With longshot Sniper Kitten showing the way to the far turn, Count Again was next to last in a field of six older horses, about four lengths off the lead heading into the far turn. Heavily favored Subconscious took control at the top of the lane while Count Again was on the move, while fourth and three-wide. In a ferocious stretch rally he inhaled the leaders late to win easily.

“The (time off) did him a ton of good,” said D'Amato. “He told me in his last race at Del Mar (a fifth place finish in the G2 Del Mar Mile), 'Hey, I've had a long campaign, maybe it's time to give me a freshener.' And we did that. The owners have been great. Sam-Son Farms, Mark Martinez of Agave Racing, they just told me to give him all the time he needs, and we brought him back fresh and happy.

“I think Flavien got acquainted with him, breezing him the last couple of times and I think that helped him with his timing. He's a horse that just takes him a while to get in gear, but once he does, he's got a pretty impressive late turn of foot.”

A Grade 2 winner in his first start for D'Amato six races back on Nov. 28, 2020, Count Again, who is out of the Red Ransom mare Count to Three and was bred in Ontario, Canada by Sam-Son Farm, was off at 5-2 and paid and paid $7.60, $2.80 and $2.40.

“I've been on this horse a few times in the morning, so I got to know him,” said Prat, who notched his meet-leading 10th stakes victory. “We had a good trip and he put me in the race. He was traveling super all the way around there and when I asked him to run, he gave me a good kick.”

A Grade 3 winner at Woodbine in Toronto, Count Again is now a three-time graded stakes winner and is 14-5-1-4 overall. With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $463,665.

The 3-5 favorite with Juan Hernandez, Subconscious appeared to be in control approaching the furlong pole, but he was no match for the winner close home while finishing three lengths in front of Ready Soul. Idle since Nov. 27, Subconscious returned $2.20 and $2.10.

Ready Soul, who is also trained by D'Amato, was off at 7-1 with John Velazquez and paid $2.60 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.32, 47.41, 1:11.16 and 1:22.65.

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Most recently fifth, beaten 2 ¼ lengths in the G1 Hollywood Derby going 1 1/8 miles on turf at Del Mar Nov. 27, Subconscious pressed the pace two starts back en route to an authoritative 1 ¼ length win going the same distance in the G2 Twilight Derby on Oct. 31, which was his third consecutive win.

Owned by LNJ Foxwoods, Subconscious took a one mile turf allowance in similar fashion three starts back on Oct. 2 and with Juan Hernandez back in the saddle, he looks to be the horse to beat as he shortens up a furlong for the Thunder Road.  A 4-year-old gelding by Tapit, Subconscious has raced exclusively on grass while compiling an overall mark of 7-3-1-1.

A sharp third, beaten a half length at 5-2 in the G3 San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on dirt Dec. 26, Phil D'Amato's Ready Soul gets back to his preferred surface as he seeks his first stakes victory in what will be his 14th career start.  Ridden by Kent Desormeaux in the San Gabriel, he'll get the services of John Velazquez in the Thunder Road.  Owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC and Michael Nentwig, Ready Soul, a 5-year-old gelding by More Than Ready, has two wins from three tries over the Santa Anita turf.

D'Amato's Count Again, who kept good company while winless in five starts last year, has been idle since running fifth to multiple Grade 1 winner Mo Forza in the G2 Del Mar Mile (turf) on Aug. 21 and looms dangerous with Flavien Prat taking over for the first time.

A 7-year-old gelding by Awesome Again, Count Again was bred in Ontario, Canada, by his co-owner Sam-Son Farm.  A graded stakes winner in both Canada and Southern California, Count Again has two wins from four tries at one mile on turf and will likely try to rally from well off the pace on Saturday.  Owned by Sam-Son Farm and Agave Racing Stable, Count Again has four wins from 13 overall starts and earnings of $403,665.

GRADE 3 THUNDER ROAD, WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS
IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 1 of 9   Post time 12:30 p.m. PT
1. Subconscious—Juan Hernandez—124
2. Sniper Kitten—Christopher Emigh—124
3. Count Again—Flavien Prat—124
4. Delaware—Mike Smith—124
5. Ready Soul—John Velazquez—122
6. Hurricane Cloud—Umberto Rispoli—122

First post time for a nine-race card which will include three graded stakes on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m.  Admission gates open at 10:30 a.m.

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Brinkerhoff, 64, said he was transported to the hospital because he takes blood thinners and doctors wanted to be sure he hadn't suffered internal bleeding. He was diagnosed with a cracked elbow, broken finger, and separated shoulder.

“I was more worried about my horse,” Brinkerhoff told drf.com. “He just don't like that needle. When he blows up, you might as well forget it.”

Read more at the Daily Racing Form.

The post Trainer Val Brinkerhoff Suffers Minor Injuries In Pre-Race Incident With Restrainedvengence appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A comfortable third, about three lengths off the lead heading into the clubhouse turn, Hit the Road was in hand behind dueling leaders Sombeyay and Bob and Jackie three furlongs out and narrowed the gap to one length at the top of the lane.  Taking his cue from Rispoli, Hit the Road, who was three-deep turning for home, engaged the leaders and in an instant, opened up by three lengths a sixteenth from home en route to a huge win.

“He's just a really special horse and I am so lucky to have him,” said Blacker, 38.  “Like I said before the race, he was born a great horse.  I'm just lucky to have him in my barn.  Umberto worked the horse in 59 (seconds) a week ago and he called me after the work and said, 'He just worked okay.'  I was kind of worried he didn't think he looked too good.  Then after (today's) race he told me, 'I didn't want you to get too excited.'

“For me, the horse is a champion in my eyes and I'm just so thankful to the group of owners.”

The third choice in a field of six older horses at 3-1, Hit the Road paid $8.20, $4.40 and $3.40.

Owned D K Racing, LLC, Radley Equine, Inc., Taste of Victory Stables, Rick Gold and Dave Odmark, Hit the Road, a 4-year-old by More Than Ready, out of the U S Ranger mare Highway Mary, notched his first graded stakes win and his third overall added money victory.  A perfect two for two last year, he's now five for eight lifetime and with the winner's share of $60,000, increased his earnings to $254,751.

“He's a nice horse,” said Rispoli.  “We always believed in him and had faith in him. … I was on top of the race and by the five-furlong marker he was already pulling hard and I could understand he was fresh.  He was so good today.  At the top of the stretch, he had good acceleration and covered good ground.  It was a good comeback, so now it's up to Dan (as to) what he is going to do.”

Bob and Jackie, who was in the fight from the gate, proved second best under Heriberto Figueroa and paid $4.00 and $2.60 as the 2-1 favorite.

Border Town, who was ridden by Flavien Prat, was just up to nip Sombeyay by a nose for third money and paid $4.00 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.60, 46.80, 1:10.18 and 1:21.87.

The post Hit The Road Gives Blacker First Graded Stakes Win In Thunder Road appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Claimed for $62,500 out of a one turn mile win two starts back on Nov. 19 at Churchill Downs, Hembree rallied for an authoritative three quarter length score going 6 ½ furlongs on turf in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes here on Jan. 1. Trained by Peter Miller, Hembree, a two-time graded winner, is a full horse by Proud Citizen, out of the Langfuhr mare Knockatrina.

With lifetime earnings of $927,371, Hembree, who will be ridden back by Joel Rosario, is 40-8-10-8 overall, dating back to his first-out maiden win at Saratoga at age two in August of 2016.

Miller's “Avis Choice” is Sombeyay, who comes off a front-running 1 ¼ lengths allowance win on Jan. 15 as the 4-5 favorite under Flavien Prat, who appears to have opted for Border Town. Originally trained by Todd Pletcher, Sombeyay will be making his third start for Miller as he seeks his third graded stakes win. Owned by Swifty Farms, Inc., Sombeyay, a 5-year-old horse by Into Mischief, is 15-4-5-0 overall and will be ridden for the first time by Juan Hernandez.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Border Town comes off what appeared to be his best career race on Jan. 8, as he rallied from off the pace to take a one mile allowance by half a length under regular rider Prat. Owned by Ramona Bass and Perry Bass III, Border Town, a 5-year-old gelding by War Front, seeks his first graded stakes win in what will be his 12th start.

Trainer Dan Blacker's comebacking Hit the Road, who seeks his third consecutive win, lends further depth to the Thunder Road party. Idle since taking the restricted Oceanside Stakes at one mile on turf July 10 at Del Mar, Hit the Road was also a minor stakes winner going a mile on grass at Santa Anita in his third career start on Oct. 6, 2019. Owned by D K Racing, LLC and Radley Equine, Inc., Hit the Road, a 4-year-old colt by More Than Ready, would relish a fast pace to run at with regular rider Umberto Rispoli up.

THE GRADE 3 THUNDER ROAD, WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 10 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

1. Sombeyay—Juan Hernandez—122
2. Hit the Road—Umberto Rispoli—122
3. Restrainedvengence—Ruben Fuentes—122
4. Border Town—Flavien Prat—124
5. Campaign—Tyler Baze—122
6. Award Winner—Abel Cedillo—120
7. Bob and Jackie—Heriberto Figueroa—122
8. Hembree—Joel Rosario—120

Early first post time for a 10-race card on Saturday is at 12 noon. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com.

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