Palos Verdes Stakes Review and Analysis

by Bodog Racebook | Jan 24 2011

Six lined up for the $150,000 Gr. 2 Palos Verdes Stakes on the dirt at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, Jan. 22, including favored Smiling Tiger. But the 2-5 favorite, under Russell Baze, got off to a rocky start with some antics in the starting gate. He never did recover, despite a ground-saving trip; it was 9-1 shot Euroears and Mike Smith who were off the line fastest despite a game early challenge by Captain Cherokee, who was ridden by Joe Talamo. Euroears started draw away from his rival along the backstretch and with a furlong left to go enjoyed a 2 ½ length advantage. At the wire, he was 2 ¼ lengths best, and was followed by Captain Cherokee, Smiling Tiger (who lacked his usual punch but managed to hold on for third), Ventana (whose desperate finish fell short by just a head), Hunch and Gato Go Win.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Euroears finished the 6 furlong race in 1:07.23.

The 2011 edition of the Palos Verdes Stakes is the first graded stakes win for the 7-year-old Euroears – and his first victory since Nov. 2009 when he won the Thanksgiving Handicap at Fair Grounds Racecourse. He was winless in five outings in 2010, with his best finish coming in a runner-up performance in the Gr. 3 Texas Mile at Lone Star Park on April 24; his worst finish was his last race of the year – a 13th place disappointment in the turf-run Gr. 2 Firecracker Stakes at Churchill Downs on July 4. The lengthy layoff seems to have had the desired effect: Euroears pocketed $90,000 for his Palos Verdes Stakes win, boosting his career earnings to $491,562 and his record to 9-1-2 from 17 starts.

Four-year-old Smiling Tiger, on the other hand, was served his third consecutive defeat. He has been winless since capturing the Gr. 1 Ancient Title Stakes at Hollywood Park on Oct. 9 – perhaps the change in surface, from synthetics to dirt, has been a disadvantage for the Jeff Bonde-trained Kentucky-bred. He was third in the dirt-run Gr. 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs in November and had to settle for runner-up at Santa Anita Park in the Gr. 1 Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26. Smiling Tiger earned $18,000 for his third-place effort, improving his career earnings to $785,864 and his record to 12-5-1-6.

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