Battle Force returns to Santa Anita Park for the Sir Beaufort Stakes
Woodford Racing’s 3-year-old colt, Battle Force, made his first start of his sophomore campaign in November, and took him a year to come back to the races, but it seems as if it was worth the wait, and now the colt comes back to graded stakes company in
the Grade 2, $150,000 Sir Beaufort Stakes at Santa Anita Park on 26 December, 2012.
The Sir Beaufort Stakes will be run over a distance of 1 mile on the hillside turf course, and Battle Force returns to the sight and distance, where he broke his maiden at second asking, and now fresh as a daisy, the Giant’s Causeway colt has his first opportunity
to shine in this class.
As a two-year-old, Battle Force made three starts. He attempted to beat maidens at first asking at Santa Anita Park’s turf course, but failed to do so, as he finished second to winner Silentio.
However, he came roaring back in his second attempt over the same course and distance, and this time he was successful, and covered the 1 mile distance in 1 minute and 36.26 seconds for trainer John A. Shirreffs.
After defeating maidens, it was time for Battle Force to defeat winners in the Grade 3 Generous Stakes at about 1 mile over Betfair Hollywood Park’s turf course. He couldn’t win, but he showed promise in the race, as he finished third to winner Stoney Fleece.
Returned to racing after almost a year, Battle Force ran over a distance of 1 1/16 miles in an allowance race over Betfair Hollywood Park’s cushion track and finished second to winner Phantom Lover.
He will return to his preferred surface after running on synthetic, and he is likely to do well at Santa Anita Park. Battle Force drew post number seven going into the Beaufort Stakes.
“I was very happy with the way he ran,” Shirreffs said on 21 December after the post draw for Sir Beaufort. “It was a tough race. He came home well. I think he’s coming into the Sir Beaufort very well.”
There was nothing wrong with Battle Force according to the trainer for his lengthy layoff. “If you don’t give them time, you’ll never answer the question,” he said.
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