AMERICAN
GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS
| WILL ROGERS S.
(G3), 8TH-HOL, $100,000, 3YO, 1MT, 4:50 P.M. PDT, 5-21 |
|
| 1 |
NEW JOYSEY JEFF, 3, c, by Bright LaunchDyna Peak, by Dynaformer O-Branch or Branch or Ellenay Racing Inc.; B-Ellenay Racing Inc. (Ky) |
| 2 |
OBRIGADO (FR), 3, G, by EnriqueBanakill, by Funambule O-Seidler & Vegso; B-M Didier Blot & M Christian de Asis Trem (Fr) |
| 3 |
STRATHAM (IRE), 3, c, by Mozart (Ire)Bean Island, by Afleet O-Jerry Jamgotchian; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (Ire) |
| 4 |
NIAGARA CAUSEWAY, 3, c, by Giant’s CausewayTheoretically, by Theatrical (Ire) O-La Bahia Stud Inc; B-Bronwyn Maddocks Andrew Harcourt & Skymarc Farm (Ky) |
| 5 |
COREY COUNTY, 3, c, by High YieldCorreoso, by Rahy O-Maple Ridge Bloodstock LLC & Burnstein; B-Classicstar (Ky) |
| 6 |
SILVER CREST (GB), 3, G, by ZilzalRed Typhoon, by Belfort (Fr) O-Bullseye Racing or Goldshoe Investments; B-Taylor Parker Associates Ltd (GB) |
| 7 |
CORAZONDELCAMPEON, 3, c, by Comic StripCapricorn Moon, by Deputy Minister O-Scott P Merrell; B-Merrell Scott P. Dr. (Fl) |
A field of seven has been entered in Sunday’s $100,000 Will Rogers S. (G3) on
Hollywood Park’s turf, and we’re going with the two-time stakes winner STRATHAM
(Ire) (Mozart [Ire]) to break through with a first graded victory. Trained by Tim Yakteen, the bay colt started his career overseas and recorded multiple close
finishes before finally getting his first win at Salisbury in England. A few
months later, he was making his U.S. debut in the Pinjara S. at Santa Anita,
taking that mile grass test by three-quarters of a length. Stratham continued
his journey against stakes company while making his 2006 bow in his next one,
finishing a close fourth in the Pasadena S., and enters the Will Rogers with a 1
1/2-length score in the La Puente S. under his girth. The sophomore has
continued to improve in each of his starts and appears ready to take the next
step up here. David Cohen has the call.
SILVER CREST (GB) (Zilzal) didn’t do as well as Stratham across the big pond,
but showed much more while making his first start in the United States last out.
The James Cassidy-trained gelding was rank early in that Hollywood
allowance/optional claimer before being steadied at the five-eighths. That
didn’t stop him from taking over by the half and going on to just miss by a neck
while earning a BRIS E2 Pace rating of 101. The gray sophomore will have David
Flores aboard Sunday, and could challenge for it all in just his second U.S.
start.
COREY COUNTY (High Yield) owns a 3-2-0-1 record at the distance and was the
beneficiary of that nose victory against Silver Crest last out. Conditioned by
Neil Drysdale, the chestnut led for a brief moment in the stretch before ducking out, but came
back to just get the win under Victor Espinoza, who returns on Sunday. Corey
County owns nice numbers and will be tough to deny at the end here.
CORAZONDELCAMPEON (Comic Strip) will try to continue his two-win race streak
here, taking the Harry Henson S. and Palo Verde H. in his past two. For his last
one, the bay was sent off at nearly 14-1 and earned a 95 BRIS Speed rating. He
will be stretching out past 6 1/2 furlongs for the first time here, but we don’t
think that will hinder his chances. Corazondelcampeon could challenge for it all
from just off the pace. NIAGARA CAUSEWAY (Giant’s Causeway) has been racing on
the dirt of late and was well-beaten in those two tries. He could show much more
by switching back to the turf so consider for the exotics.
OBRIGADO (Fr) (Enrique) will be making his U.S. debut here and was last seen
competing in mid-November. He’ll be getting first-time Lasix but might find the
new surroundings and layoff too much to overcome. We’ll just watch for this one.
NEW JOYSEY JEFF (Bright Launch) started his career on the turf, breaking his
maiden by 1 1/2 lengths, but hasn’t visited the winner’s circle since moving to
the dirt. He could improve while returning to the turf, but we’ll let him beat
us.