ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 17, 2022)—Holly and David Wilson’s Barraza will be seeking his fourth consecutive win as he heads a solid field of eight older horses going about 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course in Sunday’s Grade III, $100,000 San Simeon Stakes. Carded as race eight, the San Simeon will serve as the penultimate event in Sunday’s 20 cent Rainbow Pick Six Jackpot.
With a mandatory payout in place, track officials project Sunday’s total Rainbow Six pool could exceed $5 million.
In what promises to be a very competitive race, Beer Can Man, who comes off a nose defeat in a Grade II stakes going 6 ½ furlongs out of Santa Anita’s turf chute, retains the services of leading man Flavien Prat should be extremely tough in what will be his first start down the hill.
Idle since third in a six furlong turf sprint in Kentucky Sept. 11, Richard Mandella’s 9-year-old gelding Bombard is three for five over the course and has proven effective fresh.
Third, beaten 1 ½ lengths by Beer Can Man in his U.S. debut, Hronis Racing’s French-bred Bran will hope to improve as he makes his second start for John Sadler.
Second best to the Vladimir Cerin-trained Barraza in the restricted Clockers’ Corner Stakes going six furlongs on Jan. 22, Ruben Alvarado’s French-bred Commander is unbeaten in his only hillside try and figures to be rallying from off the pace.
In an unexpected change in tactics, Barraza went to the lead in the Clockers’ Corner and galloped by 2 ¼ lengths as the even money favorite under Kent Desormeaux, who had ridden the 4-year-old colt by Into Mischief in his last seven starts.
With Desormeaux out of action, John Velazquez takes the call for Barraza, who is unbeaten in two hillside starts, on Oct. 31 and again two starts back on Jan. 2. On both of those occasions, he rallied impressively from off the pace, which certainly provides Velazquez with options on Sunday.
Out of the multiple stakes winning Halo Dolly, by Popular, Barraza was claimed out of a maiden $100,000 claimer nine starts back on April 11 and is unquestionably at the top of his game now. As he bids for his second consecutive stakes win and fourth victory in a row, Barraza has an overall mark of 12-4-1-2 and has earnings of $197,700.
Second, beaten a nose by Eastern invader Chewing Gum in the Grade II Joe Hernandez Stakes Jan. 1, Beer Can Man has been the very definition of consistency for owners Little Red Feather Racing and Madaket Stables. A winner of two out of his four starts for his original connections at age two in Indiana, Beer Can Man, a 4-year-old colt by the Into Mischief stallion Can the Man, won his very first start in Southern California, the Grade III Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 29, 2020.
First or second five times and once third in his next six starts, Beer Can Man, who will be making his first start for Phil D’Amato, brings an overall mark of 11-5-3-1 to the San Simeon. Originally trained by Mark Glatt, Beer Can Man, who is out of the Dynaformer mare Cheesecake, has earnings of $323,556.
Idle since third in a Grade III turf sprint going six furlongs Sept. 11 at Kentucky Downs, the Raydeiz Stable homebred Bombard, who is by War Front, showed plenty of spunk at age eight last year, winning the Grade III Daytona Handicap going 6 ½ furlongs out of Santa Anita’s turf chute two starts back on May 29 and finishing a close second in his first start of 2021 going six furlongs in a turf allowance here April 25.
With regular rider Prat opting for Barraza, Bombard, who is 19-6-6-3 overall with earnings of $552,771, will be ridden for the first time by Juan Hernandez as he seeks his second graded win and his third overall stakes victory.
A winner of four of his 13 starts in his native France, 4-year-old gelding Bran drifted out turning for home and through the lane while finishing third, beaten 1 ½ lengths in the Grade II Joe Hernandez Stakes Jan. 1 and is certainly eligible to improve with Joe Bravo riding him back on Sunday. Raced exclusively on grass throughout his career, he brings an overall mark of 14-4-2-3.
Second, beaten 2 ¼ lengths by Barraza in the Clockers’ Corner Stakes Jan. 22, Commander, a 5-year-old gelding who is owned by Sinnott Family Trust and was haltered 16 starts back for $50,000, will be seeking his first graded stakes victory on Sunday with Umberto Rispoli up. Ridden in the Clockers’ Corner by Prat, Rispoli has finished second twice in three tries with Commander, dating back to head defeat to Beer Can Man three races back on Nov. 7 at Del Mar.
Trained by Ruben Alvarado, Commander rallied impressively to win his only hillside start, a second condition allowance four races back on Oct. 2, by two lengths. With an overall mark of 22-5-7-2, he has earnings of $251,475.
THE GRADE III SAN SIMEON WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 8 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT
Chaos Theory—Edwin Maldonado—120
Commander—Umberto Rispoli—120
Barraza—John Velazquez—122
Beer Can Man—Flavien Prat—124
Guildsman—Drayden Van Dyke—120
Bran—Joe Bravo—120
Bombard—Juan Hernandez—122
Indian Peak—Abel Cedillo—122
First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 12:30 p.m. Admission gates will open at 10:30 a.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.
Santa Anita Press Release
Photo: Barraza/Benoit Photo
