“He’s actually training better for this race than before his last race,” Wong said. “He’s a warrior.”
Wong is 27 and also is thriving. A former assistant in Northern California, Wong went on his own in early 2015 and made an immediate splash. He has won 60 races from 181 starters; he trains eight horses at Santa Anita and another 21 at Golden Gate.
But a 33 percent win rate raises eyebrows, and Wong is weary of West Coast innuendo that implies that he has an unfair advantage.
“I’m not going to sit here and be harassed,” he said. “There are a lot of things going on in California that I don’t like.”
Wong said Friday he is making plans to relocate the majority of his stable to Maryland. In the meantime, his Noble Kent takes on seven rivals in the race 8 feature on closing day at Los Alamitos. Santa Anita reopens Thursday.
Key rivals for Noble Kent are the turf-to-dirt Dreaming of Gold and Los Alamitos horse for course Day in the Sun. The field includes two $1 million colts whose progress stalled – Dream Team, a full brother to Rebel Stakes winner Cupid, and recent California arrival Aldrin, a sibling to super stallion Tapit.
Race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Noble Kent, by Ministers Wild Cat
Last 3 Beyers: 83-89-64
◗ Wong claimed Noble Kent for $20,000 three starts back. He won first off the claim and finished second last out for a $32,000 tag.
“We took him because he was a Cal-bred, to run for the [high] Cal-bred allowance purse,” Wong said. “He had a couple issues we fixed.”
◗ Noble Kent, whose rider is Edwin Maldonado, is a closer. Wong recognizes the challenge.
“I just hope the track is not speed-favoring,” he said.
Dreaming of Gold, by Unbridled’s Song
Last 3 Beyers: 87-91-87
◗ A distance cutback and move to dirt benefits Dreaming of Gold, fourth last out in a fast-paced turf route at 1 1/4 miles.
◗ Dreaming of Gold, who is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer and ridden by Kent Desormeaux, finished second last spring in successive maiden special weight dirt routes.
Day in the Sun, by Sun King
Last 3 Beyers: 81-80-69
◗ Three starts at Los Alamitos produced two wins and a second for Day in the Sun. In his last two starts at Golden Gate, he finished fourth and second.
Dream Team, by Tapit
Last 3 Beyers: 84-76-78
◗ A potential pacesetter, Dream Team stretches out from a fifth-place sprint. Bob Baffert trains.
Aldrin, by Malibu Moon
Last 3 Beyers: 80-72-64
◗ Previously trained by Chad Brown, Aldrin makes his California debut for Peter Miller while adding blinkers. Aldrin won a maiden turf race last out at Tampa Bay Downs.