From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 15, 2020)–Mr. and Mrs. Larry D. Williams’ homebred Ward ‘n Jerry, Madeline Auerbach’s homebred The Hunted and owner/breeder Nick Alexander’s upstart Desmond Doss headline Saturday’s $200,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic presented by City National Bank, a wide open affair that has attracted eight older horses who will contest a mile and one eighth over the Santa Anita turf.
Sponsored by the CTBA, the Turf Classic is part of the Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired horses.
WARD ‘N JERRY
Breeder: Mr. & Mrs. Larry D. Williams
Owner: Mr. & Mrs. Larry D. Williams
Trainer: Mike Puype
Although he’s still looking for his first stakes victory at age seven, this Lucky Pulpit gelding exits the best race of his career on Dec. 1 at Del Mar, as he was third, beaten a neck by highly respected eastern invader Oscar Dominguez in the Grade II Hollywood Turf Cup at a mile and one half under Florent Geroux at odds of 23-1. Lightly raced, Ward ‘n Jerry made only three starts in both 2018 and 2019. Winless in three tries at 1 1/8 miles on turf, Ward ‘n Jerry, who is out of the Dehere mare Tamarack Bay, has won five out of his 18 career starts and gets the first-time services of highly regarded Umberto Rispoli.
THE HUNTED
Breeder: Madeline Auerbach
Owner: Madeline Auerbach, LLC, Ciaglia Racing, LLC & Little Red Feather Racing
Trainer: Richard Baltas
A 5-year-old Unusual Heat gelding, The Hunted is out of the Jade Hunter mare Lethal Hunter. Attentive to the early pace, he was an impressive second condition turf allowance winner going a flat mile at Del Mar on Nov. 17 and looms a very dangerous horse with Tiago Pereira riding back on Saturday. A winner of the one mile turf Crystal Water Stakes here six starts back on April 27, 2019, The Hunted was a very consistent horse all of last year, posting a 2019 mark of 8-2-2-2. Although he’s 0-5 at a mile and one eighth on turf, he does have two seconds and a third to his credit and rates a big look on Saturday.
DESMOND DOSS
Breeder: Nick Alexander
Owner: Nick Alexander
Trainer: Phil D’Amato
A close fifth two starts back in the 1 1/8 mile turf Snow Chief Stakes here on June 22, this 4-year-old colt by Grazen resurfaced in a 5 ½ furlong turf allowance on Jan. 5 and rallied impressively to get up and win by a head under Joe Talamo. Named for a conscientious objector that became a highly decorated WWII combat medic in the South Pacific, Desmond Doss broke his maiden rallying from off the pace at a mile over the Santa Anita turf in his second start on June 8, 2019. With Talamo away to ride full time at Oaklawn Park, Drayden Van Dyke takes over on Saturday and “Desmond” just might be ready for his close-up in what will be his fifth career start.
THE $200,000 UNUSUAL HEAT TURF CLASSIC PRESENTED BY CITY NATIONAL BANK
Race 6 of 9 Approximate post time 3 p.m. PT
- Ward ‘n Jerry–Umberto Rispoli–120
- Cono–Mario Gutierrez–120
- Accountability–Rafael Bejarano–120
- The Hunted–Tiago Pereira–124
- Wound Tight–Abel Cedillo–122
- Desmond Doss–Drayden Van Dyke–120
- Mobou–Victor Espinoza–120
- Ashleyluvssugar–Flavien Prat–120
First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. Admission gates open at 10:30 a.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.