BLACKJACKCAT & BOWIES HERO HEAD SATURDAY’S GIII THUNDER ROAD STAKES

By Mike Willman —-

BLACKJACKCAT & BOWIES HERO HEAD SATURDAY’S GRADE III, $100,000 THUNDER ROAD STAKES FOR OLDER HORSES AT ONE MILE ON TURF

#1 BLACKJACKCAT (Kent Desormeaux)
$75,000 Obviously Mile
Owner: Al & Sandee Kirkwood
Trainer: Mark Glatt
October 7, 2017
Santa Anita Park
Arcadia CA.
© BENOIT PHOTO

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 7, 2018)—Trainer Mark Glatt’s Blackjackcat and Phil D’Amato’s Bowies Hero head a field of six older horses going one mile on turf in Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Thunder Road Stakes at Santa Anita.

A winner of four races in a row prior to running a close third in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Mile (turf) at Del Mar Nov. 4, Al and Sandee Kirkwood’s homebred Blackjackcat has won four of his six races at a mile on turf and rates top billing in the Thunder Road.

A game half length winner of the Grade II Mathis Brothers Mile (turf) here Dec. 26, Agave Stable’s Bowies Hero gets a new rider, as Kent Desormeaux has opted to stick with the top selection.

BLACKJACKCAT

Owner: Al and Sandee Kirkwood Trainer: Mark Glatt

A Kentucky-bred 5-year-old gelding by Tale of the Cat, he’s out of the Kirkwood’s Go for Gin mare Bootleg Annie. With 2017 proving to be a break-out year for him, Blackjackcat won four of seven races last year and banked $453,660. On or near the lead throughout, Blackjackcat was an impressive 1 ½ length winner of the one mile turf Obviously Stakes two starts back here on Oct. 7 and he’s posted three wins and a pair of thirds from six tries over the Santa Anita turf. With regular rider Desormeaux back aboard, he’ll try to improve upon an overall mark of 15-6-0-5 and career earnings of $580,070.

BOWIES HERO

Owner: Agave Stable Trainer: Phil D’Amato

A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by turf specialist Arte Schiller, Bowie’s Hero comes off the biggest performance of his life in the Grade II Mathis Brothers Mile, posting a career-best 101 Beyer Speed figure in his first graded stakes victory. A stone miler, he’s won five out his seven races at the distance and has proven he can stalk the pace or rally from far back. With Desormeaux opting to stick with the Blackjackcat, Bowies Hero will be ridden for the first time by wily veteran Corey Nakatani.

THE GRADE III THUNDER ROAD STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 6 of 10 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT

Next Shares—Rafael Bejarano—120
Bowies Hero—Corey Nakatani–124
Blackjackcat—Kent Desormeaux—124
Tequila Joe—Joe Talamo—120
Ohio—Brice Blanc—120
Om—Flavien Prat–120

First post time for a 10-race card on Saturday is at 12 noon. Admission gates open at 10 a.m.

About Us

Santa Anita Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is North America’s premier supplier of virtual online horseracing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.