Las Vegas, NV – Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California will be the scene of the Grade 3 Sham Stakes on Saturday, January 9. A group of three year olds will saddle up and go one mile on Santa Anita’s dirt track looking for the winner’s portion of the $100,000 purse and the 10 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby in May.
Nine three year olds will take to the track in the Sham Stakes – race 6 on Santa Anita’s Saturday card. Post time is 3:00 PM. Here is a brief look into the past performances of all nine combatants for this “Road to the Kentucky Derby” Grade 3 stakes.
Dressed in Hermes – has two wins (both at this distance) and a third place finish in five career starts for trainer Janet Armstrong and enters off a career best effort – a win in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar November 29. Before that was a fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf October 30 and a win in the minor$100,000 Zuma Beach Stakes here October 10. Dressed in Hermes has won two of his last three starts overall (both turf stakes) and enters with a ton of confidence. Mike Smith has been tabbed with keeping the roll going and get Dressed in Hermes his first dirt win from gate 2 Saturday.
Found Money – has three wins and two runner-up finishes in seven career starts (six stakes) for trainer Doug O’Neill. Last time out was his first stakes win – the minor Kin Glorious Stakes at Los Alamitos December 12 which followed a fourth in the minor $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot November 21 and consecutive seconds in minor stakes action – the Golden Gate Juvenile Stakes in October and the I’m Smokin Stakes in September – both at Del Mar. Found Money hopes for his first graded stakes score in his third try Saturday when he leaves from gate 4 with Mario Gutierrez guiding the only other stakes winner in the field and the most experienced.
Semper Fortis – Doug O’Neill trained colt has two wins and a second place finish in five career starts and makes his stakes debut Saturday. He enters on the heels of consecutive wins – an Allowance Optional Claiming last time out December 5 at Los Alamitos and a Maiden Claiming November 20. Semper Fortis steps up in competition in good form from post 5 with Kieren Fallon in the iron.
I’malreadythere – Jerry Hollendorfer trained gelding has six career starts with a win, a second and two third place finishes. He has placed in his last five starts ahead of this weekend – a third last time out in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity December 19 followed another third behind Toews On Ice in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar November 14. Before those results were a second in the minor Zuma Beach Stakes October 10, a third in the minor Del Mar Juvenile Turf in September and a maiden score at Gulfstream in August. I’malreadythere has been knocking on the door but is still looking for his first stakes win. Rafael Bejarano has been tabbed with accomplishing that goal from post 7.
Sorryaboutnothing – will hit the track for just the fourth time for trainer Doug O’Neill. He enters off a disappointing seventh in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity December 19 after a fortunate maiden score ahead of Urlacher November 15 at Del Mar and a fourth in his debut on that same track November 7. Sorryaboutnothing hopes to make a little noise Saturday and to bounce back from an ugly effort last time out – from gate 8 with Flavien Prat in the irons.
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Collected – Bob Baffert trained colt has a win and a second place finish in two career starts. He enters off a good second behind Dressed in Hermes in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar November 29 after a maiden score at first asking here October 12. Collected has been decent so far and hopes for more of the same Saturday from the outside post 9 with Martin Garcia in the reins.
Let’s Meet in Rio – Bob Baffert trained colt will make his stakes debut Saturday having posted one win in his three career starts. He finally broke maiden last time out – at Los Alamitos December 5 after a sixth and a fifth respectively in a pair of MSW races to start his career. Let’s Meet in Rio tries for his second straight win in his major step up in competition Saturday – from post 3 with Kent Desormeax in the saddle.
Rare Candy – David Hoffmans trained colt has five career starts with one win and a second place finish. He enters on the heels of three straight fourth place finishes (all stakes). Last time out was in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar November 29 after the Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes here September 26 and the minor Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes September 5. He looks for his first stakes score and to hit the board for the first time in three starts when he departs from the rail with Joe Talamo aboard.
Laoban – will hit the track for the third time for trainer Eric Guillot having recorded one second place finish so far – that coming in a MSW at Los Alamitos last time out December 5. He was fifth in his debut November 15. Laoban looks as though he’ll be in over his head in this one when he leaves from gate 6 with Tyler Baze guiding him.
Race 6 on Santa Anita’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 6:00 PM.
Entry | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | ML Odds |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Rare Candy | Joseph Talamo | David Hofmans | |
2 | Dressed in Hermes | Mike Smith | Janet Armstrong | |
3 | Let’s Meet in Rio | Kent Desormeaux | Bob Baffert | |
4 | Found Money | Mario Gutierrez | Doug O’Neill | |
5 | Semper Fortis | Kieren Fallon | Doug O’Neill | |
6 | Laoban | Tyler Baze | Eric Guillot | |
7 | I’malreadythere | Rafael Bejarano | Jerry Hollendorfer | |
8 | Sorryaboutnothing | Flavien Prat | Doug O’Neill | |
9 | Collected | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert |