Armour Plate escapes big boys

ARCADIA, Calif. – Armour Plate kept excellent company in 2017, and that will draw the attention of bettors when he has his first start of the year in Thursday’s fifth race at Santa Anita, an allowance race with a $75,000 claiming option for 3-year-olds at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course.

Armour Plate was third in the Zuma Beach Stakes here last October won My Boy Jack, who won two stakes earlier this year and was fifth in the Kentucky Derby. In his final start of 2017, Armour Plate was 10th in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar in November won by Analyze It, who is undefeated in three starts, including a win in the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland last month.

Since that race, Armour Plate has changed trainers, going from Eddie Truman to Bill Spawr. Spawr has been impressed by the progress Armour Plate has shown in recent workouts. Armour Plate has had nine consecutive workouts at six furlongs since March 19. He was timed in 1:13.60 on April 22, the fastest of that morning.

“It’s not the speed,” Spawr said. “It’s the way he does things. He’s a happy horse who does what you want. He relaxes and finishes.

“The time off they gave him will help him improve.”

Armour Plate is part of a field of eight in the optional claimer, which includes several interesting runners. Calexman was scratched from the Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes for this race. Move Over was third in the Singletary Stakes at a mile on turf May 5. Heartfullofstars finished fifth in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct last month.

The optional claimer is the fifth race on an eight-race program that has a carryover of $479,931 in the pick six jackpot, which is paid if there is only one winning ticket.

KEY CONTENDERS

Armour Plate, by Into Mischief Last 3 Beyers: 72-78-68

◗ Armour Plate won a maiden race at a mile on turf in his debut on the surface last July, beating My Boy Jack, who finished second by 1 1/4 lengths.

◗ For Thursday’s race, Armour Plate will be ridden by Rafael Bejarano and starts from the rail, a post position that did not please an otherwise optimistic Spawr.

“That’s the only compromising thing I see,” Spawr said. Heartfullofstars, by Astrology Last 3 Beyers: 81-79-80

◗ Heartfullofstars was beaten 11 3/4 lengths by winner Vino Rosso in the Wood Memorial at 1 1/8 miles. This will be Heartfullofstars’s first start on turf in his seventh race.

“I want to get him around one turn,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “He’s got a big, long stride like a grass horse.

“We’ll see if the cutback to one turn makes him more effective.”

Calexman, by Midshipman Last 3 Beyers: 86-87-68

◗ Calexman won a maiden race on turf at Del Mar last November in his only start on the surface.

◗ He was fourth behind eventual Kentucky Derby winner Justify in an optional claimer at a mile on dirt March 1 and second to Ax Man in an optional claimer at a mile on dirt April 8.