Sorry Erick tunes up for summer stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Little Scotty and Sorry Erik are not ready to race against many of Southern California’s best older horses, at least not this week.

Little Scotty and Sorry Erik were nominated for Saturday’s Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita, but instead will start in an allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option at a mile Thursday.

The optional claimer is the seventh race on a program that has two carryovers in the pick six–$63,001 in the main pool and $13,500 in the single-ticket jackpot pool. The pick six covers the third through eighth races.

The optional claimer could lead to starts in stakes this summer, even though trainer Keith Desormeaux admits Saturday’s race is tempting with Sorry Erik.

“The way he trains, I want to run him now, but I’m trying to be a patient horseman,” Desormeaux said.

The field of eight includes three stakes winners from 2016: Point Piper (Grade 3 Longacres Mile), Home Run Kitten (Grade 3 American Stakes), and Magic Mark (Brubaker Stakes). They are entered to be claimed for $62,500.

KEY CONTENDERS

Sorry Erik, by Wilburn Last 3 Beyers: 90-85-94

◗ Sorry Erik, claimed for $20,000 in early 2017, won an optional claimer at Del Mar last July in his final start of the year. In his lone start this season, Sorry Erik was third in an optional claimer at a mile April 22.

◗ Sorry Erik started in three graded stakes last year, with his best performance a fourth in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby last June.

“He seems to be on the edge of a top performance,” Desormeaux said. “Hopefully, we’ll see that kind of race on Thursday.”

Little Scotty, by Paddy O’Prado Last 3 Beyers: 94-89-85

◗ Little Scotty has won his last two starts–a $25,000 claimer by 5 3/4 lengths at 1 1/8 miles on March 24 and an optional claimer by seven lengths at 1 1/4 miles on April 26. He led throughout both races, his only starts on dirt in 27 races.

“Who knew he liked dirt?” trainer Vladimir Cerin said. “It’s funny how things work out sometimes. You don’t know until you try it.”

◗ Little Scotty was eligible to be claimed for $40,000 on April 26, but is not entered to be claimed Thursday.

◗ Cerin also starts Clear the Mine, who won a $40,000 claimer at a mile Feb. 25. He was second in the same optional claimer as Sorry Erik on April 22, the day he was claimed by Cerin.

“My other horse doesn’t need the lead,” Cerin said of Clear the Mine. “Little Scotty needs the lead.”

Magic Mark, by Benchmark Last 3 Beyers: 94-83-87

◗ Magic Mark underwent surgery to have a bone chip removed from an ankle in August, a month after he was second in the Bertrando Stakes for statebreds at Los Alamitos on July 8. This is Magic Mark’s first start since the Bertrando Sakes, a race he won in 2015.

◗ Trainer Ron Ellis has a reserved outlook for Thursday’s race.

“I’m sure he’ll need the race,” Ellis said.

◗ Magic Mark is 8. This will be his 23rd start and first for a claiming price.

Ferguson, by Haynesfield Last 3 Beyers: 73-91-87

◗ After consecutive wins in a maiden race last August and an optional claimer in January, Ferguson was last of seven in an optional claimer on a good track March 23, his most recent start.

◗ Ferguson will be ridden for the first time by Tyler Baze, who returns to riding Thursday after being unseated in a spill Saturday.

“Hopefully, they’ll click,” Jones said.