Jeranimo to go to Santa Anita for a well deserved vacation
Trained by Michael Pender for owner B. J. Wright, Jeranmio was done for the season after his seventh place finish to Court Vision in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs, but the 5-year-old horse colt was called back based on how well he was
training.
The Florida bred son of Congaree, out of mare Jera by Jeblar, Jeranimo this season has had the chance to really express himself with a range of distances going from places to places and consistently participating in stakes races.
The free hand that Michael Pender gave Jeranimo almost at every occasion paid off or in other circumstances Jeranimo got real close to make his trainer look real good.
Jeranimo got called back from the Breeders’ Cup disappointment to participate in the Grade 2 Citation Handicap, and didn’t that decision proved to be worthwhile as Jeranimo topped the 1 1/16 mile distance in a fast 1 minute and 40.87 seconds under jockey
Garrett Gomez.
On 26 November, 2011, Jeranimo at Hollywood Park burned out his opponents and snatched the Grade 2 Citation Handicap in the dying stages from runner up War Element and third place finisher Calimonco.
Michael Pender trusting his gut and letting Jeranimo race in the Citation Handicap was a master stroke. Although, Jeranimo will get his intended vacation now at Santa Anita Park, but now the horse and his connections will be satisfied with a good year’s
work and he capped it off with a win to go with it.
“I promised after his last race he was going to get 60 days, and here I was running him back in 21,” Pender said. “He’ll get 60 days now.”
Jeranimo was going into the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile off a win in the Grade 2 Oak Tree Mile, held at Santa Anita Park over its turf course at about a mile on 8 October, 2011.
The Congaree colt under Martin Garcia ran a smart race. They stalked the lot and with a furlong to go, Martin Garcia urged Jeranimo to heat up the engines for a final burst.
The older horse responded and bolted to the wire leaving behind Mr. Commons and in second place and John Johny Jak in third.
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