Pulpit Stakes Claim as One to Beat in East

Making his stakes debut in only his third career start, Pulpit clearly established himself as the 3-year-old to beat in the East on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Showing an ability to come on strong off a solid pace, the much-hyped son of A.P. Indy scored a 1 1/2-length victory over 32-1 shot Blazing Sword and seven other sophomores in the $200,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes.

The future book favorite for the Kentucky Derby in many places on the strength of his first two victories against maidens and allowance types, Pulpit, the even-money choice Saturday, completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41 4/5 and probably will run next in the $500,000 Florida Derby on March 15.

While Arthur L and the sprinter Confide did battle through 23 1/5, 45 3/5 and 1:09 3/5 fractions, Pulpit and jockey Shane Sellers were content to sit third on the outside, then took over in the stretch and went on to the victory.

A winner of five of his first nine starts, Blazing Sword finished half a length in front of the fast-finishing Captain Bodgit, who was making his first start for the locally based Team Valor and was ridden by Alex Solis.

Looking for his fourth consecutive victory, Arthur L faded to fourth, but he did better than 2-1 second choice Acceptable. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up was sixth after a perfect trip. Wrightwood, trained by Wayne Lukas and ridden by Gary Stevens, defeated only Confide.

“[Pulpit] ran a very good race today,” said Frank Brothers, who trains the colt for Claiborne Farm. “Like I said all week, this was a huge step for him. He rated kindly behind a hot pace today and the dirt hit him in the face and it didn’t seem to bother him.

“He settled in nicely and when [Sellers] called upon him, he responded well.

“I’ve never trained a colt like him before. He has a lot of brilliance to him and I don’t think it was his best out there.”

Sellers, who gave up a ride on Acceptable to stay with Pulpit, was also impressed.

“There were those two speed horses and I was hoping that I could take him back and I was hoping that I wasn’t making the wrong move,” he said. “I didn’t want to get criticized and get beat that way. I went with my instincts and he came through for me.

“Around the last turn, he was kind of looking at [Confide and Arthur L] and he was kind of shying away from them, so that’s why I [hit him] before I got to the quarter pole. I was trying to make him go on and get away from them.

“When I hit him left-handed around the eighth pole, he just hit another gear. He got a little tired, but he is a fighter.”

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Back doing what she wants to do, Advancing Star is the 9-5 favorite against five other fillies and mares in the $125,000 Las Flores Handicap today at Santa Anita.

Not at her best around two turns and a disaster over any kind of an off track, Advancing Star is most effective sprinting on dry land, so she should have no excuses this afternoon.

A Grade III race, the Las Flores is run at six furlongs, and barring a drastic change in the weather, the track will be fast. Owned by John and Betty Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm and trained by Richard Mandella, Advancing Star is unbeaten in four tries around one turn on a dry track.

To be ridden by Stevens, the Soviet Star filly will also race on Lasix for the first time as she tries to rebound from losses at odds of 4-5 and 2-1.

Track Gal, who has three victories in five starts on the Santa Anita main track, will also appreciate a fast surface. She put away Advancing Star after a pace duel in the Santa Monica, but weakened late to finish fourth.

Another fan of the track, Raw Gold is the 5-2 second choice. She will be going for her fifth victory in seven tries in Arcadia and comes off an easy victory over lesser in a Jan. 26 allowance race.

Rounding out the field for the Las Flores are the underrated Our Summer Bid, who has made nearly $317,000 in winning seven of 24, Grab The Prize, who figures to be finishing best of all, and Avenue Shopper.

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Mud Route, who will make his stakes debut in the $200,000 San Rafael Stakes a week from today, worked seven furlongs in 1:24 4/5 Saturday morning at Santa Anita.

With regular rider Chris McCarron aboard, the 3-year-old son of Strawberry Road had the fastest time of the morning at the distance and that’s nothing new for him. Saturday was the fourth consecutive time that has been the case.

At the moment, Mud Route, who is trained by Ron McAnally for owner Janis Whitham, will have seven challengers in the one-mile San Rafael. Other probables are Bagshot, Boston Harbor, Daylight In Dubai, Inexcessivelygood, Steel Ruhlr, Swiss Yodeler and Wild Rush.

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Speaking publicly for the first time in almost four months, jockey Chris Antley said he expects to return to riding toward the end of April. He last rode Oct. 12 and has been staying with relatives in South Carolina.

“I had to get away,” Antley told Roger Stein on his XTRA radio program Saturday morning. “I needed time. I took it and it’s been the best thing for me. When I come back, I’ll be ready. This has been a semi-retirement, just a refresher.”

Horse Racing Notes

There is a Pick Six carryover for today of $132,659.88. . . . Weights for the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap will be released today and the Grade I race could have as many as 12 starters. The possibles are Gentlemen, Elmhurst, Just Java, and the probables are Chequer, Editor’s Note, Formal Gold, Siphon, Sandpit, Zanferrier, The Barking Shark, Marlin and Kingdom Found. . . . Victimized by troubled trips in some of his recent races, Dreamer had clear sailing Saturday and got up to beat favored Wings Bash by a head in the $78,680 San Marino Handicap. . . . Earlier, Truly June’s remained unbeaten in three starts with a half-length victory over Spirited Jaclyn in the $70,750 Boo La Boo. . . . Jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. was given a five-day suspension, starting Friday, after being disqualified from second to fifth on Strawberry Patch in Friday’s eighth race.