Eurton’s Stay Hot Up To Win $100,000 Baffle Stakes By A Head

EURTON’S STAY HOT UP TO WIN $100,000 BAFFLE STAKES BY A HEAD AS HE GETS ABOUT 6 ½ FURLONGS DOWN HILLSIDE TURF IN 1:13.04

ARCADIA, CA (Feb. 17, 2024)—Last in the run down Santa Anita’s storied hillside turf, Peter Eurton’s Stay Hot was just up to win Saturday’s $100,000 Baffle Stakes by a head under Antonio Fresu, as he got about 6 ½ furlongs in 1:13.04.

The Baffle is named for Santa Anita’s longtime hillside turf course record holder who was owned by Frank McMahon and trained by John Longden. 

One of four runners shortening up from one mile on turf, Stay Hot was next to last and on the move, about 4 ½ lengths off Hedwig approaching the quarter pole at the dirt crossing.  Fresu then guided his mount four-deep and was all-out to run down Heart Headed and Juan Hernandez on the money.

A winner of the Grade III Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at one mile on turf Dec. 3 at Del Mar, Stay Hot was the 2-1 favorite today among a field of seven sophomores and paid $6.60, $3.20 and $2.40.

A bay ridgling by the War Front stallion Summer Front, out of the Smart Strike mare Etsu, Stay Hot was purchased as a yearling for $130,000 and is owned by Burns Racing, LLC, Exline-Border Racing, LLC, SAF Racing, the Estate of Brereton Jones, Hudock and Dan William.

In getting his second stakes win, Stay Hot now has three wins from four tries on turf and is 6-3-0-1 overall.  With today’s winner’s share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $176,940.

Third at the rail, two lengths off the lead as the field came onto the turf turning for home, Heart Headed unleashed a furious stretch rally and ran too good to lose.  Trained by John Sader, he was the second choice at 5-2 and paid $3.80 and $3.20 while finishing a head in front of longshot Charge for Gold.

Trained by Phil Oviedo and ridden by Ricky Gonzalez, Charge for Gold vied for the early lead with Hedwig and kept to his task gamely to finish third by a half length over Final Boss.  Off at 10-1, Charge for Gold paid $4.00 to show.

Fractions on the race were 21.91, 44.25 and 1:07.12.