Thirsty Rebel and Saul Elliott were second and third in the $101,000 I’m Smokin Stakes for California-bred 2-year-olds at Del Mar on Sept. 5. Neither has won since, a trend that may end for one of them in an allowance race for statebred sprinters at Los Alamitos on Friday.
Thirsty Rebel and Saul Elliott are the two leading contenders in a field of seven in the day’s first race. Los Alamitos has afternoon programs from Friday through Sunday, the final days of the track’s two-week Thoroughbred fall meeting. The Santa Anita winter-spring meeting begins on Dec. 26.
Thirsty Rebel, trained by Doug O’Neill, and Saul Elliott, trained by Peter Miller, have similar running styles as stalkers and could very well be alongside each other for much of Friday’s six-furlong race.
Of the pair, Saul Elliott has come closest to winning since the I’m Smokin Stakes, finishing second by a nose in a six-furlong allowance race at Santa Anita on Oct. 18. Saul Elliott was entered for the $50,000 optional-claiming provision in that race and was claimed by Miller from O’Neill.
In his first start for Miller, Saul Elliott finished second by 1 1/4 lengths in an allowance race for statebreds at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 23, racing within a half-length of the lead in the stretch.
Miller said Saul Elliott “is pretty equal on both surfaces.
“This looks like a good spot for him,” he said. “He’s doing well. We’ll take a shot.”
Friday’s allowance race is preferred for Saul Elliott over Sunday’s $100,000 King Glorious Stakes for statebred 2-year-olds at a mile. Saul Elliott is by the Square Eddie stallion Listing.
“I’m thinking he’s a one-turn horse,” Miller said. “He could develop into a good turf sprinter. He’s run well on the dirt.”
Thirsty Rebel was ninth of 12 in the Speakeasy Stakes at five furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 4, fading through the stretch in his only career start against open company. On Oct. 31, Thirsty Rebel finished fourth by four lengths in the $177,000 Golden State Juvenile at Del Mar, stalking the pace before fading in the final furlong.
Thirsty Rebel drew post 6 on Friday, one stall outside of Saul Elliott.
“He drew well,” O’Neill said. “I think he definitely fits with those horses. It’s a matter of a good clean trip.”
Friday’s slightly shorter race may suit Thirsty Rebel better than the seven-furlong distance of the recent Golden State Juvenile.
“I don’t think that will be a problem at all,” O’Neill said of a reduction in distance. “We think when he matures and his mind settles, he could go up to a mile.”
There are two last-race winners in the field in Call Me Susie and Chase N Ryan.
Call Me Susie, the lone filly in the lineup, won a 1,000-yard race at the Los Alamitos evening meeting on Nov. 16. Chase N Ryan closed from fifth of seven to win a $25,000 claimer at Del Mar on Nov. 16.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.