Roman Commander, trained by the son of Fairplex Park’s all-time leading conditioner, Mel Stute, pulled a 30-1 shocker in the Barretts Juvenile on Sunday, getting up to beat 3-5 favorite Chief’s Magic in the final strides. Gary Stute is having the best year of his career in 2006. He had a solid Santa Anita meet and scored his first Fairplex victory with Sunday’s shocker.
Gary’s dad, Mel, had won with 2 of 5 starters at the current meet before Sunday. Matt Garcia, who like many lesser-known Southland riders can get the job done when on a live horse, scored his fifth and sixth victories of the meeting and the win aboard Roman Commander, who broke his maiden with the victory, was a classic. Garcia had to take up sharply approaching the far turn but still got up in time. He was much the best.
How about Patrick Valenzuela riding in Canada over the weekend? In an article in the Daily Racing Form it was quoted that Pat received physical therapy at Ls Encinas Hospital in Pasadena. I thought that Las Encinas was a hospital that specializes in Drug and mental health problems? What gives here? Is he back on the pipe again” Sure sounds like it.