The Sham Stakes tops the Santa Anita bill on January 7 and a sweet group of 7 sophomores will compete. They will be looking to not only earn the $60,000 portion to the winner but also earn 10 points toward the Kentucky Derby.
The Grade 3 one-mile fixture is named for the unlucky runner Sham. He was one of the best racers in the 20th century but had the misfortune of being born in the same year as Secretariat. He ran second to Secretariat in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness and then was out of the money in the Belmont Stakes.
Some future stars have won the Sham Stakes in the past and Bob Baffert has won the race four times including last year with Collected.
On Saturday, Baffert will be represented in the Sham Stakes by American Anthem, who draws the rail. The $435,000 purchase is by Bodemeister, whom Baffert also trained. American Anthem has not been seen since winning his debut sprinting at Del Mar on December 3. In that race he stalked the leaders from his post 11 and got up by a neck with an 86 Beyer Speed Figure. The runner has a right to get the distance as his dam and sibling Tizmoney won routing. And his debut came back live as two runners exited his bow to win next out and another was beaten just a head.
Term of Art broke his maiden at Santa Anita but then was bothered in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile when beating just two to the wire. He returned in the Grade 3 Cecil B DeMille Stakes at a mile at Del Mar and won that race in November with a 74 Beyer.
Bird Is the Word is trying to do something that is extremely difficult and that is win the Sham Stakes as a maiden. The colt is on the improve but his best race came on grass. One thing his backers can hang their hat on is fact that sibling Exchange Cat did win routing.
Colonel Samsen commands respect. He has a nice turn of late foot, has won back-to-back races but will be making his first start on the dirt surface in the Sham Stakes. He has trained steadily for this and is in the good hands of Eoin Harty.
Gormley will be trying to make amends for his defeat in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Only 5-1 that day after winning the FrontRunner Stakes at Santa Anita, Gormley bobbled at the start in the Juvenile and was only a brief threat.
Big Hit was just that last time as he graduated in his third career start. He showed career speed winning a sprint at Del Mar and has trained fast for this assignment. He posted a best work out of the morning on December 27. A total of 112 runners worked at the distance of 5- furlongs and Big Hit’s time of :58 2.5 was the fastest.
Blabimir may have to invent a trip since he is on the extreme outside. There is a quick run to the first turn so his jockey Mario Gutierrez will have to decide quickly to either gun and press the pace and let the runner relax.
Here is how the Sham Stakes may unfold. The three likely speed performers are outside in Gormley, Big Hit and Blabimir. The Baffert charge on the rail could sit a stalk and kick kind of a trip. The other runners in the race will have to hope the leaders duel and they all fade into the sunset.
The most accomplished runner by far in this race is Gormley and he deserves to be the selection. It’s possible he could sit a garden trip right behind a pair of dueling rivals. The colt exits the best race, has trained very steadily for this and he is in the right hands. His trainer, John Shirreffs, knows what to do when he has a good horse in his stable. He proved that when he trained Zenyatta to win 19 of her 20 starts on way to Horse of the Year status. If Gormley can run back to anything close to his performance in the FrontRunner, the rest could be looking at minor awards.
