Classy Indian Peak Headlines Saturday’s Unusual Heat Turf Classic

Classy and plenty versatile, Indian Peak heads a field of eight older horses going a mile and one eighth over the Santa Anita turf in Saturday's $200,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic, presented by City National Bank.

A winner of last year's Cal Cup Derby on the Santa Anita main track, Legacy Ranch's Big Fish gets back with statebreds on Saturday and appears a good fit as he tries the Classic distance for the first time.

Owned and bred by Alfred Pais, Margot's Boy, although winless in nine starts last year, had four seconds and a proven affinity for the local lawn as he seeks his first stakes win.

Originally scheduled for turf, the Grade 3 San Gabriel Stakes was moved to the main track due to recent rain on Dec. 26 and although he was attentive to the early pace, Indian Peak simply didn't fire, finishing a distant fourth at 5-1.

Trained by Ruben Alvarado, Indian Peak, a 5-year-old gelding by Comic Strip, out of the Roar mare Ms. Booty, was a big third, beaten three quarters of a length two starts back going 1 1/16 miles on turf in the G2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar Nov. 27.

A winner of the mile and one eighth turf Snow Chief Stakes here at age three in June, 2020, Indian Peak is 5-2-1-0 over the course and he comes off his best year in terms of money-won, banking $170,932 from an 11-2-1-1 mark in 2021.

Owned by Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber, Indian Peak, who won the California Flag Handicap three starts back going down the hillside turf at about 6 ½ furlongs on Oct. 17, will likely attend the early pace as he seeks his seventh win from 23 overall starts.

Trained by David Hofmans, Big Fish, a 4-year-old gelding by hot sire Mr. Big, comes off a fourth place run going a mile and one sixteenth on synthetic Tapeta in the G3 Berkeley Handicap Nov. 27 at Golden Gate Fields.

Although winless in three tries over the Santa Anita turf, Big Fish has two wins from six turf tries, including an ungraded stakes win going a mile on turf at Del Mar as a juvenile. With an overall mark of 12-3-2-1, Big Fish has the credentials to be a major factor in the Classic.

A sharp second, beaten a neck in a one mile allowance on the main track here Dec. 4, the Craig Lewis-trained Margot's Boy, who was ninth the Classic a year ago, has three wins from eight tries over the course and rates a fighting chance with Juan Hernandez back aboard. A 5-year-old gelding by top California-based sire Clubhouse Ride, Margot's Boy is 21-3-5-3 with earnings of $260,946.

THE UNUSUAL HEAT TURF CLASSIC WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 6 of 10 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT

  1. Whooping Jay—Joe Bravo–120
  2. Margot's Boy—Juan Hernandez—122
  3. Aligato—Flavien Prat—120
  4. Luvluv—Tyler Baze—120
  5. Camino Del Paraiso—Ricardo Gonzalez—124
  6. Big Fish—Umberto Rispoli—124
  7. Ferrariano—Abel Cedillo–120
  8. Indian Peak—John Velazquez—124

First post time for a 10-race card on Cal Cup Day, Saturday, is at 12 noon. Admission gates open at 10 a.m. The Unusual Heat Turf Classic presented by City National Bank, is on of five California-bred or sired stakes on Saturday.

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California-Bred Divisional Champions Announced; Horse Of The Year Revealed On March 15

The California-bred Horse of the Year for 2020 will be announced at the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association's Annual Meeting and Awards, which will be held via teleconference on Monday, March 15, 2021.

The time of the event, and call-in details, are still to be determined. The annual business meeting will be part of the conference call.

The three finalists for Horse of the Year, in alphabetical order, are: Bulletproof One, Mucho Unusual and Warren's Showtime.

Winners of the stallion divisions will be announced soon. Other Cal-bred champions that will be recognized during the teleconference:

Champion California-bred 2-Year-Old Male – Tie between Big Fish and Good With People. Big Fish, bred by George Krikorian, owned by Legacy Ranch, trained by David Hofmans; Good With People, bred and owned by J. Kirk and Judy Robison, trained by Peter Miller.

Champion California-bred 2-Year-Old Female – Governor Goteven, bred and owned by Templeton Horses LLC, trained by Walther Solis.

Champion California-bred 3-Year-Old Male – El Tigre Terrible, bred by Martin Bach, owned by Slam Dunk Racing and Michael Nentwig, trained by Peter Miller.

Champion California-bred 3-Year-Old Female – Warren's Showtime, bred by Benjamin Warren, owned by Benjamin and Sally Warren, trained by Craig Lewis.

Champion California-bred Older Male – Galilean, bred by Bar C Racing Stables, owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Denise Barker, Williams Sandbrook, John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith, training by John Sadler.

Champion California-bred Older Female – Mucho Unusual, bred and owned by George Krikorian, trained by Tim Yakteen.

Champion California-bred Sprinter – Tie between Fashionably Fast and Sneaking Out. Fashionably Fast, bred by Harris Farms, owned by Harris Farms, Per Antonsen and John Nicoletti, trained by Dean Pederson. Sneaking Out, bred and owned by KMN Racing, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer.

Champion California-bred Turf Horse – Mucho Unusual, bred and owned by George Krikorian, trained by Tim Yakteen.

Trainer of the Year – Steve Miyadi.

Broodmare of the Year – Warren's Veneda, property of Benjamin Warren.

Champion Breeder of California Foaled Thoroughbreds by Earnings – Reddam Racing LLC.

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Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: Veteran Hofmans Still Fishing For His Next Big One

It's been a few years since 77-year-old trainer David Hofmans has had a nice young horse in his barn, but that doesn't mean he's forgotten how to handle one.

Big Fish, a 3-year-old California-bred by Mr. Big, was already a stakes winner on the turf before entering the starting gate in last Saturday's $200,000 California Cup Derby, a 1 1/16 mile contest on the dirt course at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. Despite a challenging trip, the colt pulled off a 1 1/2-length victory with ease.

“I thought he preferred the turf, but since he was a Cal-bred we thought we'd take advantage of that,” Hofmans said after the race. “He breezed well over (the dirt), the other day with Juan (Hernandez) and seemed to get over it well. He's just maturing. This horse is just now coming into himself. I think we have a better future going forward.

“I dream all the time, it's the only reason I get up in the morning. We'll see what happens, how he comes out of it and go from there.”

A week on from Big Fish's performance, Hofmans has found no reason to cut that dream short. The colt could head north next to run in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields, contested over nine furlongs on the synthetic surface. 

With 10 points offered toward the Kentucky Derby, the El Camino Real Derby could be Big Fish's first step on the road to Churchill Downs. 

“If he continues to improve, we'll consider it,” Hofmans said coyly. 

Big Fish put in a big stretch run to win the California Cup Derby under Juan Hernandez

The veteran horseman knows better than to start counting his chickens this early. Hofmans' record speaks for itself: three Breeders' Cup wins, a Belmont Stakes, and a Queen's Plate are just the highlights of his 1,072 victories. 

“When you start getting older people think you forget how to train horses,” Hofmans said, laughing. “I think I have a pretty good reputation, but maybe they don't like the old school trainers. Maybe they think I'm stubborn and opinionated!”

A Southern California mainstay since his first win there in 1973, Hofmans probably has a right to be a little bit opinionated. However, the fact that his newest employee has been with him eight years suggests he isn't either. In fact, Hofmans' barn foreman has been on the payroll for 30 years, and Big Fish's owner, Legacy Ranch, has been with Hofmans for nearly 50 years. 

“These guys are horsemen,” Hofmans said of his staff. “I go to them sometimes to ask their opinions, and when they come to me for something I never disregard what they say. I think they respect that, and it makes them really want to be involved.”

Hofmans didn't grow up in racing, so his journey to the track was a bit circuitous. His father brought him to the track while he was growing up in Los Angeles, and he met future Hall of Fame trainer Gary Jones in one of his classes at Pasadena City College.

That led to a job with Jones' father, the legendary California trainer Farrell “Wild Horse” Jones. The elder Jones had been a Quarter Horse jockey in his youth, earning the nickname with his “do anything to win” tactics, like hooking his arm over other riders or hitting them with his whip. Farrell Jones also galloped Seabiscuit in the 1930s, and was the leading trainer in California for many years.

“That was a crazier time,” Hofmans said. “He had some innovative ideas, and some very out there ideas. The man was very particular about his details, to a fault, but it helped me learn that you're only as good as your weakest link. 

“He and Gary a lot of times were in competition with each other about what to do with the horses, and I was the mediator. That didn't always work out too well for me!”

When Bobby Frankel moved out West, it gave Farrell Jones serious competition for the leading trainer titles he'd dominated for so long. 

“They used to hook up and try to be leading trainer, because Farrell Jones was the king around here until Frankel showed up,” Hofmans recalled. “I think it affected Jones more because he was so competitive. I didn't think that was so important, the leading trainer thing. I didn't care about that other ego stuff. I just did what I was told. Well — sometimes. Not all the time!”

By 1972, Hofmans was ready to start thinking about going out on his own. Instead, Frankel offered him a job taking a small group of horses up north on the California fair circuit, and Hofmans jumped at the chance. It would only be a five-month gig, but with eight horses and basically carte blanche over where to place them, Hofmans knew it was too good an opportunity to pass up. 

“I won with every horse,” Hofmans said. “It was a really good way to start out, because I had someone looking over my shoulder who was a tremendous horseman, yet I was still on my own, sort of like a father thing. I knew he had my back if I needed advice, but he mostly left me alone to make the decisions.”

When Hofmans came back to Southern California he started training under his own name, and won his first race in 1973. 

While he's saddled plenty of good horses since then, his favorite will probably always be the namesake of Legacy Ranch, His Legacy. The 1985 gelding won 14 of his 47 career starts, racing through his 9-year-old season and earning $420,925.

“He was just a little cheap Cal-bred, and we'd run him for $25,000 or $30,000, but he was part of my life for six or seven years here at the track,” Hofmans said. “He won the Cal Cup Starter Handicap three times. The last time, we knew we were going to retire him after, and he was coming down the stretch and he grabbed the lead. My son and I were standing next to each other and looked over, and we were both crying. He was just a wonderful horse who tried every single time.”

One of Hofmans' other training highlights was saddling Alphabet Soup to win the 1996 Breeders' Cup Classic. 

“He wasn't the best horse, but he tried every single time, and I knew one day he was gonna win a big race or two because he tried so hard,” Hofmans said. “I remember the San Pasqual, with Chris Antley riding. They turned into the stretch and Alphabet Soup was in front. Soul of the Matter took the lead, passed him by about a half-length, maybe three-quarters, then all of a sudden at the wire there's Alphabet Soup's head. Antley comes back and he's crying, he was sort of an emotional guy anyway, but he said, 'Dave, I didn't do this. That horse got a half a length on us and this guy just threw himself at the wire.'

“Chris and I talked at the Breeders' Cup, he said, 'You know, if I can just get his head just in front at the 3/16ths pole, he may be gutsy enough not to let anybody pass him. And that's exactly how it happened that day, he just sticks his head down and digs in. He had Louis Quatorze on the inside, Cigar on outside; they were better horses but he just would not give in. He had a heart bigger than his body.”

Alphabet Soup (left) and Louis Quatorze battle to the wire, along with Cigar, in the '96 Classic (Breeders' Cup photo)

Perhaps slightly less well-known is the story of Dramatic Gold, owned by John Mabee. The 17-hand son of Slew o' Gold was extremely pigeon-toed and crooked-legged, and could easily have been overlooked as a top racehorse prospect.

“Mr. Mabee sent him to me, and said, 'Now I don't want an argument, you run him for a tag,'” Hofmans recalled. “I told him I'd give him $50,000 for the horse before he'd even started. Mr. Mabee thought about it for a minute, then said, 'Well, if you like him for fifty, maybe I'll just keep him.'

“Dramatic Gold made over $3 million in his career, and personality-wise was the coolest horse I ever trained. Wherever he would go everyone fell in love with him. One of the times Mr. Mabee fired me, he gave him to another trainer, and that trainer called me just to tell me how much he liked the horse.”

Hofmans' most recent Grade 1 winner was Melatonin, who took the Santa Anita Handicap and the Gold Cup at Santa Anita in 2016. 

Hofmans celebrates Melatonin's Santa Anita Handicap victory with jockey Joe Talamo
©Benoit Photo

“That was a gratifying career he had for me,” the trainer said. “When he won the 1 1/16-mile race at Del Mar in 41 and something, and did it so easily, I went down there and Joe Talamo was on him talking to my assistant. They both looked at me and said, 'We want to run in the Santa Anita Handicap!'

“I may have thought they were crazy, but I have a pic of Talamo in the Big 'Cap turning into the stretch on Melatonin 3-4 lengths in front. He had just looked back and had a big smile on his face because he hadn't let the horse run yet.”

Hofmans was nominated for the Hall of Fame in 2006, and while his list of accomplishments is long and distinguished, the trainer isn't ready to retire anytime soon. He has 17 horses in the barn these days, and he's still having too much fun to walk away.

“I love training horses, the getting out here early in the morning and interacting with the other horsemen, but mostly the horses,” Hofmans said. “Today's 70 is yesterday's 50, especially when you get a good one in the barn!” 

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Triple Crown Weekend Prep Report Card: Midnight Bourbon Aging Well

One Kentucky Derby qualifying points race was held over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, but there were a couple of other races worth looking at.

The points race was the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes from Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., a 1 1/16-mile contest offering 17 Derby points to the top four finishers (10-4-2-1). While no winners of the Lecomte have gone on to capture the G1 Kentucky Derby, there are some notable successes in the not-too-distant past, including G1 Preakness winners War of Will (2019) and Oxbow (2013). Going back a few more years to 2007, you'll find Derby runner-up Hard Spun on the Lecomte winner's roster.

Tampa Bay Downs ran the Pasco Stakes, a starting point for the Oldsmar, Fla., track's Derby qualifying points races: the Feb. 6 Sam F. Davis (17 points) and March 6 Tampa Bay Derby (85 points). The Pasco, run at seven furlongs, offered a $125,000 purse but no Derby points and has never produced a winner that had an impact on the Triple Crown.

Finally, California-breds were in the spotlight at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., including 3-year-olds in the Cal Cup Derby. While this might not be a points race, let's remember that a Lucky Pulpit colt named California Chrome launched his 3-year-old championship campaign (including Kentucky Derby and Preakness wins) with a victory in the Cal Cup Derby.

As I wrote in my first 2021 Triple Crown Weekend Prep Report Card, the following grades are entirely subjective and based on my personal “eyeball test,” Beyer Speed Figures from Daily Racing Form, historical significance of the race and perceived quality of fields. I don't employ an “easy” curve in my grading.

Jan. 16: Lecomte Stakes, 1 1/16 miles, Fair Grounds

Midnight Bourbon was second-choice in the wagering behind the Brad Cox-trained Into Mischief colt Mandaloun, the 4-5 favorite who came into the Lecomte undefeated in two starts: a six-furlong maiden win at Keeneland Oct. 24 and an allowance victory at Churchill Downs Nov. 28. Midnight Bourbon, trained by Steve Asmussen, chased the front-running (and likely distance challenged) Jackie's Warrior last time out when third in the G1 Champagne Stakes at a one-turn mile at Belmont Park Oct. 10. Michael Stidham-trained Proxy (by Tapit) won back-to-back maiden and allowance races around two turns in November and December at Fair Grounds after narrowly losing his debut at Monmouth Oct. 24.  He was the 8-1 fifth choice in the betting.

Midnight Bourbon and Joe Talamo hold off Proxy and Mandaloun to win the Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds

All three come from serious racing and breeding operations: Midnight Bourbon is a Winchell Thoroughbreds homebred Tiznow colt; Mandaloun is a Juddmonte Farms homebred; and Proxy is a Godolphin homebred produced from the outstanding racemare Panty Raid, winner of the G1 Spinster at Keeneland.

Midnight Bourbon has the goods pedigree-wise, being a half brother to G3 Salvatore Mile winner Pirate's Punch (by Shanghai Bobby); G1 Haskell winner Girvin (by Tale of Ekati); and G3 Iroquois winner Cocked and Loaded (by Colonel John). Now pensioned Tiznow, the two-time G1 Breeders' Cup Classic winner, has been an outstanding sire. He was a late developer, not debuting until late April of his 3-year-old campaign and winding up the year as the champion 3-year-old male and 2000 Horse of the Year. It wouldn't be a stretch to think Midnight Bourbon will age well.

Joe Talamo, subbing for jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. aboard Midnight Bourbon, took it to his rivals early, outhustling Proxy and Mandaloun for the early lead and laying down 24 and change fractions all the way around the Fair Grounds oval and repelling bids from Proxy and a three-wide Mandaloun from the three-eighths pole to the wire, holding them at bay by one length.  Trainer Cox said he might put blinkers on Mandaloun for his next start in the Risen Star, where he'll get a rematch with Midnight Bourbon.

The winner earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure in the Lecomte, a significant improvement from his previous best Beyer, 80, when second to late-running Sittin On Go at Churchill Downs in the G3 Iroquois Sept. 5 after making a bold move to the lead on the turn for home.

Midnight Bourbon ran his final sixteenth in 6.32 seconds and the final five-sixteenths in 30.85 in his first true two-turn test (he broke his maiden going a mile on the peculiar Ellis Park layout where they start coming out of a chute on the clubhouse turn).

Grade: B

Jan. 16: Pasco Stakes, seven furlongs, Tampa Bay Downs

The Bill Mott-trained Union Rags colt Nova Rags jumped off the Daily Racing Form past performances page as the only 3-year-old in the eight-horse lineup to contest a graded stakes, finishing fourth in the G3 Nashua at Aqueduct on Nov. 8.

Nova Rags was made the 13-10 favorite and ran to his odds, winning by 2 ¾ lengths under Samy Camacho despite going very wide throughout (five wide going into the final turn). Nova Rags covered seven furlongs in 1:24.55 and earned a 75 Beyer Speed Figure, three ticks lower than a 78 Beyer in his debut maiden victory at Belmont Park Oct. 10.

Nova Rags draws off late under Samy Camacho to win the Pasco Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths

Out of a Smart Strike mare, the Michael Shanley homebred should improve with distance and Hall of Famer Mott is known for his patience with all of his horses. It's hard to take much from this race, especially when you go back and look at how soundly he was defeated in the Nashua, where he lost by 14 ¼ lengths without apparent excuse.

Grade: D

Jan. 16: California Cup Derby 1 1/16 miles, Santa Anita

Trainer David Hofmans added blinkers to Big Fish's equipment for this race restricted to California-bred or -sired horses after removing the hood two starts back. This a long-striding colt by the Dynaformer stallion Mr. Big who probably wasn't best suited when sent out for a 4 ½-furlong maiden test last June 19 in his debut, finishing second. After another sprint try on dirt where he finished third to Cal Cup Derby favorite Good With People, Hofmans moved Big Fish to turf, where he graduated against state-breds going one mile, then won the Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes against open company at the same distance.

Big Fish put in a big stretch run to win the California Cup Derby under Juan Hernandez

In the Cal Cup Derby, jockey Juan Hernandez allowed Big Fish to settle well behind the early leaders, commenced a drive around the three-eighths pole, saved ground into the stretch and ran down Good With People and Peter Miller stablemate None Above the Law. Big Fish won going away by 1 ½ lengths in a fairly pedestrian 1:46.37 for 1 1/16 miles, earning a 71 Beyer Speed Figure.

Hofmans now has options for the Legacy Ranch homebred, who comes from the same female family as Pasco winner Nova Rags. The fourth dam of Big Fish is Kaylem Ho, and Kaylem Ho is the second dam of Nova Rags. Kaylem Ho was a member of Mrs. Henry D. Paxson's excellent broodmare ban in the late 1970s in Pennsylvania.

Grade: C-

Coming up on Friday's opening-day card at Oaklawn is the Smarty Jones Stakes at a mile, with 17 Derby points offered. The following weekend, the Road to the Kentucky Derby gets more serious with the Jan. 30 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park  and Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita.

Previously: Jan. 3 Triple Crown Weekend Prep Report Card

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