Budget Stable's Dressed in Hermes will look for his second straight graded stakes score in the $100,000 Sham Stakes (gr. III) Jan. 9 at Santa Anita Park, but it will come over a relatively unfamiliar surface. Santa Anita Park, Saturday, January 09, 2016, Race 6
In his last start, the Hat Trick (Jpn) gelding trained by Janet Armstrong closed from seventh place to win the Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (gr. IIIT) over the Del Mar turf course, but will try dirt for the first time since his July 25 debut when he steps on the Santa Anita main track Saturday.
LEWYN: Dressed in Hermes Up Late for DeMille Win
In his first start, a six-furlong maiden special weight event at Del Mar, Dressed in Hermes finished fourth in a field of nine, 5 3/4 lengths behind winner and eventual two-time graded victor Exaggerator .
But Dressed in Hermes isn't the only last-out winner entered in the Sham. Three other entrants have won their last start, including California-bred Found Money, the only other stakes winner in the field of nine going a mile on the dirt. The Square Eddie colt heads a contingent of three from the Doug O'Neill barn—including last-out allowance winner Semper Fortis and maiden special weight victor Sorryaboutnothing—after winning the King Glorious Stakes in his last start Dec. 12 at Los Alamitos Race Course.
Another last-out winner is Let's Meet in Rio, one of two Bob Baffert-trained colts set to go in the Sham. The Flatter colt broke through at third asking Dec. 5 at Los Alamitos in a mile maiden special weight event. Baffert has also entered Speedway Stable's Collected, who finished second, by 1 1/4 lengths, to Dressed in Hermes in the DeMille.
Graded stakes-placed I'malreadythere, maiden winner Rare Candy, and winless Laoban compete the field.
Entries: Sham S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Rare Candy (FL) Joseph Talamo 118 David E. Hofmans 6/1 2 2Dressed in Hermes (KY) Mike E. Smith 120 Janet Armstrong 7/2 3 3Let's Meet in Rio (KY) Kent J. Desormeaux 118 Bob Baffert 6/1 4 4Found Money (CA) Mario Gutierrez 118 Doug F. O'Neill 6/1 5 5Semper Fortis (KY) Kieren Fallon 118 Doug F. O'Neill 8/1 6 6Laoban (KY) Tyler Baze 118 Eric J. Guillot 15/1 7 7I'malreadythere (FL) Rafael Bejarano 118 Jerry Hollendorfer 5/1 8 8Sorryaboutnothing (FL) Flavien Prat 118 Doug F. O'Neill 15/1 9 9Collected (KY) Martin Garcia 118 Bob Baffert 3/1
Dressed in Hermes will look for his second straight graded stakes score in the Sham Stakes.
Benoit Photography
