Rock Hard Ten Breezes, May Skip 'Fernando

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Malibu Stakes (gr. I) winner Rock Hard Ten, who breezed three furlongs Sunday in :36 4/5, may not be ready for the second leg of the Strub series for 4-year-olds, the $200,000 San Fernando Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita Park on Jan. 15.

The breeze came just a week after Rock Hard Ten's impressive half-length victory in the seven-furlong Malibu, his first start for trainer Richard Mandella.

"He may or may not run in the San Fernando," Mandella said. "The work is a few days early but I wanted to do it now so I wouldn't be stuck in the middle of a rain storms not having any works. This will carry me over so I don't have to panic."

The San Fernando is at 1 1/16 miles.

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