If anyone knows the condition of California Chrome right now better than
trainer Art Sherman, it’s jockey Victor Espinoza.
The 41-year-old rider has been working the son of Lucky Pulpit regularly at
Los Alamitos, where the chestnut colt has been headquartered. Espinoza also has
ridden California Chrome in his last two starts, both daylight romps against
state-breds. He tackles open company in Saturday’s San Felipe, a Grade 2 race at
1 1/16 miles which offers a generous 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the
winner, virtually assuring a spot in the Run for the Roses on May 3.
“I feel good about how he’s coming up to the race,” Espinoza said. “He’s
ready to go and I like my post (4). Everything is good right now. I’m excited
about the race.”
Bayern, the early 8-5 morning line choice, was scratched reportedly due to a
possible “deep bruise in a front foot.”
The San Felipe is just one of the intriguing stakes on a blockbuster
undercard supporting the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, including the Grade 1
Frank E. Kilroe Mile, Grade 2 San Carlos and China Doll.
Gary Mandella hopes his patience and persistence is about to bear fruit in
the Kilroe. The 41-year-old trainer, son of Hall of Fame conditioner Richard
Mandella, has been working Silentio like clockwork for Saturday’s grassy mile
since he won the Citation Handicap at Hollywood Park last November 29.
Silentio drew post 9 of 10 in the prestigious turf race, not necessarily an
advantage, but Mandella preferred to see the glass as half full.
“It depends on how things shape up when the gates open,” said Mandella, who
also lends his expertise as analyst on HRTV. “I like that he’ll load towards the
end and not have to stand forever in the gate.
“I’ll just have to hope there’s enough speed in there, which on paper it
looks like there is, that the field will kind of thin out getting to the first
turn, and everybody will be able to get over and nobody gets hung out five-wide,
which is my biggest concern.
“But I’ve got (Rafael) Bejarano. I’d rather have Bejarano in the nine hole
than a lesser rider in the two hole.”
Meanwhile, Barry Abrams is looking forward to finally seeing Lakerville
stretch out beyond about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf. The son of Unusual Heat has
never finished worse than second in eight career starts, winning five times, all
in turf sprints. Abrams also has Kent Desormeaux on Lakerville for the first
time.
“I thought I’d go with a Hall of Famer,” Abrams said. “Lakerville is bred for
a mile. I’ve been trying to stretch him out for two years now, and this is the
first opportunity.”
John Sadler, trainer of Horizontalyspeakin, could scratch.
“The race looks awfully tough,” he said. Asked what could be next: “No
specific race, but an easier race.”
Fitness was the determining factor in Clubhouse Ride running in the
seven-furlong San Carlos rather than the Big ‘Cap or the Kilroe Mile.
“It came down to fitness,” trainer Craig Lewis said. “He wasn’t fit enough to
run in the Big ‘Cap at a mile and a quarter. I didn’t get enough bottom into
him. He had a layoff and his feet were messed up; he really needed his last race
(fifth by about four lengths in the Joe Hernandez Stakes on February 23, his
first race in five months).
“A mile and a quarter at this point in time would be just asking for too
much.”
Dwarfed in recognition Saturday by the graded stakes, but not by potential
talent and sheer competitiveness, the $75,000 China Doll Stakes seems lost in
the proverbial shuffle. But the one mile turf test for three-year-old fillies,
which goes as the 6TH race, drew a full field of 13. How tough is it? Eleven of
the 13 have won at least once in their last two starts. From a handicapping
standpoint, it’s perhaps the most challenging of the day’s 11 races.
Trainer Eoin Harty sends out Sushi Empire in the China Doll for owner George
(Chip) McEwen III, who races as Wounded Warrior Stables and whose Uncle Sigh
continues on the Triple Crown trail in the Wood Memorial on April 5.
Sushi Empire won the Blue Norther impressively at one mile on turf January 1,
before finishing seventh and last in her first try on dirt, in the Las Virgenes
on February 1.
Said Harty of the China Doll: “It’s a full field and anyone can win.”
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