NEWS
El Conejo kicks off ‘09 graded stakes schedule
Posted: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 5:23 PM
IN SUMMATION WINNING THE 2008 EL CONEJO HANDICAP (G3)
Benoit & Associates photo
by Mike Curry
Both Black Seventeen and In Summation boasted strong credentials entering this year’s Breeders Cup World Championships but neither turned in a winning performance on October 25 at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park.
In Summation finished fourth and Black Seventeen was seventh in the Sentient Flight Group Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), and the two Grade 1-winning sprinters will attempt to rebound on Thursday in the $100,000 El Conejo Handicap (G3) at Santa Anita Park.
Fellow Grade 1 winner Johnny Eves will also contest the El Conejo, a 5½-furlong race on the synthetic Pro-Ride surface that drew a compact but talented field of five.
Black Seventeen, who won the Vosburgh Stakes (G1) on September 27 at Belmont Park, stalked a blistering pace in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint through an opening quarter in :21.28 and a half-mile in :43.85.
Second at the quarter pole, Black Seventeen tired and finished 13½ lengths behind repeat winner Midnight Lute. The four-year-old Is It True colt is assigned high weight of 121 pounds, one more than last year’s El Conejo winner In Summation and two more than Johnny Eves.
In Summation will attempt to halt a five-race winless stretch in the El Conejo. The five-year-old Put It Back horse won the 2007 Bing Crosby Handicap (G2) and opened 2008 with consecutive wins in the El Conejo and Palos Verdes Handicap (G2) on January 21 at Santa Anita.
In Summation bobbled at the start of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and rallied to finish fourth. He has won ten of 26 career starts, including nine stakes victories, and amassed $1,115,166 in purse earnings.
Johnny Eves won the 2007 Malibu Stakes (G1) to close his three-year-old campaign, but the Skimming gelding was unable to recapture his winning form in his first seven starts this season. Johnny Eves enters off a one-length win on November 22 at Hollywood Park in the Vernon O. Underwood Stakes (G3), which was his first win of the year.
Machismo, who is stakes-placed, and Its in God’s Hands round out the El Conejo field.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
The field in post position order, with (sire), jockey, weight, and trainer:
1. Machismo (Trippi), Mike E. Smith, 115, John W. Sadler;
2. Its in God's Hands (In Excess [IRE]), Martin Garcia, 109, Peter Miller;
3. Johnny Eves (Skimming), Garrett K. Gomez, 119, Jay M. Robbins;
4. Black Seventeen (Is It True), Clinton L. Potts, 121, Brian J. Koriner; and
5. In Summation (Put It Back), Rafael Bejarano, 120, Christophe Clement.
