He returned from a layoff to win in September at Churchill Downs with a career-best Beyer Speed Figure and now seeks a rich stakes prize in November. He’s not Bentornato, but another Jose D’Angelo trainee, Guns Loaded, who makes his second start off a layoff in the $300,000 Steel Valley Sprint on Monday at Mahoning Valley.
The six-furlong tilt for 3-year-olds highlights seven stakes on a marquee card at the Youngstown, Ohio, track.
On Nov. 1, D’Angelo saddled his first two career Breeders’ Cup winners – Bentornato, who won the BC Sprint in his second start off a 10-month layoff after winning the Louisville Thoroughbred Society in September at Churchill, and Shisospicy, who won the Turf Sprint. Shisospicy runs for Morplay Racing, which co-owns Guns Loaded with Joey Platts and Lady Sheila Stable.
Guns Loaded won the Mucho Macho Man at a mile earlier this year. He moved on to the Grade 3 Holy Bull at 1 1/16 miles but faded to seventh after leading. He then cut back to six furlongs for the Hutcheson on March 15, but after being pressured by Rolando early, he faded to fifth.
Guns Loaded was freshened and returned in an allowance on Sept. 14 at Churchill Downs, where he showed a new dimension by necessity. Bumped at the break and squeezed back, he was forced to come from behind and wide under Florent Geroux, who has the return call. The colt proved much the best, clearing in the final stages to win by four lengths with a career-best 91 Beyer.
“We gave him some time off, and he got very sharp coming back,” D’Angelo told track publicity. “He ran a huge race at Churchill. That was the first time he came from off the pace. Before the time off, he seemed to like to lug in. But he ran straight. I loved the way he traveled.”
The ability to sit back could help Guns Loaded, who drew post 11 in a big field of 12 with plenty of speed. The field includes Rolando, who is going six furlongs for the first time since winning the Hutcheson. He may offer value off a failed turf experiment, followed by a fourth in a strong edition of the Grade 3 Perryville at seven furlongs.
Bookending the field are two who will need to use speed to secure position – Grade 2-placed Fire Place on the rail and multiple stakes-placed Faster Gator, drawn outside after earning a 90 Beyer in a front-running allowance win at Mahoning Valley. Several longer shots also have shown a desire to be forwardly placed.
Retribution, who appears at a good spot in his form cycle, would appreciate some pace to rally into. His three wins, including the Chick Lang Stakes and the PTHA President’s Sprint, have come in every other outing in his six starts. He was most recently fifth in the Grade 2 Gallant Bob.
“Last time was a tough race against a very tough field,” trainer Cherie DeVaux said. “I thought he ran a very good race. He’s a horse that puts in a good race, then will get a little green. He’s still figuring it out. But if he runs his good race, he should be right there.”
Stakes winners Keep It Easy and Tough Catch both make their second starts off layoffs. Keep It Easy rallied from off the pace in his stakes win, the Ed Brown last fall at Churchill.
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