San Simeon Stakes favorites all have questions to answer

ARCADIA, Calif. – None of the top three contenders in the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes is flawless, but minor imperfections do not preclude any from victory Saturday at Santa Anita.

In fact, it will be an upset if the six-furlong turf race is won by a horse other than Cistron, Jolie Olimpica, or Gregorian Chant. Yet each face questions.

Cistron, the 2020 San Simeon winner, has been off 10 months and is better on dirt. Jolie Olimpica is a graded stakes-winning mare who appeared disinterested in her recent comeback. She did not produce her customary speed and finished second. Has she tailed off?

Gregorian Chant is easier to support, but only if bettors conveniently overlook his first 12 races and focus on his most recent – a scintillating lastto-first stakes upset over the same course as Saturday. Is he a one-hit wonder, or the real deal?

“I’m sure there will be nicer horses in there, but the way [Gregorian Chant] is doing right now, I wouldn’t trade my horse with any,” trainer Phil D’Amato said.

Eight entered the $100,000 San Simeon, race 7; the Grade 1 Beholder Mile is race 8. San Simeon contenders include Sombeyay, Bob and Jackie, and Shashashakemeup. Outsiders are Barristan The Bold and Sparky Ville.

Cistron won the San Simeon following an eight-month layoff last year, and this year returns from a longer layoff.

“He got a little off behind last year and we had to stop on him,” trainer John Sadler said. “We brought him back, he’s training good, and I thought we could go another year with him.”

Cistron, at 7 the veteran of the field, is using the San Simeon as a prep.

“I really want to run him on dirt, I think he might be better on dirt,” Sadler said.

Cistron won the Grade 1 Bing Crosby on dirt in 2019 at Del Mar. Umberto Rispoli rides.

Jolie Olimpica finished onetwo all eight starts, but enters the San Simeon off a puzzling runner-up comeback. Not that she would have defeated the dazzling Charmaine’s Mia, but for the first time in the United States, Jolie Olimpica was not forwardly placed.

Trainer Richard Mandella sharpened her speed last weekend with a bullet work in 46.20 seconds.

“She’ll probably sit closer,” Mandella said.

Gender is not an issue.

“As fast as she is sprinting on the grass, I don’t think it matters,” he said.

Mike Smith rides Jolie Olimpica.

Gregorian Chant arrived from Ireland in early 2019 with high expectations that remained unfilled until after he was gelded in spring 2020 and shortened to a sprint this winter. The distance cutback was overdue, his trainer acknowledged.

“We always wanted to run him down the hill, but we never got the hill,” D’Amato said. “Then all they had was five and five and a half.”

That was too short. But last out at six furlongs, Gregorian Chant exploded to win a restricted stakes by more than two lengths.

Juan Hernandez retains the mount on Gregorian Chant. If he runs two alike, it’s history.

BENOIT PHOTO Gregorian Chant wins the Clocker’s Corner Stakes in his most recent start. A repeat of that performance would likely put him in the winner’s circle after Saturday’s San Simeon Stakes.