Mensa Heat to consider Crystal Water Stakes over Palos Verdes Stakes due to track concerns
Trainers who have entered their sprinters for the Graded 2, $150,000 Palos Verdes Stakes have shown their concerns about the weather and the track, and if there is some rain and the authorities seal the track for the dash that is to be run over a distance of 6 furlongs, than the already quick Santa Anita track would become lightning quick.
First William Spawr showed his concerns with his award winning sprinter, Amazombie, and now its Ted West, who is confused whether to send his 6-year-old gelding, Mensa Heat, ahead to run in the Palos Verdes.
“I’m pretty confused right now,” West said of his plans. “We’ll find a race for him. This track is speed favouring. If you put a seal on it, it will be more speed-favoring.”
The California bred son of Unusual Heat, out of mare Chi Chi Netta by Ole’, Mensa Heat is coming off a victory in the On Trust Handicap at the Hollywood Park’s cushion track on 18 December, 2011.
Ridden by Joe Talamo, Mensa Heat downed seven and a half furlongs in 1 minute and 28.68 seconds against 3-year-old and above males, and defeated Legal Separation and Spud Spivens, who finished second and third, respectively.
Owned by Peter Redekop B.C., Ltd. Mensa Heat has had a peculiar racing career. He started off with the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity where he finished 11th at seven furlongs on 3 September, 2008, and jumped onto another graded stakes race on turf in the Grade 3 Generous Stakes at 1 mile, finishing 6th.
Since then he dwelled in claimers and allowance/optional claimers company, but decided to get back to stakes and graded stakes company last year on 7 September, 2011, in the Pirate’s Bounty Stakes at Del Mar.
He won the 6 furlong dash, and ever since, stayed on to run in the Grade 1 Ancient Title Stakes on 8 October, 2011, where he finished third to winner Amazombie, and then seventh in the California Cup Sprint to winner Courtside on 29 October, 2011.
If Mensa Heat is scratched out of the Palos Verdes Stakes, then he will be considered for the $100,000 Crystal Water Stakes going over a distance of 1 1/16 miles on 28 January, 2012.
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