Showdown at San Felipe: Ocho Ocho Ocho vs. Dortmund
ARCADIA, Calif. – Here's an indication of what Mike Smith thinks of Ocho Ocho Ocho: "I call him my Shared Belief Jr.," the Hall of Fame jockey said with a laugh.
Both horses will be on display Saturday on Santa Anita Park's showcase card that includes the 4-year-old Shared Belief in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap and Ocho Ocho Ocho in the San Felipe for 3-year-olds, a Grade II stakes worth 50 points to the winner in qualifying for the May 2Kentucky Derby.
Obviously Ocho Ocho Ocho has a ways to go to reach the stature of Shared Belief, who has lost only once in 10 starts, a controversial fourth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic. But both horses went 3 for 3 as 2-year-olds, with the 1<AF>1/16<XA>-mile San Felipe Ocho Ocho Ocho's first start since the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot on Nov. 22.
"They look a lot alike, and they give you that same feeling," Smith said. "When you ask them, they jump a long ways for horses that aren't really that big. They cover a lot of ground, have really good balance. Very athletic. He's a special kind of horse. We've just got to get on the Derby trail, which starts on Saturday."
There are differences between Ocho Ocho Ocho and Shared Belief, who was the 2-year-old champion in 2013. Ocho Ocho Ocho is not a gelding – though he came close to being made one because of his unruly and aggressive behavior last summer at Del Mar. Also, Shared Belief was sidelined by a foot problem and did not make the Triple Crown races, let alone the preps.
The San Felipe brings an intriguing meeting between Ocho Ocho Ocho and 4-for-4 Dortmund in the field of 10.
Both horses showed they are tenacious in a tussle, with Dortmund prevailing by a head over Firing Line in his last two starts and Ocho Ocho Ocho taking the Jackpot by a nose over Mr. Z. Third in the Jackpot was Far Right, whom Smith since has ridden to victory in Oaklawn's Smarty Jones and Southwest.
"It was a good race to get a good line on," Smith said of the Delta Downs race. "He showed me a lot of grit. He had to really fight for the win and showed me he's not scared to be down inside tight. He was 'getting out' pretty good that night, so I didn't feel like he ran his A-plus race and he still was able to pull it off."
"Since then he's done really well. His last work was a 'bullet', and the track was really slow that morning. All systems are go. Probably not going to be his A-plus race coming in off a layoff. But we still expect a huge effort."
The Jackpot was Ocho Ocho Ocho's first start that wasn't a sprint. It also was the first time Smith rode the son of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense.
"I tell everyone who will listen that if it wasn't for Mike we wouldn't have won the race," said trainer Jim Cassidy. "It was a brilliant ride, saving the ground the way he did. You have to have the horse, but still … Because he was tired after that race. I had to push him into the winner's circle, poor thing."
That was the colt's third start in six weeks, one reason Ocho Ocho Ocho did not start back racing until now. Meanwhile, Dortmund has raced three times since Ocho's last start, including the Feb. 7 Robert B. Lewis Stakes.
"He's going to be very hard to beat in this race," Smith said of Dortmund. "These preps leading up to the Derby, you just want to see them taking that step forward to where on Derby Day they're ready to shine."
Ocho Ocho Ocho was a $200,000 Ocala 2-year-old purchase by long-time Cassidy client Deron Pearson, who named the colt after his hip number in the sales catalog: 888.
"In the beginning I didn't think I made the right decision," Cassidy said. "We had him at Del Mar and he was a complete buffoon. He wanted to hurt everybody, didn't want to train right. We talked about gelding him. He hurt the groom twice, was going to the track on his hind legs. And then when he got up here, he was a different horse. I don't know if it was maturity or getting on dirt, combination of a lot of things. He still wants to buck and play, but other than that he's no handful anymore."
Smith opted to ride Ocho Ocho Ocho over budding grass star Bolo, who makes his dirt debut in the San Felipe.
"Last time out, he showed something you don't ever see," Smith said of Bolo's Eddie Logan victory. "I don't think we've seen a horse run a (handicapping) number like that on the grass since Barbaro. But can he do that on the dirt is a big question? If he can, he's going to be a force to reckon with. But you've got to make your choices. Ocho Ocho Ocho showed me a whole lot when I got a chance to ride him. I know he'll ship; I know he'll take the dirt. I know he'll fight when it comes time.
"The jury is still out on the other horse. But a lot of ability in Bolo. A whole lot."
Others in the San Felipe include the Baffert-trained San Vicente winner Lord Nelson and impressive allowance winner Prospect Park.
Reese writes for The (Louisville) Courier-Journal.