LIEUTENANT DAN, WOUND TIGHT & BRANDOTHEBARTENDER PROMINENT IN WIDE OPEN FIELD OF 10 GOING 5 ½ FURLONGS ON TURF IN SUNDAY’S $100,000 SENSATIONAL STAR STAKES

LIEUTENANT DAN, WOUND TIGHT & BRANDOTHEBARTENDER PROMINENT IN WIDE OPEN FIELD OF 10 GOING 5 ½ FURLONGS ON TURF IN SUNDAY’S $100,000 SENSATIONAL STAR STAKES 

RACE IS PART OF LUCRATIVE GOLDEN STATE SERIES FOR CALIFORNIA-BRED OR SIRED HORSES 

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 19, 2020)–In a wide open affair that has attracted 10 older California-bred or sired horses (with one on the also eligible), the quintet of Lieutenant Dan, Wound Tight, Brandothebartender, Castle and Tigre Di Slugo all figure prominently in Sunday’s $100,000 Sensational Star Stakes at 5 ½ furlongs over the Santa Anita turf.

Trained by Steve Miyadi, Lieutenant Dan comes off a big second on dirt in the Cal Cup Sprint while classy Wound Tight, a romping Cal-bred stakes winner routing two starts back for Bob Hess, Jr., shortens up out of seven consecutive routes.

Brandothebartender, trained by Craig Dollase, exits a solid second in a second condition allowance over the course and Mark Glatt’s Castle, idle since Dec. 29, took a Cal-bred stakes over the course two starts back.

Throw in Mike Puype’s late blooming Tigre Di Slugo, who will try turf for the first time after toying with state-bred allowance foes last month and it’s readily apparent Sunday’s Sensational Star shapes up as a terrific betting race. Puype will also be represented by Stealthediamonds, who exits a gate to wire victory over the course in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint on Jan. 18. The lone distaffer in the lineup, she’ll be facing males for the first time in her 18th career start.

The Sensational Star is part of the lucrative Golden State Series, sponsored by the CTBA for California-bred or sired horses.

LIEUTENANT DAN

Owner:  Nick Alexander
Trainer:  Steve Miyadi

A game second, beaten a neck by repeat stakes winner Fashionably Fast in the Cal Cup Sprint on dirt Jan. 18, this 4-year-old homebred Grazen gelding is two-time stakes placed versus state-breds routing and was a state-bred stakes winner sprinting on dirt here 11 months ago. Headquartered at Los Alamitos, “Dan” has four wins from 11 starts and should be extremely tough with Drayden Van Dyke set to ride him back.

WOUND TIGHT

Owner:  Matt Nelson
Trainer:  Bob Hess, Jr.

Can he sprint? Although this homebred 5-year-old gelding is by top sprinter Coil, Wound Tight is winless in two career tries sprinting–once on dirt and once on grass.  Most recently a well beaten third in a 1 1/8 mile turf allowance Feb. 29, it would seem Wound Tight will need some serious pace pressure to facilitate his chances on Sunday.  With an overall mark of 11-4-2-3, he’s never been offered for a tag and will get the services of Rafael Bejarano.

BRANDOTHEBARTENDER

Owner:  Flawless Racing, Brian Flanagan & Michael Jarvis
Trainer:  Craig Dollase

In a big effort, this 7-year-old Tribal Rule gelding rallied late to finish second, beaten three quarters of a length over the course in a second condition allowance Feb. 23.  Third in last year’s Sensational Star and a Cal-bred stakes winner on turf, “Brando” retains the services of the meet’s leading turf rider Umberto Rispoli and rates a huge chance on Sunday.

CASTLE

Owner:  Where We At
Trainer:  Mark Glatt

Claimed three starts back for $40,000, this 7-year-old gelding by Slew’s Tiznow went gate to wire to win the California Flag Handicap by a neck in his next start here on Oct. 19.  A close fourth in a second condition allowance over the course Dec. 29, he enters the Sensational Star fresh and dangerous with six wins (four on turf) from 15 overall starts.

TIGRE DI SLUGO

Owner:  Slugo Racing, Tiger Racing Stable, LLC & Mike Puype                  Trainer:  Mike Puype

Late getting to the races, this 5-year-old full horse by Smiling Tiger was a gutty first-out maiden winner going 5 ½ furlongs on dirt Nov. 15 at Del Mar and then was a well beaten third by repeat winner Principe Carlo in a first condition allowance versus state-breds here on Jan. 18 as the 9-5 favorite.  Off as the 2-1 choice at the same condition going six furlongs on Feb. 16, he didn’t disappoint, as he drew off to a facile 2 ¼ length win.  With regular rider Flavien Prat back aboard, he’ll get tested for class as he tries turf of the first time in his fourth career start.

THE $100,000 SENSATIONAL STAR STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 9   Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

  1. Grinning Tiger–Ruben Fuentes–122
  2. Wound Tight–Rafael Bejarano–124
  3. Brandothebartender–Umberto Rispoli–122
  4. Just Grazed Me–Geovanni Franco–119
  5. Tigre Di Slugo–Flavien Prat–120
  6. The Hunted–Mario Gutierrez–124
  7. Lieutenant Dan–Drayden Van Dyke–124
  8. Castle–Abel Cedillo–124
  9. Stealthediamonds–Agapito Delgadillo–119
  10. Loud Mouth–Tiago Pereira–122

ALSO ELIGIBLE

11. Tap the Wire–Jose Valdivia, Jr.–120

First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 12:30 p.m.  Due to health concerns surrounding the coronavirus, there is no public admittance to Santa Anita Park until further notice.  For updates, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.