Motorious looms large in Joe Hernandez

Last seen missing by a neck in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1), Motorious looms as the class of the field in Saturday’s $200,000 Joe Hernandez (G2) at Santa Anita. The 5-2 morning-line favorite tops a nine-horse field including fellow Phil D’Amato trainees Unconquerable Keen and Sorrento Sky, along with the 2022 Hernandez hero, Air Force Red.

Motorious, who repeated in the Aug. 31 Green Flash H. (G3) at Del Mar two back, has been effective over this about 6 1/2-furlong voyage down Santa Anita’s hillside turf. Sporting a 4-2-1-1 course-and-distance mark, the Muhaarar gelding rolled in the 2023 San Simeon (G3) in his most recent opportunity in these conditions.

Unconquerable Keen successfully defended his title in the Dec. 1 Stormy Liberal at Del Mar, rallying to deny stablemate Sorrento Sky by a half-length. The change of venue could help sophomore Sorrento Sky, who is proven on the hillside course.

Air Force Red, a wire-to-wire winner of this race two years ago, exits a runner-up effort in the Sept. 28 Eddie D. (G2). The Leonard Powell veteran also spends time in the turf mile division, but considering his 8-4-2-0 line at this course and distance he’s arguably best suited to this configuration.

Multiple stakes-winning miler Sumter has yet to prosper in a sprint stakes. Yet the Richard Mandella runner did finish a close third in the Clocker’s Corner S. and fourth in the San Simeon (G3) here earlier in the year. Clocker’s Corner victor Irideo, himself better known as a miler, has been showing more sprinting of late for Marcelo Polanco.

Gaslight Dancer is an intriguing Rick Dutrow invader, given his back class as a stakes performer, and the 12-1 shot picks up Frankie Dettori. Arrogate’s son Central Dispatch, 2-for-2 since John Sadler switched him to turf, hopes to continue his streak in his stakes debut. Longshot Code Duello rounds out the field.

Later on the card, the $100,000 Blue Norther S. for juvenile fillies shapes up as a rematch among several from the Jimmy Durante (G3), plus Supa Speed, who was unfortunately scratched at the gate as the favorite that day. In her absence, Jonathan Thomas’s shipper Will Then uncorked a powerful closing rush to score a 2 1/4-length victory. Runner-up Casalu, troubled third Resolve, fourth Sea Runner, fifth Ce La Vi Charli, eighth Schilflied, and ninth Tigerish are all back to renew rivalry in the one-mile turf test. Don’t Tell Tammo switches surfaces while stepping up in class and distance.