The winner of the Strub S. (G2) on the old Pro-Ride earlier this
With no obvious pacesetter in the field, Violon Sacre (Stravinsky)
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Proudinsky and The Usual Q. T. delivered their challenges turning into the
stretch, but the favorite couldn’t match strides with the reigning San Gabriel
hero. As Proudinsky drove to the front and took aim on the record book, Jeranimo
was looming into the frame. Exploding through on the fence, Jeranimo
unceremoniously dethroned Proudinsky and increased his margin to the wire,
returning $10.20, $5.20 and $2.80.
“My horse rushed a little bit at the break,” Bejarano recapped. “After that,
I tried to stay behind and get in the bridle, and he started to relax. When I
saw the number one (Proudinsky) getting room from the rail, I just stayed on the
rail because I knew he was going to have a lot of horse at the end, too. When
the number one came out a bit in the stretch, I got the opportunity and my horse
came running. I ran the last time with this horse, too, and he won so easy on
the turf that I thought he would run the same race today. This horse is really
improving.”
Proudinsky, who was competing in his fourth consecutive San Gabriel and
finishing runner-up for the second time, paid $5.40 and $2.80 as the 9-2 third
choice. The Usual Q. T. just held onto third by a half-length from the closing
Expansion (Maria’s Mon), yielding $2.20 to show. The $1 exotics were worth
$19.70 (exacta), $43.10 (trifecta) and $303.90 (4-1-3-7 superfecta) with the
20-1 Expansion in fourth. Meteore, Medici Code (GB) (Medicean) and Violon Sacre
completed the order under the wire, while Unusual Suspect (Unusual Heat),
Riviera Cocktail (Giant’s Causeway) and Spurrier (Dixieland Band) were
withdrawn.
Jeranimo’s scorecard now stands at 15-5-3-2, $429,400. Third in the 2009 San
Felipe S. (G2) in his stakes bow, the bay finished a close but troubled fourth
in the January 30 Sunshine Millions Classic S. in his first stakes attempt
versus older horses. He broke through next time out with a sharp score in the
February 13 Strub, beating subsequent Santa Anita H. (G1) winner Misremembered
(Candy Ride [Arg]). Jeranimo didn’t fare as well in the Big ‘Cap himself,
winding up fourth, and he spent the next seven months on the sidelines. The
four-year-old made a low-key return in the October 23 Oakland S. over Golden
Gate’s Tapeta, where he closed late to grab fifth in the six-furlong sprint,
prior to his revelation on turf.
“This horse is as good as he’s ever been, and Rafael rode him great,” said
Pender, who is keeping Jeranimo’s options open. “We’re going to try and look at
all the invitations. I would ultimately love to run him here in the Big ‘Cap (at
1 1/4 miles on dirt March 5). We ran in it last year, and it would be great to
go back there and seek a little revenge. If we get some bigger invites from
across the pond, we’ll certainly look into that as well.”
Pender added that he views Jeranimo as an all-surface threat.
“No, absolutely not,” he responded when asked if he’d stay on turf. “I think
this horse can run over anything. That’s how good he is.”
Bred by Brylynn Farm Inc. in Florida, Jeranimo was sold for $50,000 as an OBS
August yearling, and later brought $70,000 as a Barretts May two-year-old. He is
out of the stakes-winning Jeblar mare Jera, whose other foals include the
stakes-placed Tizthen (Tiznow), current stakes-placed juvenile Wealthy Aviator (Henny
Hughes) and a yearling filly by Any Given Saturday. This is the family of
undefeated Grade 2 star Kantharos (Lion Heart), whose career was halted by
injury this summer, as well as multiple Grade 1 hero and sire First Samurai
(Giant’s Causeway).