All Saint got a bath from Joe Olguin, assistant to
trainer Louis Bradvica, outside Barn 65 North Thursday morning, as he readied
to hose off the competition in the $150,000 Jim Murray Memorial Handicap
Saturday.
“He likes the lead like his father, Skimming,” said
Olguin of the 5-year-old California-bred horse who has won his last four starts
wire to wire at Turf Paradise. “In all the races he didn’t run well, he tried
to come from behind.”
Blacksmith Eddie Gamez, son of owner Pascual Gamez,
said the gray/roan horse is at the top of his game. “He got a little more
confidence when he started winning in Arizona,”
said Gamez. “We expect him to show speed, and we got Patrick (Valenzuela) to
ride him and get him to relax.”
The Grade II Jim Murray at 1 ½ miles on turf should
have an honest pace since defending champion Acclamation, another
California-bred 5-year-old horse, also prefers to run on the pace.
Buenos Dias, another Jim Murray entrant, blew out
three furlongs in 39.60 seconds on the turf for trainer Ron McAnally.
Trainer Paddy Gallagher said that he decided to skip
the Jim Murray with Soul Candy and instead worked him five furlongs on grass in
a bullet 1:01.60. “A mile and a half may be a bit too long for him,” explained
Gallagher. “He may run in a stake at a mile and an eighth or so instead.”