From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (Apr. 4, 2014) — Mike Machowsky goes for a Cal-bred double tomorrow. The 48-year-old Cincinnati native sends out Rovenna in the $200,000 Evening Jewel for 3-year-old fillies bred in California or sired by a California stallion, and Gangnam Guy in the $200,000 Echo Eddie, the Evening Jewel’s counterpart for male 3-year-olds.
Gangnam Guy, owned by Dick Barton of Ontario, California, returns to the main track after two seconds on Santa Anita’s downhill turf course at about 6 ½ furlongs. Rovenna, owned by Donald Dizney of Ocala, Florida, is coming off a daylight win in an optional allowance race.
“He’s training super; I don’t think dirt’s an issue,” Machowsky said of Gangnam Guy, a son of turf specialist Roi Charmant. “When he ran going two turns on dirt here (Golden State Juvenile at one mile last Nov. 1) it was too far for him, and at Fairplex (fourth in the Barretts Juvenile at 6 ½ furlongs last Sept. 15), he blew both turns. But he’s training really well.
“Rovenna won her last race, and that helped her confidence a ton. She’d been running second and third in stakes, but I finally got an allowance race for her and she won that well.”
The purse money of $200,000 is a major incentive. “It’s great,” Machowsky said. “I love it. We have a great Cal-bred program out here. It just gets stronger and stronger. If you own horses out here, it’s a great thing to have.”
The field for the Echo Eddie: Frensham, Mario Gutierrez, 20-1; Whine for Wine, Rafael Bejarano, 4-1; Well Measured, Victor Espinoza, 6-1; Gangnam Guy, Mike Smith, 4-1; Alert Bay, Tyler Baze, 8-1; Oh Daddy Oh, Joe Talamo, 4-1; Life Is a Joy, Gary Stevens, 9-2; and Pray Hard, Kent Desormeaux, 3-1. Next Book was scratched.