Trainer Steve Asmussen’s Unbridled’s Note, a three-time
stakes winner down Santa Anita’s unique 6 1/2-furlong hillside turf course, will
be back to defend his title in Sunday’s $75,000
Joe Hernandez Stakes, which has
attracted a field of seven older horses.
A winner of the Daytona down the hill two
starts back, Unbridled’s Note comes off a close fourth in the Arcadia going a
grassy mile on February 1. The five-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song has an outstanding overall hillside
resume, as he also won the 2012 Eddie D. and has
just missed twice in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint — finishing a half-length second in
2012, and fourth, beaten 1 3/4 lengths, last November.
Currently boasting a 3-1-1 mark from seven trips down the hill, Unbridled’s Note has proven effective both stalking and on the lead
over the course. The bay will be handled in the Hernandez by Corey Nakatani, who has been aboard for all three wins over the
course.
Trainer John Sadler will give new rider Joe Talamo a leg up aboard Sweet Swap
in the Hernandez as Rafael Bejarano, who had been aboard for the five-year-old’s last three starts, will ride Midwestern
shipper Pure Tactics. Idle for 7 1/2 months prior to running a big second in the
downhill Clockers’ Corner on January 26, Sweet Swap stumbled at the break of that
event and was rolling late to be beaten
1 1/4 lengths. The chestnut son of Candy Ride most often prefers a stalking
trip, and will break from the 6 post.
Moonshine Bay, a close third in the February 2 Palos Verdes most recently, has ample speed and rates a big chance as well
from the rail. The
Hernandez will be the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained six-year-old’s first try down the hill and only his
second start on turf.
Ridden by Gary Stevens in his last two starts, who retains the mount on
Sunday, Moonshine Bay was
hustled to the lead in the Palos Verdes and went head-to-head with Breeders’
Cup Sprint winner Secret Circle through splits of :21 4/5, :44 1/5 and :55 4/5.
The Kela gelding faded but still held well as stablemate Wild Dude picked up the
pieces late while finishing six furlongs in a swift 1:08.
Moonshine Bay is still looking for that elusive first stakes victory having
placed five times in the past against black-type company.
Rosengold is already the proud owner of three stakes triumphs, with the most
recent coming in last June’s Tsnunami Slew at Hollywood Park. The Julio Canani-trained
colt has been idle since running second in the
downhill Uniformity on October 20, but did score over the course 11 1/2 months
ago in the Baffle. The Stormello four-year-old will be ridden back by
regular pilot Martin Garcia and figures to again show plenty of speed.
Idle a year and three days, Zimmer was a
convincing winner of a $50,000 claimer down the hill on January 23, and the Empire Maker
eight-year-old
will make his third Southern California start with
apprentice Drayden Van Dyke engaged to ride for the first time. Zimmer was
making his initial appearance for new trainer Tom Proctor in his return to
action last out, sitting second down the hill before taking command a sixteenth of a mile
out to win by 1 1/4 lengths.
Clubhouse Ride, who chased top older horse Game On Dude for
the better part of last year in the San Antonio, Santa Anita Handicap, Charles Town Classic and Hollywood Gold Cup, has been idle since running
a well-beaten fourth in the Ralph M. Hinds
Handicap on September 22 at Fairplex Park. Trainer Craig Lewis could be using
this contest as a tightener for his Candy Ride six-year-old, who is once again
trying to become one of America’s more prominent two-turn horses. Tyler Baze has
the call.
Pure Tactics completes the Hernandez field shipping in from Fair Grounds off
a close fifth in the Colonel E.R. Bradley Handicap on January 18. Set to be
saddled by Doug O’Neill on Sunday, the five-year-old will be making his first
foray to the West Coast but gets top jock Bejarano in the irons.
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