From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (May 28, 2022)—Idle since Oct. 17, Nick Alexander’s homebred Desmond Doss came back running on Saturday at Santa Anita, as he rallied for a decisive 2 ¼ length victory in the $100,000 Thor’s Echo Stakes, giving Juan Hernandez consecutive stakes wins and his third win from as many mounts. Trained by Steve Miyadi, Desmond Doss, a 6-year-old horse by Grazen, got six furlongs in 1:09.70.
The Thor’s Echo is part of the lucrative CTBA-sponsored Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired 3-year-olds and up.
“He ran an uncharacteristically dull race in October, so we gave him plenty of time,” said Alexander. “He never left the barn and Steve had him the whole time. I think he really wanted to go in the Crystal Water, but he didn’t have enough time. His dam is 20 years old. Every foal she has had has been a winner, she’s just one of those mares. I bred the mom and then had the family for about four generations. She’s back in foal at 20 years old to Grazen.”
Attentive to the pace, about 1 ½ lengths off pacesetter Fashionably Fast at the half mile pole, Desmond Doss had about 2 ½ lengths to make up at the three-furlong marker, angled three-deep turning for home and came away impressively in the final sixteenth of a mile to register his second career stakes victory.
Overlayed at 4-1 from his morning line of 3-1 among a field of five, Desmond Doss returned $10.00, $4.00 and $2.40.
Out of Alexander’s now 20-year-old Malek mare Malley Girl, Desmond Doss, who is named for the multiple decorated World War II conscientious objector hero, is now 18-6-2-2 and with the winner’s share of $60,000, increased his earnings to $361,341.
“This opens up another avenue for him with Cal-breds for sprinting,” said Miyadi
In a much-improved effort off of his sixth-place finish going 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf course in the statebred Sensational Star Stakes March 20, Harris Farms’ homebred Fashionably Fast held Tigre Di Slugo safe by a half-length for the place and returned $3.80 and $2.20 while off at odds of 5-2.
The even-money favorite with Kyle Frey, Tigre Di Slugo put in a solid bid through the lane but was third-best on the day, returning $2.10 to show while finishing 6 ½ lengths in front of Good With People.
Fractions on the race were 22.55, 44.80 and 57.22.