STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2023

- • DESORMEAUX HAS ‘CONFIDENCE’ IN BROTHER’S DERBY HORSE - • MI HERMANO RAMON GETS CLASS RELIEF IN SUNDAY’S SINGLETARY - • RAINBOW 6 JACKPOT SCOOPED FOR $312,392 ON FRIDAY - • SATURDAY’S 6 TURF RACES WILL GO AS SCHEDULED __- • SANTA ANITA IS HOSTING A KENTUCKY DERBY WATCH PARTY __

DESORMEAUX HAS ‘CONFIDENCE’ IN BROTHER’S KENTUCKY DERBY HORSE

It was a big Friday at Santa Anita for jockey Kent Desormeaux, a three-time winner of the Kentucky Derby. The Hall of Fame rider hopes it’s an even bigger Saturday for his brother Keith at Churchill Downs.

Following Kent Desormeaux’s three-win day here Friday, trainer Keith Desormeaux will try for his first classic win when he saddles Confidence Game in the 149th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Whether it be through astute analysis, or simply brotherly optimism, Kent Desormeaux thinks his older sibling has a big shot to win the roses.

“He has the same number of wins on that track (two) as the rest of the field combined,” Desormeaux noted.

Confidence Game will be ridden in the Kentucky Derby by James Graham. In two previous Derby mounts, Graham finished off the board with Lone Sailor (8th) in 2018 and Major Fed (10th) in 2020. Graham has ridden Confidence Game in six of his seven starts, including a win in the GII Rebel at Oaklawn Park in his final prep Feb. 25.

Confidence Game was 20-1 on the morning line before the field was shaken up with five scratches. On Saturday morning, 3-1 morning-line favorite Forte became the latest horse to be withdrawn. A field of 18 is now set to go postward at 3:57 p.m PT. As of 11:30 a.m PT Saturday, Confidence Game was trading at 17-1 in the early wagering.

Among the handicapping concerns when it comes to Confidence Game is the extended 10-week gap between his win in the Rebel and the Kentucky Derby. Desormeaux does not see that as a problem.

“Not at all,” he said Saturday morning from Clocker’s Corner. “These horses are overtrained anyway. And the Churchill Downs track will be so tight, a horse that can get a mile can get a mile-and-a-quarter. It will be fast.”

In the Rebel, Confidence Game settled in fifth in a seven-horse field before uncorking a rally to score by a length at 18-1. But prior to that effort, Confidence Game had been forwardly placed in both the Lecomte at Fair Grounds when he was a third and in an allowance win at Churchill Downs last fall.

Desormeaux expects Confidence Game to be up near the front on Saturday.

“He’ll definitely be forwardly placed. Keith’s horse has speed, which adds to the confidence in Confidence Game,” Desormeaux said. “But they have to break well. Otherwise, your chances are diminished completely. It’s a mad dash that first 200 yards. If you break and find yourself a half-length behind somebody, you’re going to be in trouble if you can’t get out of that pocket. That accordion closes fast.”

Desormeaux, 53, was elected to the Racing Hall of Fame in 2004. His three Derby wins came aboard Real Quiet in 1998, Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000 and Big Brown in 2008. His last Derby mount came in 2018 when fifth aboard My Boy Jack.

On Friday at Santa Anita, Desormeaux won the third race aboard Youteyourhonor ($3.40) for trainer Vladimir Cerin, the sixth on Del Mar Jerry ($12.00) for trainer Michael McCarthy and the eighth with Starship Defiant for trainer Bob Hess Jr.

“It’s been some time since I had three winners in a day. That was nice,” Desormeaux said.

Desormeaux has four mounts on Saturday, including 8-5 favorite Navy Man in the co-feature Lazaro Barrera Stakes for trainer Michael McCarthy. The Barrera goes as the sixth race with a scheduled post time of 3:25 p.m. First post Saturday at Santa Anita is 12:30 p.m.

MI HERMANO RAMON GETS CLASS RELIEF IN SUNDAY’S SINGLETARY

Following an ambitious trip to Keeneland to contest the GIII Transylvania, Mi Hermano Ramon is the 2-1 morning-line favorite in Sunday’s Singletary Stakes going 1 1/8 miles on turf.

A 3-year-old gelding by Creative Cause, Mi Hermano Ramon won his first two career starts here this winter for trainer Mark Glatt and owners Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal He was subsequently entered for his stakes debut in the March 5 Baffle Stakes on the hillside turf course where he was a troubled fourth.

In the 1 1/16-mile Transylvania, Mi Hermano Ramon again finished fourth as a 15-1 longshot. He encountered slight trouble on the first turn when forced to check under John Velazquez. Mi Hermano Ramon maintained a forward position throughout, but when the real running began he could only chase the winner Mo Stash. Mi Hermano Ramon was beaten three lengths on the wire.

On Saturday morning, Glatt noted the trouble on the first turn in the Transylvania but wasn’t sure of its ultimate impact on the result.

“I don’t know that it kept him from winning the race, but it certainly compromised him a bit,” Glatt said. “He still had a chance to win, but kind of was caught inside a little bit. He ran a good race he but just wasn’t good enough.”

Mi Hermano Ramon now gets a touch of class relief plus an extra furlong in the Singletary. He’ll also have a new rider as Umberto Rispoli takes over. They will break from the rail in a six-horse field.

The Singletary goes as the third race on Sunday’s nine-race card. Post time is scheduled for 2:01 p.m. The field in post position order: Mi Hermano Ramon, Umberto Rispoli (2-1); Game Time, Juan Hernandez (5-2); Wizard of Westwood, Abel Cedillo (5-2); Malibu Coast

RAINBOW 6 JACKPOT SCOOPED FOR $312,392 ON FRIDAY

When 28-1 longshot Roubaix got up to win Friday’s nightcap under Tiago Pereira for owner/trainer Paula Capestro, the result was a single winning ticket in the Rainbow 6 Jackpot. It paid a whopping $312,392.08.

The winning ticket was purchased for $76.80 at The Meadowlands in New Jersey. The Rainbow 6 pool had a $277,762 carryover entering Friday. An additional $45,376 was wagered, creating a total pool of $323,138.

The winning horses and payouts in Friday’s Rainbow 6 were as follows: Indulge (#2) $7.20; Clouseau (#2) $13.20; Del Mar Jerry (#8) $12.00; Wyfire (#3) $5.40; Starship Defiant (#5) $7.80; and Roubaix (#6) $59.00.

FINISH LINES: With both the main track and training track reopened for full training, there were 125 timed workouts Saturday…11 horses are nominated for next Saturday’s GIII San Luis Rey Stakes going 1 ½ miles on turf including graded-stakes winners Offlee Naughty and Midcourt… Tickets to this year’s Breeders’ Cup Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita are now on sale. Tickets can be purchased at BreedersCup.com/ticket…Condolences to family and friends of retired trainer L.R. (Ross) Fenstermaker, who passed away on April 25 at age 83. Best known for his tremendous work with Fred Hooper’s homebred HOFer Precisionist, Fenstermaker had been in poor health for several years due to the effects of a stroke.