In a small field, American Act and Drill meet again in the Lazaro Barrera Memorial Stakes
A small field of four, 3-year-old colts has been reeled in by the Grade 3, $100,000 Lazaro Barrera Memorial Stakes, to be run over a distance of seven furlongs over the Betfair Hollywood Park’s cushion track on 13 May, 2012.
The original field was expected to be contested among 6, 3-year-old but the field was slightly depleted when the San Pedro Stakes winner, Midnight Transfer, when incurred a non-displaced condylar fracture of a cannon bone, and underwent surgery on 5th and 6th of May which will turn him out for at least three months.
The field lost another contender, when Eoin Harty, who nominated his colt, Right to Vote, for the Lazaro S. Barrera Memorial Stakes, but found it adequate to run his 3-year-old gelding in the Grade 2, $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park on 12 May, 2012.
With only four running in the Barrera Memorial Stakes, a rivalry that will renew itself in the 13 May race, will eclipse the loss of contenders, and that rivalry is between the Bob Baffert trained Drill and Jack Carava trained 3-year-old gelding, American Act.
The two previously clashed in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita Park on 19 February, 2012, over a distance of seven furlongs, and there Drill had the better of American Act, as the former edged past the latter in the stretch to start a new rivalry in the division.
Since then Drill has raced once and American Act has raced twice. The Michael E. Pegram owned son of Lawyer Ron, Drill went to Oaklawn Park to participate in the Northern Spur Stakes.
Stretched out in distance from seven furlongs to a mile, and reunited with his rider Rafael Bejarano, Drill couldn’t deal with the change, as he finished second to winner, Master Rick, who covered the distance in 1 minute and 36.73 seconds.
American Act on the other hand, raced twice since the San Vicente Stakes defeat, as he too was stretched out in distance to 1 1/16 miles – which he couldn’t size up well, and fell down further down the placings to finish seventh to winner Creative Cause in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes.
However, he did bounce back and claimed the Harry Henson Stakes over the Hollywood Park’s cushion track at about six furlongs, where he will be locking horns with his adversary, Drill, with a little advantage going into the race.
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