SANTA ANITA STABLE NOTES

By Ed Golden —-

HONOR A.P. CAN SMELL THE ROSES
HIRSCH AWAITS HARD NOT TO LOVE
PRAT HAS BIG LEAD IN JOCKS’ RACE
NEW SHERRIFF IN TOWN ON DERBY TRAIL

There’s a new sheriff in town on the Kentucky Derby trail, and his name is John, as in John Shirreffs, best known as conditioner of the memorable mare Zenyatta and for sending out Giacomo to post a 50-1 upset in the 2005 Kentucky Derby.

Now the former Marine, who turned 75 on June 1, is front and center awaiting the Run for the Roses Sept. 5 after posting an authoritative 2 ¾-length victory with Honor A.P. in Saturday’s Runhappy Santa Anita Derby.

“He looks good this morning,” Shirreffs said early Sunday. “It’s always a surprise when they run like he ran, because no matter how they look in the mornings or how they’re training, they have to perform in the afternoon.

“It was very gratifying to see him run that well . . . It was really exciting. Everybody at the barn is really joyful. He got 100 (Kentucky Derby qualifying) points for the win, so it puts us in a good position.”

While plans leading to the Kentucky Derby are not written in stone, from a timing and competition perspective, the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 1 would seem a logical next option for Honor A.P.

“It’s certainly under consideration,” Shirreffs said of the $100,000 race to be decided at a mile and one-sixteenth.

Owned by Lee and Susan Searing’s C R K Stable, LLC, Honor A.P. is somewhat of a racing rarity in that he is not a colt or a gelding, but a ridgling. A ridgling is a male horse of any age that has one testicle or both testicles undescended, or has only one testicle in his scrotum.

Meanwhile Bob Baffert, who seemingly a heartbeat ago had three undefeated Derby contenders so good he “couldn’t say which one was better,” has lost two for the historic mile and a quarter classic.

Nadal has been retired, Charlatan is sidelined with an ankle injury, and Authentic, second to Honor A.P. in the Santa Anita Derby, is now suspect by some of being able to successfully negotiate the testing distance of the Run for the Roses, although on Saturday he broke out at the start from his No. 7 post position and did not enjoy a favorable pace scenario, yet continued gamely behind Honor A.P.

Such is life in the fast lane.

ADVENTURES OF HARD NOT TO LOVE CONTINUE

Hard Not to Love, the fairytale filly who sees the world through only her right eye, was none the worse for wear following her “Late to the Gate” episode in last Sunday’s Santa Maria Stakes in which she finished second after delaying the scheduled post time of the Grade II race eight minutes.

“It was a bit of a surprise because in the Beholder (Mile last out on March 14), she went to the gate without a hitch, so we thought we’d do the same thing with her in the Santa Maria that we did in the Beholder,” trainer John Shirreffs said.

“But for whatever reason, it didn’t work.”

Her jockey, Mike Smith, the pony boy, an assistant starter on foot and track officials cajoled, coaxed and capitulated as the clock ticked before the finicky filly settled into her number one post position in the starting gate, eventually breaking a bit slow.

A four-year-old bay daughter of Hard Spun, Hard Not to Love lost her left eye as a youngster when kicked by another horse, but through diligence and patience from Shirreffs, his staff and regular rider Smith, she has adapted and captured the fancy of friend and foe alike with five victories from seven starts including the Grade I La Brea Stakes.

“I was pleased with her effort, because in the Beholder Mile (second by 3 ¼ lengths as the 3-5 favorite behind Ce Ce) she went to the lead, and that’s not her style,” Shirreffs said. “She’s much better coming from a bit off the pace.

“I was very happy to see Mike rate her well and have her nicely placed. I thought it was a big plus. That’s something we can build on.”

Like a thrilling old-time movie serial, the next chapter of “The Harrowing High Jinx of Hard Not to Love” airs Aug. 2 at Del Mar in the Grade I Clement L. Hirsch Stakes.

Stay tuned.

FINISH LINES: With four wins from 11 mounts Saturday, Flavien Prat opened a commanding 73-56 lead over runner-up Abel Cedillo in the race for leading rider with seven days remaining in the meet that ends on June 21. In the all-important stakes-won category however, the race is very tight, with Mike Smith and Prat tied at the top with 11 wins and Cedillo hot on their heels with 10 . . . The trainers’ race remains up for grabs with Bob Baffert, Peter Miller and Richard Baltas in a three-way dead heat at 27. . . While everything was coming up roses for Honor A.P., Midcourt seemed uncomfortable throughout finishing a distant fifth in the Grade I Hollywood Gold Cup behind victorious Improbable, trained by Baffert. “He didn’t get out of the gate,” trainer John Shirreffs said of Midcourt. “That was his big issue. I don’t know what happened, but he missed the break and once he got behind, Victor (Espinoza) tried to get him on the inside, got cut off there, had to check, then tried to get outside, and it was just too much.” Beaten some 24 lengths, Daily Racing Form’s comments read Midcourt was “not persevered with late.” Otherwise, Shirreffs said the son of Midnight Lute came out of the race well . . . Santa Anita will be dark for live racing Monday through Thursday, June 8 through June 11. Live action resumes Friday, June 12 at 12:30 p.m.

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FEATURES:

Honor A. P. Wins the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby

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Bellafina (Callaghan) 6-6-20

Thousand Words (Outside) & Ready Reward (Baffert) 6-6-20

Ollie’s Candy (Outside) and Combatant (Sadler) 6-6-20

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