Secret Circle ready to stretch out in distance in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita
In the Grade 3, $100,000 Sham Stakes, many newly turned 3-year-old colts will be racing around two turns for the first time in their careers, and the two most noticeable entries to do so will be the Bob Baffert trained unbeaten colt, Secret Circle, and Steven Asmussen trained Hierro.
Entering his sophomore season with a stretched out distance of a mile on dirt, Stonestreet Stables owned 3-year-old colt, Hierro, broke his maiden in 2011 at third asking, going six and a half furlongs over Churchill Downs’ dirt track on 9 November, 2011, defeating Sir Bond in second place.
The son of Hard Spun, out of mare Brief Bliss by Navarone, Hierro, tried breaking his maiden at first asking at Saratoga race course, where he failed miserably to finish 5th to the winner, Alpha, on 3 September, 2011, under jockey Ramon Dominguez.
Ridden by Ramon Dominguez yet again in his second attempt to break his maiden, Hierro came closer than before at Belmont Park, where he finished a string second to winner, Souper Speedy, over seven furlongs on 1 October, 2011, as the winning time of the race was 1 minute and 23.87 seconds.
The Grade 3 Sham Stakes will be run over a distance of 1 mile over at Santa Anita Park’s dirt course on 7 January, 2012, a race that has reeled in 6 newly turned 3-year-olds.
The 3-year-old Kentucky bred Scat Daddy’s colt, Handsome Mike, has been distance tested in the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity, where he set the pace for the most of the 1 1/16 mile event , until he weakened to fell 2 ¾ lengths short to winner, Liaison, and finished seventh on the day.
Out of mare Classic Strike by Smart Strike, Handsome Mike finished a solid second to Stoney Fleece in the Grade 3 Generous Stakes at Hollywood Park over its turf course on 27 November, 2011, under jockey Rafael Bejarano, while Battle Force finished third.
Bob Baffert will be aiming the Triple Crown with Liaison, but he rates Secret Circle right up there with Liaison, and wishes to prepare him for the big occasion kicking off in May this year.
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