Collusion Illusion may stay at one turn

Collusion Illusion’s brilliant rally that led to a win in Saturday’s Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita is likely to keep the 3-year-old in oneturn races this summer.

Collusion Illusion caught pacesetter Ragtime Blues in the stretch of the $100,000 Barrera Stakes at seven furlongs before drawing away by 3 1/4 lengths at 2-5. The win has led trainer Mark Glatt to strongly consider the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes, a $300,000 race at seven furlongs for 3-year-olds, on Aug. 1 at Saratoga.

“It makes some sense,” Glatt said. “It’s Grade 1.”

Glatt said he would like to give Collusion Illusion a start in longer races at some point but questioned Sunday whether this summer is the time to do so. Collusion Illusion won the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at six furlongs in his stakes debut at Del Mar last summer and his 3-year-old debut in an allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option at six furlongs against older horses on May 17.

Collusion Illusion was pulled up in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at 1 1/16 miles last September, his only loss in five starts and his final race of 2019.

“My inclination is – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Glatt said. “There is nothing wrong with a Grade 1 sprinting. There is always a chance to stretch him out later.”

In the Barrera, Collusion Illusion closed along the rail on the turn.

“He took quite a bit of dirt,” Glatt said. “It was pretty impressive. It wasn’t a perfect trip. I wouldn’t call it a bad trip, either.”

Owned by the partnership of Dan Agnew, Rodney Orr, Jerry Schneider, and John Xitco, Collusion Illusion has earned $248,751.

Indian Peak headed to Del Mar

Indian Peak, winner of the $151,000 Snow Chief Stakes on turf for California-bred 3-year-olds on Saturday at Santa Anita, will be part of trainer Quinn Howey’s 10-horse stable at Del Mar this summer.

Indian Peak will be pointed to a stakes against open company at 1 1/16 miles in early August. Howey said the $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes on dirt on Aug. 1 or the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap on turf on Aug. 9 are under consideration.

Indian Peak was a troubled seventh in the California Cup Derby on dirt at Santa Anita in January, his only start on the surface. Indian Peak was steadied on the turn.

“He had a horrible trip that day,” Howey said.

Indian Peak has won 4 of 10 starts and earned $204,100 for owners and breeders William and Jill Gray. Indian Peak has won 2 of 4 starts on turf and 2 of 5 starts on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate Fields, where Howey is based.

The Shared Belief is the last stakes in California with qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs.

“That will be a tough race,” Howey said. “I think we’ll play it by ear and see how he’s training.”

In the Snow Chief Stakes at 1 1/8 miles, Indian Peak rallied three wide on the backstretch to reach contention with more than a half-mile remaining. Indian Peak finished a halflength in front of the filly California Kook.

Mike Smith rode Indian Peak for the first time in the Snow Chief. Howey met Smith after the race. Aislinn Finn, an exercise rider for Howey, conveyed the stable’s instructions to Smith before the race.

“I had never met Mike before,” Howey said. “I thanked him for the strong ride. He said, ‘That was fun.’ ”

The Snow Chief was the first six-figure stakes win for Howey, 35. He currently has eight horses at Grants Pass in Oregon and more than 30 at Golden Gate Fields.

Howey’s Del Mar stable will include Wise Rachel, who won the $75,000 Pike Place Dancer Stakes at Golden Gate Fields last October and recently returned to training after a springtime rest at a farm.

Toinette targeting Jenny Wiley

Toinette has won four stakes, including three Grade 2 or Grade 3 races, in her 12-race career. She has finished ninth and fourth in two Grade 1 races and may have another chance to race at that level next month.

Toinette won her 2020 debut in Saturday’s Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes at a mile on turf for fillies and mares at Santa Anita. Trainer Neil Drysdale said Sunday that the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes, a $350,000 race for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on July 11 at Keeneland, is part of Toinette’s shortterm plans.

“We’re looking at the Jenny Wiley because it’s a Grade 1,” he said.

A winner of eight starts, Toinette won the Wilshire by 2 3/4 lengths as the 3-5 favorite in her first start since a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar last December. Toinette led briefly, stalked a rival on the backstretch and turn, and took the lead again in early stretch.

“It was a strangely run race,” Drysdale said. ‘She was a little bit fresh and keen. All in all, I thought it was a nice comeback race.”