Santa Anita Stable Notes- By Ed Golden – Friday, February 18, 2022

SUMTER IS READY TO STRETCH OUT IN PASADENA
VENERABLE BOMBARD RETURNS FOR SAN SIMEON
RESTRAINEDVENGENCE BREEZES FOR COMEBACK
SUNDAY’S RAINBOW POOL COULD TOP $5 MILLION
SOOTHSAY WORKS FOR GRADE I BEHOLDER MILE

SUMTER RETURNS IN TWO-TURN PASADENA STAKES

Sumter stretches out to a mile on turf in Saturday’s $100,000 Pasadena Stakes after four straight sprints, none longer than 5 ½ furlongs and the last three at five furlongs on the grass, including a 3 ¼-length maiden victory Nov. 14 at Del Mar.

“He’s doing good and I’ll see if he’ll go two turns,” Richard Mandella said of the three-year-old War Front gelding owned by Perry Bass II and Ramona Bass, and bred by Bass Stables LLC.

“He tends to be a little speedy,” the Hall of Fame trainer added, “but we’ll just have to see (if he can get the distance).”

The listed Pasadena for three-year-olds will mark Sumter’s first race in four months, but the Kentucky-bred has displayed his readiness with three bullet breezes among his last four works: six furlongs in 1:12.20 on Feb. 12; six furlongs in 1:12.80 on Feb. 6; and three furlongs in 36:60 on Jan. 21.

The Pasadena is the ninth and final race with a 12:30 p.m. first post time. The field: Red Road, Ricardo Gonzalez, 20-1; Doitforandrew, Umberto Rispoli, 5-1; Crosby Beach, Juan Hernandez, 8-1; Fast Draw Munnings, Victor Espinoza, 12-1; Echosmith, Abel Cedillo, 15-1; Sumter, Flavien Prat, 3-1; Barsabas, Tyler Baze, 8-1; Don’t Swear Dave, Joe Bravo, 6-1; Epoch, Ryan Curatolo, 6-1; Handy Dandy, Edwin Maldonado, 5-1; and Optigogo, Kyle Frey, 20-1.

BOMBARD PRIMED FOR ATTACK IN SAN SIMEON

Downhill turf specialist Bombard seeks his fifth win from seven starts going short on grass and his sixth victory in 11 starts over Santa Anita’s grass course in Sunday’s Grade III San Simeon Stakes at about 6 ½ furlongs on turf.

Bombard, a nine-year-old gelding with impeccable turf bloodlines (by the Danzig stallion War Front from the Distorted Humor dam Witty), will be making his first start in five months, having set the pace before yielding grudgingly to finish third in the Grade III FanDuel Turf Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs last Sept. 11.

“We had to work through some foot problems with him, but he’s back in good shape,” Richard Mandella said, explaining the reason for the venerable campaigner’s extended absence.

Bombard worked five furlongs Wednesday in 1:00.80.

Bombard has run exclusively on turf in his 19-race career, at distances from 6 ½ furlongs to a mile and an eighth, compiling a 6-6-3 record and earnings of $552,771.

The San Simeon, race eight with a 12:30 p.m. first post time: Chaos Theory, Edwin Maldonado, 10-1; Commander, Umberto Rispoli, 6-1; Barraza, John Velazquez, 2-1; Beer Can Man, Flavien Prat, 5-2; Gildsman, Drayden Van Dyke, 20-1; Bran, Joe Bravo, 6-1; Bombard, Juan Hernandez, 4-1; and Indian Peak, Abel Cedillo, 15-1.

SHEAR MILE ON RADAR FOR RESTRAINEDVENGENCE

Restrainedvengence had his first workout since finishing third at 40-1 behind the overwhelming Bad Ass Fans’ Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Life Is Good Nov. 6 at Del Mar, going three furlongs at Santa Anita Wednesday in 38.80.

The $65,000 millionaire son of Hold Me Back had been turned out at Sunshine Ranch in Bradbury following the Dirt Mile.

“I didn’t want him to work fast,” said Val Brinkerhoff, who trains the seven-year-old gelding for his wife and valued assistant, Kelly, and Bob Grayson Jr. “We’ll get more serious next time.”

Restrainedvengence achieved millionaire status earning $90,000 for his Dirt Mile third, giving him career earnings of $1,007,682 thanks mainly to 10 wins from 35 starts.

“The Dirt Mile would be our major goal this year,” Val said, alluding to the Breeders’ Cup event to be held at Keeneland on Nov. 5. He had also been mindful of a trip to the Middle East for a lucrative race, but the horse’s sometimes ornery travel attitude dashed those thoughts.

Of the 35 career races for Restrainedvengence, 22 have come on turf, 15 at his preferred distance of one mile.

Thus, it’s no surprise Val is considering the inaugural running of Santa Anita’s $75,000 John Shear Mile on turf April 10 as a starting point for 2022.

$5 MILLION IN GOLD IN SUNDAY’S RAINBOW POOL?

With the likelihood of a $5 million pool, Santa Anita’s popular 20-cent Single Ticket Rainbow Pick Six Jackpot will offer a mandatory payout on Sunday.

There is a Single Ticket Jackpot carryover today of $592,337, and providing there is no Single Ticket winner today or Saturday, track officials project Sunday’s Rainbow Pick 6 pool will exceed $5 million.

With nine races on Sunday and a 12:30 p.m. first post time, approximate post time for race four, which kicks off the Rainbow Six, is 2:05 p.m. Pacific.

FINISH LINES: Soothsay worked six furlongs Wednesday in a bullet 1:12.60 for Richard Mandella, who is preparing the Santa Anita Oaks winner for the Grade I Beholder Mile on March 5. The Beholder is one of three Grade I events on a lucrative program that day, the other Grade I’s being the Santa Anita Handicap presented by Yaamava’ Resort and Casino and the Frank E. Kilroe Mile on turf. Lending strong support are three Grade II events, the San Felipe Stakes, a major West Coast Kentucky Derby prep at 1 1/16 miles; the San Carlos Stakes presented by Fan Duel at seven furlongs; and the Buena Vista Stakes for older fillies and mares at a mile on turf . . . There were 106 recorded workouts Friday, 33 on the training track . . . Steve Knapp has a busy weekend in store. The trainer has six horses entered today, four on Saturday and one Sunday for a total of 11 from his barn currently at 34 head, with “17 babies due in soon.” . . . Michelle Yu, Santa Anita simulcast analyst, will be host Tom Quigley‘s guest Saturday, while renowned private clocker and bloodstock agent Gary Young will do honors Sunday, each day at 11:20 a.m. in the East Paddock Gardens . . . Racing rarity: not only does Carla Gaines have three first-time starters in Saturday’s fifth race, a $67,000 maiden allowance test for three-year-old California-bred fillies at six furlongs, they are back-to-back-to-back in their post positions. Barrister’s Ride, a daughter of Clubhouse Ride, drew post seven; Elegance Code, a daughter of Fed Biz, drew post eight; and Lady Blackbird, sired by Texas Ryano, breaks from post nine in the field of 10. “I’ve had three in the same race before, but never side by side in post positions,” said the Alabama native, in her 34th year as a successful trainer.