Trainer Mark Glatt swept both of the graded sprint stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday. Howbeit held on by a pixel in the $200,500 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2), and a half-hour later, Whatmakessammyrun upset the $202,000 Eddie D. (G2) on turf.
Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2)
Sophomore Forbidden Kingdom was bet down to 11-10 favoritism in his comeback in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship, but found it a trial by fire versus elders. Not the quickest into stride, he revved up to head Kid Corleone through an opening quarter in :21.58 on the fast track. Kid Corleone, the 5-2 second choice, continued to apply pressure reaching the half in :44.18. Although Forbidden Kingdom put him away, the stalking Super Ocho loomed up in the lane, and the favorite soon emptied.
Howbeit, who had been reserved in fourth by Mike Smith, then kicked into gear to collar Super Ocho. On the rail, deep-closing C Z Rocket was lifting off. Those two crossed the wire in unison, with C Z Rocket appearing to have the momentum. Howbeit had his nostril flared when it counted, and the camera revealed that he won by a pixel.
By completing six furlongs in 1:10.15, Howbeit earned his first stakes victory and paid $14.40 as a 6.20-1 chance. Super Ocho was another length back in third, barely salvaging the show spot from the closing None Above the Law. Next came Forbidden Kingdom and the tailed-off Kid Corleone, while Todo Fino was scratched.
Co-owned by It Pays to Dream Racing Stable, Saints or Sinners, Danny Haramoto, Sheldon Kawahara, and Gregory Yamamoto, Howbeit has bankrolled $362,486 from his 25-7-3-2 line. The son of sprint champ Secret Circle was third in the 2020 Laz Barrera (G3) for then-trainer Doug O’Neill. He descended into the claiming ranks, where Glatt picked him up for $32,000 out of a win at Santa Anita in Feb. 2021.
His first two starts this year were blotted by mishaps – unseating the rider in his Oak Tree Sprint comeback at Pleasanton and having a checkered passage when ninth in the Bing Crosby (G1). Howbeit was coming off a wide-closing third in an allowance/optional claimer, but worked out the right trip here.
Bred by the University of Kentucky, Howbeit sold for $15,000 as a Fasig-Tipton October yearling and RNA’d for $32,000 at OBS April. The five-year-old is out of the El Corredor mare Emerlaude, from the family of Grade 3-winning sprinter With Distinction as well as Grade 2 heroes Living Vicariously and Sightseeing.
Eddie D. (G2)
Sterling Racing’s Whatmakessammyrun was overlooked at 18-1 in the Eddie D., but bettors hadn’t factored in that a return to Santa Anita would revive his fortunes. The Glatt pupil was 2-for-2 locally, including last season’s Desert Code S., albeit over six furlongs on the regular turf course. But his trainer believed that the downhill would suit him even better, and so it proved as the son of We Miss Artie scored a new career high.
Biding his time several lengths off the pace with Joe Bravo, Whatmakessammyrun advanced on the inside and got a dream split turning for home. Front-running Goliad had blazed in :21.38 and :43.12, attended by Barristan the Bold, who didn’t corner well and floated out. Whatmakessammyrun burst through the seam and struck the front. Lane Way was also on the move on the inside, but had to settle for second. Whatmakessammyrun had three-quarters of a length to spare while completing about 6 1/2 firm-turf furlongs in 1:11.47.
Gregorian Chant, the 2.10-1 favorite, made belated headway from last to snare third. Coulthard got up for fourth, followed by Air Force Red, Dubai Key, Tango Tango Tango, Goliad, and Barristan the Bold.
Whatmakessammyrun rewarded his loyalists with a $38 win mutuel. His first graded win enhanced his scorecard to 15-4-2-2, $304,570, including a third to Arrest Me Red in the 2020 Atlantic Beach S. when trained by George Weaver. Whatmakessammyrun was coming off a troubled fifth to Lieutenant Dan in the Sept. 4 Green Flash (G3) at Del Mar.
Bred by Ken and the late Sarah Ramsey in Kentucky, Whatmakessammyrun was purchased by his current connections as an OBS Spring two-year-old for $30,000. The four-year-old gelding is a half-brother to multiple Grade 3 winner Shakhimat, both out of the Touch Gold mare Reggae Rose, from the family of champion Perfect Sting. Â
