Trainer Art Sherman expects a big effort from Overland in the $250,000 Cal National Snow Chief Stakes, the richest race on the $1.3-million Cal National Gold Rush card Sunday at Hollywood Park.
The well-named Overland, who drew post ten in a field of 13 in the 1 1/8-mile test for 3-year-olds, has a history of rallying wide.
Sherman, who claimed the gelding for $32,000 out of a maiden victory at Golden Gate Fields in November, turned the horse over at the beginning of the year to his son, Steve, who shipped him from Bay Meadows last week to the Hollywood Park barn out of which Sherman and another son, Alan, operate.
Sherman thinks the nine-furlong distance will benefit Overland, a son of Harlan's Holiday. "He'll run all day long," said the elder Sherman Friday. "He used to walk out of the gate when we first got him, but we got him to where he's coming out of the gate pretty good now."
Overland, owned by Robert Bone and Jim Vlahos, has recorded two firsts and two seconds in seven starts. He has sandwiched two firsts and two seconds around an eighth-place finish in the California Derby in his last five starts in Northern California.
"He broke slowly in the California Derby, got in tight and wasn't as seasoned as he is now," said Sherman. "He's gotten pretty focused. If he gets the right scenario, with a little speed up there in front of him, he should run well." Victor Espinoza rides him for the first time.
Another Snow Chief entrant who was claimed early in his career, Roar of Eagles, breaks from just outside Overland in post 11. The chestnut Roar gelding, claimed for $40,000 out of a maiden victory in his debut at Santa Anita in February, returned to win another six-furlong sprint in allowance company for trainer Craig Lewis before finishing sixth against older horses in another allowance sprint at Santa Anita on March 27.
"He lost a lot of ground in his last race," Lewis said of the sprint where he was carried five-wide but only lost by 1½ lengths. "The horse inside him herded him out."
Roar of Eagles, owned by Al and Sandee Kirkwood, faces a stern test in added distance. "Going from six to nine furlongs is an obstacle, but we'll see if he can do it," said Lewis. "For $250,000, we'll find out. He's a nice horse. We'll know a lot more after the race."
NEKO BAY PRIMED FOR $150,000 MERVYN LEROY HANDICAP
Neko Bay, a gem of consistency in the John Shirreffs stable, seeks his first stakes victory Saturday in the $150,000-added Mervyn LeRoy Handicap, a Grade II test at 1 1/16 miles on Cushion Track.
"He should do well," said Shirreffs from trackside Friday. "He has the most consistent high Beyers of anybody in the race."
Neko Bay, a 5-year-old horse, has recorded three victories and four seconds in seven starts and recorded Beyer figures between 100 and 104 in his last four outings. He comes off a second-place finish behind Monzante, another Mervyn LeRoy entrant, in the Santana Mile Handicap at Santa Anita on March 8.
Neko Bay is a Jerry and Ann Moss homebred by Giant's Causeway out of 1998 Railbird Stakes winner Brulay. Moss won the 1983 Mervyn LeRoy with Fighting Fit.
Neko Bay leaves from post seven in a field of nine under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who won the 2003 Mervyn LeRoy aboard Total Impact.
CAMPOS AIMS FOR ANOTHER APPRENTICE TITLE
Jose Campos, the leading apprentice jockey at Santa Anita with 18 victories, seeks to set the pace for "bugs" again at this meet.
"Gary Stevens says he has a good future and tells him a lot of things," agent Roger Olguin said Friday.
Campos, a 20-year-old native of Mexico City, keeps his apprentice weight allowance throughout the meet before shedding it on July 25.
"He has been riding for four years," said Olguin. "He began at the fairs in California and rode mules, quarter horses and in match races. He was the leading apprentice at Golden Gate before he came down and I took him back at Santa Anita in January.
"He has been getting on horses for Craig Lewis, Jorge Gutierrez, John Sadler, Jeff Metz and Juan Garcia," added Olguin. "And he's light. He can tack 106."
"SARGE" EYES SEVEN-FURLONG LAZ BARRERA MEMORIAL
Hollywood Juvenile Championship winner Salute the Sarge has enough earnings to qualify for the Kentucky Derby but trainer Eric Guillot plans to keep him at Hollywood Park to make his next start in the $100,000-added Laz Barrera Memorial Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs on May 18.
"If he can't get a mile and a sixteenth, I don't think I can see him in the Triple Crown," said Guillot sagely on Friday in reference to a disappointing effort in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes in the colt's last start at Keeneland. "But he came back good."
Salute the Sarge will try to join such luminaries as Caller One, Reraise and Captain Squire as winners of the Grade III Laz Barrera, named after the late Hall of Fame trainer.
IDIOT PROOF NEARS RETURN TO SISE BARN
Trainer Cliff Sise expects crack sprinter Idiot Proof back in his barn here in three weeks. "We turned him out at River Edge Farm," said Sise of the Marty Wygod homebred who finished second in the Golden Shaheen Stakes at Dubai in his last start in March. He also finished second in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Monmouth Park in October.
Sise said the 4-year-old California-bred son of Bertrando will be aimed for the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Santa Anita in October, but he is still formulating a plan on how to get him there. "It doesn't take long to get him fit," said Sise of a possible return at the end of this meet.
"He hates Del Mar so we might take him back to Monmouth for that stake he won there last summer. Then probably the Ancient Title at Oak Tree as a prep for the Breeders' Cup, then get him ready for Dubai again."
FINISH LINES - Another top California-bred sprinter, Greg's Gold, is also being aimed for the Breeders' Cup Sprint, according to trainer David Hofmans. "He will probably make his next start in the Los Angeles Handicap (here at six furlongs May 10)," said Hofmans, electing to skip the Tiznow Stakes Sunday with the defending champion. The 7-year-old gelding millionaire won the Potrero Grande Handicap at Santa Anita April 5 and could make a second start this meet in the $300,000, Grade I Triple Bend Handicap on July 5, according to Hofmans…Jockey agent Bob Meldahl, who handles the books of Julio Garcia and Isaias Enriquez, said he hopes Fernando Jara will return to California eventually. "I haven't heard from him in eight weeks but he still has all his stuff here," said Meldahl of the highly regarded young rider who suffered a fractured collarbone in a spill during the opening week of the Autumn Meet here in November and returned to his native Panama, where Meldahl said he has resumed riding. "The injury cost me the mounts on Gayego and Monterey Jazz," said Meldahl of the eventual Arkansas Derby and Strub Stakes winners, respectively…Vic Lipton has taken over the book of apprentice Pedro Arambula. "He's a seven-pound bug and tacks 110," said Lipton. "He's 22 and has ridden 18 winners, four in Washington and 14 in Arizona."…R.C. Ebanks, son of veteran agent Ron Ebanks, is booking mounts for journyeman Clinton Potts. The elder Ebanks serves as agent for Tyler Baze…Trainer Kathy Walsh reported she hopes to learn more soon on the status of multiple stakes-winning 3-year-old Georgie Boy, who is sidelined with a muscle injury in his back. "We're going to nuclear medicine him at the end of the month and then know where we are," said Walsh of comeback plans… Trainer Ron Ellis said Glorified, stakes-placed in her last four outings, will make her next start in the $100,000-added Hawthorne Handicap for fillies and mares here May 4. Rafael Bejarano has the call…Bejarano, who has taken a call on Anak Nakal for Nick Zito in the Kentucky Derby on May 3, also will ride Artiste Royal in the Woodford Reserve Stakes on the undercard, according to trainer Neil Drysdale…Trainer John Shirreffs reported Tiago, winner of the Oaklawn Handicap in his last start, will probably return in The Californian here May 31 while unbeaten stablemate Zenyatta, winner of the Apple Blossom Handicap, could resurface in either the Milady Handicap the same day and/or the Vanity Handicap July 5...Owner-breeder George Krikorian said multiple stakes-winning broodmares Starrer and Hollywood Story both foaled colts by Storm Cat recently…Friday workers on Cushion Track included Church Service, four furlongs in :49 for Mike Mitchell for the Jim Murray Memorial Handicap on May 10; Intangaroo, four furlongs in :47.80 for Gary Sherlock for the Humana Distaff Handicap at Churchill Downs on May 3; Santa Teresita, five furlongs in :59 for David Hofmans for the Hawthorne Handicap on May 4; stakes-winning sprinter Dearest Trickski, five furlongs in :59.60 for John Sadler; and turf star Champs Elysees, six furlongs in 1:14.60 for Bobby Frankel.
