ARCADIA, Calif. – A pair of 3-year-olds fresh off California-bred stakes wins at Los Alamitos will try to go back-to-back in the final two races Saturday at Santa Anita.
The colt Shea Brennan holds a narrow advantage in the $175,000 California Chrome California Cup Derby, a 1 1/16-mile dirt stakes that is race 10. Last time out, Shea Brennan won the one-mile King Glorious Stakes by a nose at Los Alamitos.
The filly Hey Jessie tops the $175,000 Leigh Ann Howard California Cup Oaks, a turf mile that is race 11. Last out, Hey Jessie scored a decisive victory in the one-mile Soviet Problem Stakes at Los Alamitos. The dirt-to-turf switch is fine for Hey Jessie, a maiden turf winner two back.
Phil D’Amato trains Shea Brennan for owner-breeder Nick Alexander. The colt by Tough Sunday won his debut, finished third his next three starts, and then stretched out and won the King Glorious.
“He really showed what he wants to do last time when we stretched him out around two turns,” D’Amato said. “He’s getting better with distance and age.”
Antonio Fresu rode Shea Brennan for the first time at Los Alamitos and rides him again Saturday.
Six of the 11 winners of the California Cup Derby were exiting the King Glorious. California Cup Derby favorites are 3 for 11.
R Heisman finished third as the favorite when he stretched out in the King Glorious, his ability around two turns is unresolved. Northern California-based Drop Um crossed the wire first in the one-mile Bay Meadows Juvenile last out before he was disqualified and placed second.
While the narrow Los Alamitos win by Shea Brennan hardly makes him stand out in the California Cup Derby, the filly Hey Jessie was more decisive winning a Los Alamitos stakes by two lengths. Sean McCarthy trains Hey Jessie for owner-breeder Steve Young. The filly was moving up from a maiden turf win to a dirt stakes in the Soviet Problem.
“I was pretty confident she would run well,” McCarthy said, citing two factors. “She trains well on the dirt [at Santa Anita], and as everyone knows, [Los Alamitos] tends to favor grass horses.”
Hey Jessie rallied from near the back and drew off by two lengths. Hey Jessie, named for a granddaughter of her owner, returns Saturday to grass. A 2-for-3 filly by Grazen, Hey Jessie’s rider is Kyle Frey.
Just two of the 11 California Cup Oaks winners exited the Soviet Problem. California Cup Oaks favorites are 3 for 11. McCarthy expects Hey Jessie to improve as she gains seasoning.
“We’re going into the race as happy as I can be about it,” McCarthy said. “She’s still growing. She’s still learning how to run, she’s still a bit green down the lane.”
Grateful My Love finished a bad-trip fourth as the favorite in the Soviet Problem. She was shuffled to last, unable to establish position, and sputtered. A similar occurrence affected fifth-place finisher Musical Number, whose dam was a turf-route stakes winner.
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