by Tim Nichols
Since winning the Malibu Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park to close last season, Johnny Eves has been unable to regain his winning form in 2008.
The four-year-old Skimming gelding will try to recreate that end-of-the-year magic on Saturday against six rivals in the $100,000 Vernon O. Underwood Stakes (G3) at Hollywood Park.
A Mooncoin homebred trained by Jay Robbins, Johnny Eves enters the six-furlong race on the synthetic Cushion Track surface winless in his previous seven starts.
Johnny Eves opened the season with a runner-up finish, beaten by a nose, to Air Commander in San Fernando Stakes (G2) on January 12 at Santa Anita. Following five unplaced starts, Johnny Eves finished second in the California Cup Sprint Handicap in his last start on October 5 at the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita.
The compact field will feature plenty of speed and class as Grade 2 winners Noble Court and Northern Soldier are slated to contest the Underwood.
Noble Court enters off a 1 3/4-length win in an allowance race on October 4, his first start following a layoff of more than a year. The four-year-old Doneraile Court colt won the 2007 San Vincente Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita.
Northern Solider, winner of the 2006 Lazaro Barrera Memorial Stakes (G2), won the Governor’s Cup Handicap on September 21 at Fairplex Park prior to an unplaced finish in an allowance race on October 24 at the Oak Tree meet in his previous start.
Grade 1-placed multiple stakes winner Bob Black Jack will make his first start since finishing 16th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) on May 3.
The Santa Anita Derby (G1) runner-up set a Santa Anita track record for six furlongs when he won the Sunshine Million Dash Stakes in 1:06.53 on January 26. The race was run on a Cushion Track surface, which was later replaced with the synthetic Pro-Ride surface.
The three-year-old Stormy Jack colt breezed five furlongs in :58 handily on Saturday, the fastest of 52 timed works at the distance.
Tim Nichols is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor
The field, in post-position order, with (sire), jockey, weight, and trainer:
1. Wiredfortwotwenty (Greatness), Joseph Talamo, 116, Brian J. Koriner;
2. Six Pack Abs (Forest Wildcat), Tyler Baze, 118, John W. Sadler;
3. Noble Court (Doneraile Court), Mike E. Smith, 122, John W. Sadler;
4. Master Daniel (Broken Vow), Rafael Bejarano, 114, Doug F. O'Neill;
5. Bob Black Jack (Stormy Jack), David Romero Flores, 122, James M. Kasparoff;
6. Johnny Eves (Skimming), Garrett K. Gomez, 122, Jay M. Robbins; and
7. Northern Soldier (Yankee Victor), Aaron T. Gryder, 118, Brian J. Koriner.