Air Force Red, D’Amato Pair Lead A Field Of 7 In Sunday’s $100,000 Clockers’ Corner Stakes

AIR FORCE RED, D’AMATO PAIR LEAD A FIELD OF 7 IN SUNDAY’S $100,000 CLOCKERS’ CORNER STAKES GOING ABOUT 6 ½ FURLONGS ON SANTA ANITA’S HILLSIDE TURF COURSE

ARCADIA, CA (Jan. 21, 2025)—Air Force Red, who had a troubled trip in last month’s GII Joe Hernandez Stakes, will hope for better racing luck when he takes on six rivals in Sunday’s $100,000 Clockers’ Corner Stakes sprinting about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.

In the Joe Hernandez going the same trip on Dec. 28, Air Force Red sat a pocked trip under Juan Hernandez when descending the hill. But in the stretch, while racing along the rail, Air Force Red was blocked by multiple horses and never found racing room. He ultimately finished seventh.

Trained by Leonard Powell, Air Force Red is a four-time winner on Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course, which includes the 2022 Joe Hernandez. The 7-year-old ridgling by Air Force Blue is 22: 6-3-2 with $639,074 for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Holly Golightly.

Trainer Phil D’Amato has two entered in Unconquerable Keen, who was eased late in the Joe Hernandez, and Turn on the Jets.

Unconquerable Keen was near the rear of the field throughout in the Joe Hernandez before being wrapped up in the stretch by jockey Umberto Rispoli, who will be back aboard Sunday. Prior to that effort, Unconquerable Keen and Rispoli teamed to win the Stormy Liberal Stakes going five furlongs on turf at Del Mar Dec. 1.

Unconquerable Keen is owned by CYBT, Omar Aldabbagh and Michael Nentwig. The 6-year-old gelding by Clodovil, who made his first six starts in his native Ireland, is 21: 7-2-4 with $333,589 in earnings.

Turn on the Jets was fifth behind Unconquerable Keen in the Stormy Liberal. The 6-year-old gelding by Mehmas, who is stakes-placed multiple times, remains in search of his first added-money victory. Potentially aiding in that cause is the addition of top jockey Flavien Prat, who will ride Turn on the Jets for the first time.

Turn on the Jets, who made his first four starts in his native Ireland, is owned by Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano. He has an overall record of 18: 4-3-3 with $277,409 in earnings.

The new face in the lineup is Vlahos, a supplemental entry for trainer Doug O’Neill who’ll be trying turf for the first time. The 4-year-old ridgling by Kantharos most recently finished sixth in the Zia Park Derby on Nov. 26. Owned by Ty Leatherman, Todd Cady and Dan Northrup, Vlahos is 5: 1-0-1 with $110,880 in earnings. He will be ridden by Antonio Fresu.

THE CLOCKERS’ CORNER WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 10 Approximate post time 3:30 P.M PT

1. Mbagnick - Kent Desormeaux – 124
2. Air Force Red – Juan Hernandez – 124
3. Gaslight Dancer – Edwin Maldonado – 124
4. Turn On The Jets – Flavien Prat – 124
5. Vlahos – Antonio Fresu – 120
6. Unconquerable Keen – Umberto Rispoli – 124
7. Hamwood Flier – Mike Smith – 119

First post for a 10-race card Sunday is at 12 p.m PT. Admission gates open at 10 a.m.