Irish Surf among trio ending lengthy layoffs

ARCADIA, Calif. – Irish Surf has not raced since the 2014 Thanksgiving weekend, when he finished sixth in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar. Two injuries led to a layoff that will end with an appearance in a competitive optional claimer at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita on Thursday.

“We gave him a break, and he got cast in his stall,” trainer Dan Hendricks said last weekend. “He had a setback on the farm, and it took forever, it seems, to bring him around.”

Irish Surf is not the only runner in the field returning from a lengthy rest. Big John B will have his first start since a win in the Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup last April. Farhaan, fourth in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga last summer, has not raced since September.

Those three are part of a field of seven in which the other four runners – Conquest Daddyo, Gustnado, Prospect Park, and Wanstead Gardens – also are capable of winning.

Prospect Park, who won the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap for 3-year-olds on turf at Del Mar in 2015, was second by a neck in an optional claimer at 1 1/8 miles on turf Feb. 5. He is likely to be favored off that performance.

“He may not have been 100 percent last time, but the race has done him some good,” trainer Clifford Sise Jr. said. “He doesn’t have that killer instinct sometimes.”

Hendricks has realistic expectations for Irish Surf, a 7-year-old horse who races for Gainesway Stable and Thor-Bred Stable. Thursday’s race could lead to appearances in marathon turf stakes in the coming months.

“I’m hoping for a good run,” Hendricks said. “He wants to run all day. This will set him up for the long-distance races.”

Phil D’Amato trains Big John B and Farhaan, both 8-year-olds.

“This will be the only time they’ll run together,” D’Amato said. “Big John B wants to run a mile and a quarter to a mile and a half. Farhaan is more of a miler.”

D’Amato is hoping to start Big John B in the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf March 25 or the Tokyo City Cup at 1 1/2 miles on dirt April 2. Wednesday’s race may be too short, he said.

“The question is the mile and an eighth,” D’Amato said. “He’s fit and happy. This will be a good race to kick off the year.”

Big John B was sidelined last year with hind-end issues, D’Amato said. Farhaan, previously trained by Carlos Martin, was ill earlier this winter but recovered to work consistently through February.

“He got sick on me a little bit, and I backed off,” D’Amato said. “This should be a good race for him.”

Stevens set to return

Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens returns to riding at Santa Anita on Thursday for the first time since undergoing a hip-replacement operation in December.

Stevens, who turned 54 Monday, rides Oopper Wallah in the fourth race, a $40,000 claimer at six furlongs, and Jabber Now in the eighth race, a maiden race for Californiabred fillies and mares on turf. Stevens has two mounts Friday, including Paquita Coqueta in the $75,000 Wishing Well Stakes for fillies and mares on the hillside turf course.

Stevens resumed working out horses in late February. He has said in recent weeks that he has experienced no discomfort in the hip after resuming activity.

Thursday’s program will be the first mounts for Stevens since Dec. 10 at Los Alamitos. In 2016, Stevens won 40 races from 316 mounts. His top mount was Beholder, who won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita in November.

Conquest Enforcer in Kilroe

Conquest Enforcer will start in Saturday’s Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf at Santa Anita with four healthy feet.

Four weeks ago, the 4-yearold colt was in a different state. Immediately after a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes at a mile on turf Feb. 11, Conquest Enforcer was found to have a quarter crack. Through February, the foot was treated by noted farrier Wes Champagne, and it has responded to treatment, according to trainer Phil D’Amato.

“I give all the credit to Wes Champagne,” D’Amato said last Sunday. “We haven’t had any issues since. The foot is ice cold, and the patch looks good.”

Conquest Enforcer was the 6-5 favorite in the Arcadia. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Conquest Enforcer led at the eighth pole and was beaten three-quarters of a length by Bolo.

“I believe if he doesn’t pop the quarter in the race, I think he wins,” D’Amato said. “Flavien noted he had a lack of punch. In the stretch, he put his head up. That foot was bothering him.”

Prat has the mount on Conquest Enforcer in the $400,000 Kilroe Mile. The race has an excellent field, with the graded stakes winners Bal a Bali, Bolo, Dortmund, Ring Weekend, and What a View all probable starters.

Conquest Enforcer won the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile for 3-year-olds on turf Dec. 26 in his first start for D’Amato and owners Loooch Racing Stable, Imaginary Stables, and Raquel Ritchie. By Into Mischief, Conquest Enforcer was bought for $785,000 by his current owners at the Conquest Stable dispersal at Keeneland in November.