LITTLE ROCK — Peitz still has faith in Najjaar
HOT SPRINGS - Trainer Dan Peitz said he’s pointing late-running Najjaar for the $1 million Grade I Arkansas Derby on April 14 at Oaklawn Park.
Najjaar, in his stakes debut, finished a closing sixth in last Saturday’s $500,000 Grade II Rebel, beaten 4 3-4 lengths by Secret Circle in the 1 1/16-mile race.
Najjaar, who was ridden by Calvin Borel, didn’t break sharply and trailed by 19 lengths after a quarter-mile.
“It’s one thing not to have any speed and to get outrun a little bit the first part, but he was so far back,” Peitz said. “I jokingly said to somebody that I could have swore I saw Calvin reaching for his binoculars trying tofind the front of the field.”
Najjaar was also 20 3/4 lengths behind after a halfmile.
After discussing the race with Borel, Peitz said the jockey believed Najjaar should have beenseveral lengths closer and shadowing Sabercat, 14 3/4 lengths off the lead after a half-mile.
“It wasn’t a terrible race,” Peitz said. “I told Calvin that if you just took away the 3 lengths or so right at the break, and we get beat a length and three-quarters and flying at the end, we would have been the buzz after the race. As it was, we just kind of came into the picture at the end.”
Najjaar came into the Rebel off two victories at 1 1/16 miles at the meeting.
Peitz said he hasn’t lost any confidence in Najjaar and said he believes the son of 2006 Belmont winner Jazil will be more effective at longer distances.
The Arkansas Derby is 1 1/8 miles, or a sixteenth of a mile longer than the Rebel.
Najjaar will likely need to finish first or second in the Arkansas Derby to guarantee a trip to the Kentucky Derby.
“We were in the same spot with Steppenwolfer,” Peitz said. “We’ve been down this road before.”
Steppenwolfer finished second in the 2006 Arkansas Derby before running third in the Kentucky Derby.
Big repeat
Big Cal, the 3-2 favorite under Alex Birzer, scoreda 4 1/4-length gate-to-wire victory in Saturday’s first race for older $7,500 claiming sprinters.
Big Cal won the first race on the corresponding Saturday of the 2011 Oaklawn meeting (March 26), also $7,500 claiming event for older sprinters.
Big Cal was claimed out of his victory last year, and, not surprisingly, claimed again Saturday.
Allen Milligan, Oaklawn’s co-leading trainer, took Big Cal on Saturday.
The 6-year-old gelding had made his last three starts for the prolific Midwest Thoroughbreds, Oaklawn’s leading owner last year and the runaway leader this year.
Chicago-based Midwest (Richard and Karen Papiese) has claimed a meet-high 36 horses and lost a meet-high 35 horses through claims.
Midwest claimed Big Cal for $5,000 on Jan. 19 and turned a $26,500 profit on the gelding in a little more than two months.
Big Cal generated $24,000 in purse earnings (two victories and a runner-up finish) and $7,500 more through the claim.
Big Cal was one of five horses claimed out of Saturday’s race.
Owner/trainer Tony Rini won a five-way shake, or blind drawing, to claim Gentlemansapproval.
WAGERING MENU (9-RACE CARD)
Win, place, show, exacta, trifecta (all races)
Superfecta (races 4, 6, 9)
Daily double (1-2, 8-9)
Classix (races 3-8)
Pick-3 (begins with races 4, 5 and 7)
Pick-4 (begins with race 6)
Sports, Pages 30 on 03/25/2012