Java’s War, winner of the Grade 1 Blue Grass earlier
this year, will make his California debut as part of a four-horse field in the
Grade 2, $150,000
Swaps Stakes at
Hollywood Park on Independence Day Thursday.
The 1 1/8-mile Swaps is the third of nine races on the July 4 program, with
post
time scheduled for 1 p.m. (PDT). Track gates open at 9:55 a.m., and veterans and
active duty personnel — with military identification — will receive free general
admission.
Trained by Ken McPeek,
Java’s War has thus far this season captured the Blue Grass, despite a slow
start that saw him in last early, and run second in the Tampa Bay Derby. In his
most recent start, the Kentucky Derby, the War Pass colt could do no better than
a troubled 13th, but holds the distinction of beating eventual Belmont Stakes
victor Palace Malice in the aforementioned Blue Grass.
Jockey Julien Leparoux travels from Kentucky with Java’s War for the Swaps.
Among those the duo will face on Thursday is Tiz a Minister, who will be
stretching out a sixteenth of a mile after a
last-to-first victory in the Affirmed Handicap over the Cushion Track earlier
this month.
The Paul Aguirre-trained son of Minister’s Wild Cat also scored in the
California Breeders Champion earlier this season, and followed that win with a
third in the San Felipe and a fourth-placing in the Santa Anita Derby. Tiz a
Minister entered the Affirmed off another third-place effort in the Snow Chief
going the Swaps nine-furlong distance, and keeps jockey Corey Nakatani in the
irons as he tries for a second straight graded victory.
Chief Havoc’s lone previous effort against stakes company resulted in a
tiring sixth in the Champagne last October at Belmont Park while making his U.S.
debut for trainer Jeremy Noseda.
Transferred to conditioner Peter Miller following that, the Giant’s Causeway
sophomore was shipped to California and proceeded to break his maiden by 7 1/4
lengths at Santa Anita in April. The chestnut colt steps up to face graded company
once again in the Swaps after an
authoritative 4 3/4-length allowance victory on May 30. Rafael Bejarano will be
taking the reins.
Dice Flavor enters the Swaps off a fourth-place finish in the Affirmed behind
Tiz a Minister. The Paddy
Gallagher pupil’s lone win this season came as a 9-1 surprise in the
El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields in mid-February, after which the Scat
Daddy colt shipped to Dubai for an eighth-place run in the U.A.E. Derby. Mike
Smith was aboard for the Affirmed and retains the mount on Thursday.
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