Periban sending Bodacious to Bashford Manor off debut

ARCADIA, Calif. – California trainer Jorge Periban will put a perfect record in Kentucky on the line June 30, when he sends the dazzling 2-year-old debut winner Bodacious from Santa Anita to Churchill Downs for the Bashford Manor Stakes.

Periban is 2 for 2 in Churchill stakes – Phantom Boss won the 2019 Bashford Manor and Tom’s Regret won the 2022 Kentucky Juvenile. Both were favorites. Based on an impressive debut, the newest Periban trainee may follow suit.

Bodacious, a California-bred colt by Smokem, was purchased for $7,000 in January. He won by more than five lengths May 3 at Santa Anita in the meet’s first juvenile race.

Bodacious zipped 4 1/2 furlongs in a quick 52.01. Before the maiden race, Periban was so confident that he already envisioned travel. “Do you want to go to Kentucky again?” Periban said to jockey Tyler Baze.

Bodacious “showed me a lot of talent in the morning,” Periban said. “I never let him work [fast], always easy. He’s got so much potential.”

Judge Miller to Gold Cup?

Judge Miller went backward on speed figures when he finished second April 20 at Santa Anita in the Grade 2 Californian, but no one is sounding an alarm. After earning a 105 Beyer Speed Figure winning an entry-level allowance Feb. 24, Judge Miller regressed to a 94 in the Californian.

“It was only his fourth lifetime start, and I think seasoning caught up with him a little bit,” trainer Mark Glatt said this week. “He came back good. I think he’ll bounce back and still develop into a bona fide stakes horse.”

Judge Miller is a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Clairiere. Glatt said he will “look at” the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup on May 27 for Judge Miller.

Glatt also looks forward to the upcoming return of Dr. Venkman, a 4-year-old gelding who began his career with two sharp sprint wins last summer at Del Mar before missing by a head with a 97 Beyer in the $235,000 Perryville Stakes in October at Keeneland.

“He had a couple things bothering him, [October] was the time to turn him out and get him fresh and ready for late spring into the summer, Glatt said.”

Sweet Azteca back in training

Sweet Azteca, winner of the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on March 9 at Santa Anita, returns to training this week after an untimely setback derailed plans for the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

“She cut her knee and literally filleted it wide open” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “Horrible timing. She’s just back, she’ll start galloping here this week.”

Sweet Azteca has won 3 of 4. She defeated subsequent Grade 1 Apple Blossom winner Adare Manor in the Beholder Mile.

Stronghold to Midwest derbies

Stronghold and Endlessly, seventh and ninth, respectively, in the Kentucky Derby, were scheduled to return to Santa Anita this week to be freshened for summer campaigns. Both are likely to drop in class for their next start.

Stronghold’s trainer Phil D’Amato said, “We’ll bring him back here and recharge the batteries. They’ve got a bunch of straight 3-year-old stakes in the Midwest.”

Those races include the Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby on June 22 at Thistledown, the Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Derby on July 6 at Horseshoe Indianapolis, and the $250,000 Iowa Derby on July 6 at Prairie Meadows.

Regarding Endlessly, trainer Michael McCarthy said, “I don’t think he embarrassed himself [ninth in the Derby]. I thought he ran well taking dirt for the first time.”

McCarthy was asked the obvious question – back to turf for Endlessly? McCarthy’s definitive reply: “Oh yeah. Oh yeah.”

Missed the Cut to Royal Ascot

After starting the year winning two Grade 3 turf races at Santa Anita and finishing second in the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes on April 20 at Keeneland, Missed the Cut is going up the ladder and across the pond.

The 5-year-old exited the Elkhorn in good shape and trainer John Sadler confirmed he will aim for the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes on June 22 at Royal Ascot.

“That’s what we’re looking at, Royal Ascot. He would train up,” Sadler said.

Two months between starts is good timing for the 1 1/2-mile Hardwicke Stakes. The question is where Missed the Cut fits on class. A three-time Grade 3 winner who is 7 for 16 overall, Missed the Cut best’s finish at higher levels were a pair of seconds in Grade 2 races.

Broadway Venus gets break

In winning the season’s first 2-year-old race for fillies at Santa Anita on May 3, Broadway Venus became the third debut winner from five runners produced by the mare Star of Munster.

Broadway Venus also is the first 2-year-old winner to go on vacation. Due to an absence of local opportunities, she was sent to a layup facility for a month of downtime.

“There are no options,” trainer Ryan Hanson said. “If you win a 2-year-old maiden race [in spring], the next chance for California-breds is not until Aug. 4 at Del Mar. It’s a big problem we have out here.”

The CTBA Stakes for California-bred 2-year-old fillies on Aug. 4 is a likely target for Broadway Venus.

Neither the Fasig-Tipton Futurity nor Fasig-Tipton Debutante at Santa Anita were scheduled this spring.

Talamo going back to SoCal

Jockey Joe Talamo, who has won 2,334 races in his career through Tuesday, will resume riding in Southern California on a full-time basis later this month, according to his agent, Marty McGee.

Talamo, 34, will be represented by agent Rene Amescua in California.

The champion apprentice jockey of 2007, Talamo was based primarily in Southern California after winning the riding title at the Fair Grounds meet in 2006-07 until the beginning of 2020, when he relocated to the Midwest. Talamo was the leading rider at Ellis Park in 2020.

This year, winners have been harder to find. Through Tuesday, Talamo has had five victories from 114 mounts, including a win on the maiden Just Basking at Churchill Downs on April 27.

In the 2010s in California, Talamo won such major races as the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup and Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap aboard Melatonin in 2016, and the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile in 2013 and 2014 on Obviously.