On Surface, It’s Clear El Roblar Digs the Dirt

El Roblar will make his 4-year-old debut on a surface on which he is unbeaten in the seventh race today at Santa Anita.

Idle since finishing ninth of 10 in the Del Mar Derby last Sept. 5, El Roblar, a son of War Chant, is returning to the dirt for owner Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables LLC and trainer Richard Mandella in the $63,000 optional claimer at one mile.

Purchased for $250,000 at the Keeneland September sale in 2003, El Roblar is two for two on the main track. He beat maidens by three-quarters of a length in his bow in January 2005 when trained by Bruce Headley, then won an allowance race in his first for Mandella last May 30 at Hollywood Park.

A winner once in three starts on the turf, El Roblar will be ridden today by Alex Solis, who has been aboard for two of the colt’s three career wins. Five others are scheduled to run this afternoon, including Actexcutive, Follow The Rainbow, High Volt Jolt, Bully Hayes and Stratostar.

Owned and trained by Headley, Bully Hayes will be dropping in class after running in three consecutive graded stakes. With Solis switching to El Roblar, Patrick Valenzuela will ride the 6-year-old Sultry Song gelding, who has won three of nine, for the first time.

Race of the day: Golden Harpoon, who broke his maiden impressively in his 2006 debut, will try for a repeat as he takes on eight others in the eighth race today at Aqueduct. Mike Luzzi, who was aboard for the 4 1/2 -length win Jan. 29, will ride the 4-year-old Golden Missile colt for owner Frank Stronach and trainer Todd Pletcher in the $46,000 allowance at one mile.

One for the road: Tricky Hill Cat should improve immensely after being claimed by high-percentage trainer Steve Miyadi and could spring a mild upset in the eighth race today at Golden Gate Fields. Martin Garcia will ride the 4-year-old Not Tricky filly for owner Carl Van Burger in the $6,250 claimer at six furlongs.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using Revello, Fly To The Wire and Abbi’s Choice in the fifth, Da Svedonya and Ultimate Summer in the sixth, El Roblar, Bully Hayes and Follow The Rainbow in the seventh and Golden Horn in the eighth.

Winners: (previous day/meet total): 5/138. Money: (previous day/meet total): $31.20/$852.20. Total money bet: $808.