Stevens Makes His Return

Jockey Gary Stevens will make his first appearance in California since the conclusion of Del Mar as he rides in both Grade I races on today’s card at Oak Tree.

Stevens, who had a pair of longshot winners at Belmont Park on Friday, will ride White Heart in the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship and Imperial Gesture in the $250,000 Oak Leaf Stakes at Santa Anita.

Trained by Neil Drysdale, White Heart is a 6-year-old gelding who has won eight of 22 lifetime and is already a Grade I winner this year with Stevens. On May 5, Kentucky Derby Day, at Churchill Downs, the son of Green Desert won the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at 6-1.

Uncomfortable on a yielding turf course when beaten 16 lengths in the Arlington Million on Aug. 16, White Heart will have only five opponents in the Hirsch. Among them is Senure, who also struggled in the Million, but who has won four of seven since coming to this country.

Owned by Juddmonte Farms and trained by Bobby Frankel, the 5-year-old Nureyev horse earned his initial Grade I victory on a disqualification. With Anticipation finished first, but was placed second--behind Senure--in the United Nations Handicap at Monmouth Park.

Race of the day: A tremendous betting race is the $1.5 million Canadian International, a Grade I that will be simulcast from Woodbine in Toronto. The 12-furlong turf race attracted a full field of 12 and a case can be made for several of the entrants. Who’s hot: Warren Stute. The trainer won another race on Friday with Rabin and is still going strong as he turns 80 today.

Who’s not: Sharp Boi and Devoted Huckster. The geldings, entered in today’s sixth at Bay Meadows, a maiden race at one mile on turf, are a combined 0 for 40.

Exotically speaking: A trifecta putting Windy’s Halo on top in the fifth, using Visual Energy, Foxy Sneakers and Caliban in the two hole and all in the third spot.