Breeders’ Cup runner-up Motorious returns to Santa Anita turf
Photo:
Casey Phillips / Eclipse Sportswire
Motorious, who came up a nose short Nov. 2 in the Breeders’
Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar, headlines a field of nine set to go in Saturday’s
Grade 2, $200,000 Joe Hernández Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on Santa Anita’s
hillside turf course.
Going five furlongs in the Breeders’ Cup, Motorious rallied
from 10th under Antonio Fresu and was edged by Europe invader Starlust. In his
previous start, Motorious won the Green Flash (G3) going five furlongs at Del
Mar on Aug. 31.
Click here for Santa Anita entries and results.
Motorious, who is trained by Phil D’Amato for owner Anthony
Fanticola, has a record of 4: 2-1-1 on Santa Anita’s unique downhill course
including a win in last year’s San Simeon (G3). The 6-year-old gelding by
Muhaarar has an overall mark of 20: 7-5-2 with $687,604 in earnings. He again
will have Fresu in the irons and start from post 6.
D’Amato also entered Unconquerable Keen and Sorrento Sky.
Most recently the pair was separated by a half-length when running one-two in
the five-furlong Stormy Liberal Stakes at Del Mar on Dec. 1.
Unconquerable Keen also won the Stormy Liberal in 2023.
He is winless in two starts on the hillside turf.
Umberto Rispoli, who rode Unconquerable Keen in the Stormy
Liberal, again has the call. The 5-year-old gelding by the Danehill stallion
Clodovil has a record of 20: 7-2-4 with $333,089 in earnings. He is campaigned
by CYBT, Omar Aldabbagh and Michael Nentwig.
Three-year-old Sorrento Sky went off the slight 7-2 favorite
in the Stormy Liberal. Before that he beat older horses in a pair of allowance
turf sprints. Sorrento Sky has made one previous hillside start, a fourth-place
effort in the Desert Code Stakes in May.
Bred in Ireland where he made his first two starts, Sorrento
Sky is a son of the Kodiak stallion Prince of Lir. He is campaigned
domestically by Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, McLean Racing, Saul Gevertz, Marc Lantzman
and Nentwig.
Air Force Red, winner of the 2022 Joe Hernández, is back
this year for trainer Leonard Powell. The 6-year-old ridgling by Air Force Blue
most recently was second in the Eddie D (G2) sprinting on the downhill course
in September.
Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbreds and Holly Golightly, Air
Force Red is 21: 6-3-1 with $638,574. He will be ridden by Juan Hernández.
The Joe Hernández will be the sixth of 10 races Saturday
with an approximate post time of 5 p.m. EST. The first post is at 2:30 p.m.
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last start / Next start | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Air Force Red Air Force Blue |
6.60 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 2 |
|
Code Duello Honor Code |
0.00 |
1st, Winter Championship |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, Winter Championship |
|||||
| 3 |
|
Sumter War Front |
6.03 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 4 |
|
Irideo Easing Along |
6.05 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 5 |
|
Unconquerable Keen Clodovil |
5.45 |
1st, Stormy Liberal |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, Stormy Liberal |
|||||
| 6 |
|
Motorious Muhaarar |
7.38 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 7 |
|
Central Dispatch Arrogate |
0.00 |
1st, DMR AOC (11/16/2024-R5) |
Entered | |
|
Last race Next race |
1st, DMR AOC (11/16/2024-R5) |
|||||
| 8 |
|
Gaslight Dancer City of Light |
4.34 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
| 9 |
|
Sorrento Sky Prince Of Lir |
0.00 | Entered | ||
|
Last race Next race |
||||||
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