Stable Notes by Ed Golden for Saturday, April 9, 2022

OWNERS HAD EYE FOR GOOD CLAIM IN COTOPAXI
JOHN SHEAR HONORED SUNDAY AT SANTA ANITA
SPRING CARNIVAL CONTINUES THROUGH APRIL 17
HERNANDEZ WINS 4 RACES INCLUDING SQUEAKER

O’NEILL SEEKS CLAIM TO FAME IN SIREN LURE

Erik Johnson is on a roll.

He’s one reason the Colorado Avalanche is leading the Central Division of the National Hockey League’s Western Conference with a league-high 108 points, so when the 6-4, 225-pound defenseman contacted Doug O’Neill to claim a four-year-old colt named Cotopaxi, Santa Anita’s co-leading trainer with 31 victories readily acquiesced

The Irish-bred bay has been on a power play ever since, and in Sunday’s $75,000 Siren Lure Stakes, will seek his fourth straight victory and his first stakes win.

“I give credit for the claim to the owners,” said O’Neill, alluding to Johnson, who campaigns as ERJ Racing LLC, Bill Strauss and Neil Haymes.

“Eric is the one who contacted me and said the horse looked really interesting to him. Bill and Neil jumped in, so it was really kind of an owner-influenced claim.”

Cotopaxi has taken well to sprinting on Santa Anita’s turf course, including the unique downhill venue at 6 ½ furlongs, over which the Siren Lure will be contested. His other two victories have come on the grass at six furlongs.

“They liked what they saw on paper and in the flesh,” O’Neill said. “I’m glad they saw what they saw, because he’s not a real big horse, but man, he’s got a lot of heart.

“He really seems to like the turf and the firm ground at Santa Anita. He’s jumping into some serious deep water in this race, but he’s obviously in good form.”

Cotopaxi’s claiming price was $50,000, the same sum O’Neill once doled out for a runner that would go on to gain fame and fortune of unprecedented stature.

The horse was Lava Man.

“Cotopaxi is no Lava Man,” O’Neill understandably pointed out, “but we’re blessed with what we have right now.”

The Siren Lure is named for the former claimer and multiple graded stakes winner, one of whose trainers was O’Neill in 2005.

The Kentucky-bred son of Joyeaux Dancer, claimed five times in his lengthy career, won 15 of 38 starts, most of them for trainer Art Sherman, including the Grade I Triple Bend Handicap at Hollywood Park in 2006.

The field for the Siren Lure, race three with a 1 p.m. first post time: Delaware, Mike Smith, 6-1; Cotopaxi, Diego Herrera, 3-1; Kanderel, Juan Hernandez, 3-1; Bran, Umberto Rispoli, 5-2; and Abel Cedillo, 2-1.

STAKES RACE HONORS JOHN SHEAR ON SUNDAY

Santa Anita honors beloved former Paddock Captain John Sheer Sunday with the inaugural running of the $75,000 John Shear Mile, a contentious event for four-year-olds and up.

Carded as race eight of 10 with a first post time of 1 p.m., the John Shear drew eight entrants with Royal Ship Jon White’s 5-2 morning line favorite.

Triple Tap is the second morning line choice at 3-1, with Restrainedvengence, making his 2022 debut at age seven, at 7-2.

Only two of the eight horses are listed at double figures, revealing the contentiousness of the race named for Shear who retired at the age of 100 last year after a 60-year career.

He celebrated his 101^st birthday on Jan. 17.

The John Shear, race eight: Defunded, Abel Cedillo, 8-1; Triple Tap, Juan Hernandez; 3-1; Shooters Shoot, Joe Bravo, 5-1; Royal Ship, Mike Smith, 5-2; Affable, Diego Herrera, 12-1; Restrainedvengence, Edwin Maldonado, 7-2; Lambeau, Victor Espoino12-1; and Extra Hope, Tyler Baze, 8-1.

FESTIVE SPRING CARNIVAL RUNS THROUGH APRIL 17

Families are welcome at Santa Anita during the track’s Infield Spring Carnival which is in full swing through April 17.

A myriad of activities are available, including Pony Rides, a Ferris Wheel, Roller Coaster, Train Rides, Face Painting and much more, including the San Gabriel Valley’s largest Easter Egg Hunt on April 17.

Fans are encouraged to visit santaanita.com/events for ticketing and to take advantage of big savings on Infield admission and unlimited ride wristbands.

For additional Spring Carnival information, please visit santaanita.com or call 626 574-RACE.

FINISH LINES: Flavien Prat barely had his bags packed last Sunday for Keeneland where he is now riding full time before Juan Hernandez closed the gap on Santa Anita’s departed jockey leader, winning four races Friday to increase his victory total to 57, still well behind Prat’s 72 victories. Hernandez’s most astonishing triumph came aboard Swiss Swoo for owner Michael Miller and trainer Steve Knapp in the third race in which the four-year-old gelding got up by a miniscule nose in a three-horse photo finish after appearing hopelessly out of the 5 ½-furlong dash when in tight and checking between rivals early. As the Equibase chart reads, pacesetting runner-up Smiling Goodbye “got nailed at the wire” and the first two horses were separated at the finish line by only the mandatory “discernable distance.” It was the first win for Miller after a 12-year hiatus, while it was Knapp’s 11^th of the meet, tying him for seventh in Santa Anita’s trainer standings . . . Super Bowl Champion LA Rams GM Les Snead, along with tight end Kendall Blanton and linebacker Justin Hollins, will present the trophy for today’s Santa Anita Oaks, while legendary HOF jockey Laffit Pincay, Jr. will present the trophy for the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, a race he won seven times… There were 80 recorded workouts at Santa Anita Saturday including a bullet five-furlong drill in 58 seconds flat by Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint champion Ce Ce trained by Michael McCarthy for owner/breeder Bo Hirsch. The daughter of Elusive Quality had the fastest of 22 works at the distance, the average time of which was 1:01.04.