She’s Devoted back sprinting in Irish O’Brien; Fashionably Fast could have rare turf race
ARCADIA, Calif.— “Before my opponent moves, I already am moving.”—Old Chinese saying.
Assuredly that applies to Doug O’Neill, who turns 54 on May 24, but remains an internationally active presence, from Saudi Arabia to Santa Anita.
Now in his 28th year as a trainer, as is his wont, he leads his peers in starters at Santa Anita with 140 this meet, 16 more than runner-up Phil D’Amato. O’Neill ranks third in career victories at Santa Anita with 994, posting 23 of them this meet.
He returned recently from visiting Hot Rod Charlie in Dubai, where the hard-hitting son of Oxbow runs in the $12 million World Cup Invitational on March 26.
O’Neill’s plate is full as usual, as he contemplates possible induction into racing’s Hall of Fame on May 11 and continues the daily arduous assignment of directing a diverse stable of runners ranging from bottom-level claimers to Kentucky Derby winners and world-class wayfarers like Hot Rod Charlie.
“The trip was great and Hot Rod Charlie is doing well, so no complaints; all is good there,” O’Neill said.
As to the Hall of Fame, O’Neill absorbed his possible induction matter-of-factly, although his two Kentucky Derby victories, countless important graded stakes triumphs, multiple training titles and being readily acquiescent to media requests outweigh achievements of some already in the hallowed shrine.
“It just means I’ve been around a while, which is cool, I love that,” he said, adding, “It means I’m blessed to be part of an awesome team.”
One integral member of that team will no longer be available on a full-time basis, as perennial Southern California leading jockey Flavien Prat, Hot Rod Charlie’s regular rider, has announced he is soon seeking greener pastures on the East Coast in hopes of winning an Eclipse Award, before returning for Santa Anita’s winter meet.
“He’s arguably one of the best in the world,” O’Neill said of the 29-year-old Frenchman. “He’s a class act and one of the best horsemen I’ve been around.
“If we were in the era of Shoemaker, McCarron, Pincay and other top guys, he would belong with them. You could definitely put him among any generation of top riders, and he would fit.”
She’s Devoted back sprinting in Irish O’Brien
She’s Devoted, a consistent five-year-old California-bred daughter of Grazen, returns to a grass sprint in this Saturday’s $100,000 Irish O’Brien Stakes at about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf.
The Irish O’Brien is one in the Golden State Series for California-bred or sired fillies and mares four and older.
“She’s doing well, and she won going a mile, but I think she can get 6 ½,” trainer Richard Baltas said.
The five-year-old gray mare owned by Slam Dunk Racing was second by a nose at 11-1 in her first two-turn race, going a mile on turf Feb. 12.
Newly crowned George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award winner Joe Bravo, who was aboard her in her narrow overnight race loss last out, retains the mount in the Irish O’Brien.
Fashionably Fast could have rare turf race
Fashionably Fast, a seven-year-old Lucky Pulpit gelding that has more than paid his way for owners John Harris, Per Antonsen and John Nicoletti, is scheduled to make a rare turf appearance in next Sunday’s $100,000 Sensational Star Stakes for California-bred or sired runners at about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf course.
It would be only his fourth start on turf in 29 lifetime races.
“He wasn’t ready for the (turf) races earlier (at Santa Anita late in 2018), which was probably a blessing,” said trainer Dean Pederson, “because he was a little knocked out after Del Mar.
“I ran him here on the dirt (Feb. 20) and thought he kind of struggled a little with the main track, so my choices came down to taking him to Phoenix for the Gold Cup last week or running in this spot, and I decided to stay home and run out of his own stall.”
Fashionably Fast finished third in a field of five while wide in the Feb. 20 race, which was his first start in some 10 weeks, so he’s likely to benefit from that outing.
“He’s like all of us,” Pederson said. “He’s getting a little older and a little more casual. I know I don’t do the same as I did when I was in my 20s. It is what it is, and the horse doesn’t owe anybody a dime (with nine wins, six seconds, seven thirds and earnings of $697,123 from 28 starts).
“When I walk him over there (to race) it’s because he’s doing good, not because I have to.”
FINISH LINES: There were 187 recorded workouts Sunday, including a four-furlong move in 49.20 for Vladimir Cerin-trainee Barraza, winner of four straight races including the San Simeon and Clockers’ Corner stakes; a four-furlong drill in 48.20 for Brickyard Ride, multiple stakes winner trained by Craig Lewis,who is pointing to next Sunday’s Sensational Star; a bullet five-furlong breeze in 59.40 by Robert B. Lewis Stakes winner Messier for Bob Baffert; and a six-furlong training track work in 1:15 by undefeated Becca Taylor, winner of the Spring Fever Stakes on Feb. 21 for owner/breeder Nick Alexander . . . The Sensational Star is named for the durable California-bred gelding trained by Bill Spawr that won 13 of 39 career races, including his last at Hollywood Park on Dec. 8, 1990, under Frankie Dettori . . . Thanks in no small part to Acclimate’s game front-running score in Saturday’s San Luis Rey Stakes at a mile and a half on turf, Phil D’Amato holds a 27-25 lead over runner-up Baffert among Santa Anita trainers, with Doug O’Neill third at 23. D’Amato has started 124 horses, 51 more than Baffert’s 73. Flavien Prat, meanwhile, has a commanding 66-36 lead over second-place Juan Hernandez among jockeys . . . Trainer David Hofmans reports Award Winner was scratched from the San Luis Rey due to a high temperature . . . Congratulations to Santa Anita-based Ce Ce, her owner/breeder Bo Hirsch, trainer Michael McCarthy and Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza on their dramatic victory in the Grade II Azeri Stakes Saturday at Oaklawn Park. Last year’s Eclipse Award-winning female sprinter looked like she was going on to a handy victory when she took command into the stretch, but had to call on her championship grit to fend off late challenges and win by nearly a length. Santa Anita linemaker Jon White reports Ce Ce earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure . . . Santa Anita will be dark for live racing Monday through Thursday. Live racing resumes 1 p.m. Friday, March 18.
Santa Anita Stable Notes By Ed Golden
Photo of Doug O’Neill by Benoit Photos.
