Lewis has O’Neill trio, pair of last-out maiden winners

Feb 01, 2017 by James Scully/Brisnet.com

Stakes winners Dangerfield and Term of Art highlight a trio from two-time Kentucky Derby winner Doug O’Neill in Saturday’s $150,000 Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita. As part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, the Lewis offers points on a 10-4-2-1 scale toward a berth in a 20-horse starting gate at Churchill Downs.

Last-out maiden winners Royal Mo and Sheer Flattery also merit respect in the 1 1/16-mile race.

Dangerfield captured Oak Tree Juvenile at Pleasanton in early October before finishing third in the Delta Jackpot (G3) seven weeks later. The Into Mischief colt concluded his juvenile season with a non-threatening third in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1). A $450,000 yearling purchase, Dangerfield will receive a rider switch to three-time Kentucky Derby victor Kent Desormeaux.

Term of Art won the off-the-turf Cecil B. DeMille (G3) at Del Mar in late November and will attempt to rebound from a well-beaten fifth in the January 7 Sham (G3). By Tiznow, the bay colt removes blinkers and picks up Tyler Baze.

O’Neill is also responsible for Irap in the five-horse field. The son of Tiznow finished second to Mastery in the Los Alamitos Futurity but is still a maiden after a fourth as the favorite in a December 31 maiden race at Santa Anita. He adds blinkers and regains the services of Mario Gutierrez, rider of O’Neill-trained Kentucky Derby winners I’ll Have Another and Nyquist.

Royal Mo finished second in his first two starts before breaking through with a smart 1 ¼-length maiden score at Del Mar in late November. He hails from the connections of 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo (Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Moss/John Shirreffs) and three-time Kentucky Derby hero Victor Espinoza has the mount.

Sheer Flattery rounds out the short line-up. Conditioned by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, the chestnut son of Flatter exits a game nose tally in Irap’s aforementioned maiden race. Mike Smith rides and Sheer Flattery registered a field-best 96 BRIS Speed rating last time.

(Term of Art photo courtesy of Benoit Photo)