Blingo will return in the San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita for trainer John Shirreffs
The trouble with Blingo was never his ability to hunt down targets or win big races, he was just not in the game when asked to go big and trainer John Shirreffs has gone far enough to say that he is a goofball, and that he is a gelding for a reason.
The Kentucky bred is a 3-year-old gelded son of Artie Schiller, out of mare Wassifa by Sure Blade, Blingo was asked to run over a mile on turf in his juvenile season to break his maiden, and he responded in fine style.
He coupled with jockey Mike Smith, broke an impressive maiden over at Hollywood Park’s turf course on 25 November, 2011, defeating Our Boy Benjamin and Late Night Sky, who finished second and third respectively, while covering the distance in 1 minute and
35.84 seconds.
John Shirreffs had plans for Jerry and Ann Moss owned Blingo early in his career, and wanted him to participate in the Triple Crown as a sophomore. That triggered a switch in surface, and Blingo was on synthetic surface in his most difficult start of his
career, the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity last fall at Hollywood Park.
Even after finishing sixth, he showed glimpses of his brilliance, because it was a fast closing sixth, and nothing to be ashamed about the way he approached the race in the stretch.
After his troubled sixth in the CashCall Futurity, Blingo stayed in training, and since Shirreffs has seen him more closely and spent more time with the gelding, he is of the view that he has changed in a positive manner, and over the winter has shown maturity
and is taking training lessons with a positive frame of mind.
The gelding has progressed immensely during the winter, and he has earned his trainer’s respect, who has endlessly worked on his focus, something that young horses need badly during the early part of their careers.
Now the colt is ready for his 2012 debut race, and with Triple Crown around the corner he needs some graded earnings. Blingo is pointed toward the Grade 2, $300,000 San Felipe Stakes at about 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita’s dirt course.
If he wins it and takes this prep race as a stepping stone to the Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby, then Shirreffs would feel that his hard work with Blingo has paid off.
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