The winning margin was 1 ½ lengths as stretch-running Stevie Wonderboy, making his first start in 11 weeks and his first around two turns, could make little impact on two-turn proven Brother Derek, who was timed in 1:36.11 and paid $4.60 as the second choice.
Stevie Wonderboy, thus, joined a growing list of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile champions to lose their next starts with the only exception since 1992 being Favorite Trick in 1997.
The chestnut colt named after entertainer Stevie Wonder had dominated fourth-place Brother Derek by 8 ½ lengths when taking the Oct. 29 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile around one turn at Belmont Park, but his rival got the jump this time.
Alex Solis sent California-bred Brother Derek to the lead soon after the start on Saturday. They cruised through early fractions of 23.48 and 46.80. “Anytime you get Brother Derek out there on the front end going 23-and-change, you know you’ve got trouble,” said Doug O’Neill, Stevie Wonderboy’s trainer.
Stevie Wonderboy, the 3-5 favorite, trailed early in the field reduced to four starters. Jockey Garrett Gomez roused his colt for their closing bid rounding the far turn while racing three wide. “My horse is so big, I was really asking him to go at the quarter pole,” Gomez said, “but Alex was just cruising, and we just couldn’t quite make up that much ground. My horse was getting a little tired at the end.
“My horse was still going strong at the end,” Solis said. “He was just waiting for competition.” Wanna Runner, ridden by Victor Espinoza, finished 3 ½ lengths behind Stevie Wonderboy while running third. It was 9 ½ lengths further back to last-place Woody Be Quick. Sailor Sunset and M.J. Pkay were scratched earlier in the day that cleared during the afternoon following earlier drizzles.
Everything considered, O’Neill was not displeased with his horse’s effort. “He ran huge,” said Stevie Wonderboy’s trainer. “You don’t want to peak too early in the year.
For Brother Derek, it was his third win around two turns after winning two graded stakes at 1 1/16 miles: the Hollywood Futurity at Hollywood Park on Dec. 17 and Oak Tree’s Norfolk Stakes on Oct. 2 at Santa Anita.
Saturday’s winning purse of $90,000 raised his earnings to $592,080 for owner Cecil Peacock, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It was the son of Benchmark’s fourth win in six starts. “Every race he runs, he keeps improving,” said Solis. “He keeps amazing me how much he’s maturing and how classy he is.
Trainer Dan Hendricks said, “Alex had a lot of horse. He knows this horse and he rode him perfect. The fractions were a little soft and I thought Stevie (Wonderboy) was a little closer than I wanted him to be, but it worked out.
Tentative plans by Hendricks call for Brother Derek to return in the March 4 Santa Catalina Stakes, a $200,000 Grade II at 1 1/16 miles, which could develop into a rematch with Stevie Wonderboy. O’Neill indicated his colt would also be considered for the Santa Catalina.
Gomez rode the winner of Saturday’s companion Grade II feature when guiding Unbridled Energy to a three-quarter-length victory over Canteen in the $200,000 San Fernando Breeders’ Cup Stakes for 4-year-olds. The roan Kentucky-bred son of Unbridled’s Song ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.33. Greeley’s Galaxy finished third in the springboard to the $300,000 Strub Stakes on Feb. 4.
The winner, who rallied from sixth in a field of nine, paid $9.60 for his fourth win in eight starts. Trained by Richard Mandella for Doug Cauthen, Unbridled Energy elevated his earnings to $282,862. “He ran a tremendous race,” said Gomez. “I found a place to go about the 5/16’s pole, set him on his way, and he did the rest.
Runner-up Canteen raced blocked through the early stretch run and had to steady sharply. “I was on much the best horse,’ said jockey Patrick Valenzuela. “We’ll get ’em in the (March 4) Big ’Cap.
Racing resumes Sunday on the three-day holiday weekend with first post at 12:30 p.m. The feature race is the Grade II, $150,000 El Encino Stakes for 4-year-old fillies.
