Newlywed Lerner Takes Shot with Uncle Boogie in Sham

Andrew Lerner didn't go on a honeymoon after he got married Dec. 27. The 31-year-old trainer will celebrate later, but he could get an early start if longshot Uncle Boogie wins the Sham Stakes (G3) Jan. 2 at Santa Anita Park.

It will take some doing, however. Uncle Boogie, 12-1 on oddsmaker Jon White's morning line, is the second-longest shot in the one-mile stakes race, the first prep for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita that leads toward the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs. He faces two promising colts trained by John Shirreffs and two by Bob Baffert, including 2-5 morning-line choice Life Is Good, who closed as the 5-1 betting favorite in the first Kentucky Derby Future wager in late November following a first-out victory.

Lerner and his bride, Katie, will have a "mini-honeymoon" at Cabo San Lucas in a couple of weeks since training requires a 24/7 commitment and "it's really tough to get away," Lerner noted.

"Uncle Boogie is a longshot, but he's done nothing wrong so far, and he definitely deserves a chance," Lerner said. "He broke his maiden first out, then ran two seconds. He had trouble at the start in the Bob Hope (G3) and was too far back."

A newly turned 3-year-old by Ride On Curlin , who ran seventh in the 2014 Kentucky Derby before running second to California Chrome in that year's Preakness Stakes (G1). Uncle Boogie has earnings of $39,650 in his three starts. His lone win came in a maiden $32,000 claiming race at Santa Anita, which was followed by a length defeat in a starter optional claiming and a 7 1/4-length loss to Red Flag in the Bob Hope Stakes, both at Del Mar. The one-mile Sham will be his first route.

Uncle Boogie is owned by Eric Homme, who "got into the game two years ago taking fractional percentages of horses. Uncle Boogie is the first horse he owns solely," Lerner said.

The colt was a $38,000 purchase this past summer by bloodstock agent Ben McElroy for Raymie Lightner from the Ocala Breeders' Sales' July Two-Year-Olds & Horses of Racing Age sale. Shortly before the sale, he had worked a furlong in 10 seconds as part of the Grassroots Training & Sales consignment.

Bred in Florida by Pinky Mendoza, Uncle Boogie is the second winner from the Magna Graduate  mare Rated Xtreme, a full sister to grade 3 winner Blueeyesintherein.

Lerner already has had one winner this meet but it came while he was getting married, so he didn't have a chance to enjoy it. Octopus, of which Lerner Racing owns with Alydom Racing, won Sunday's sixth race, a $25,000 claimer, by 1 1/4 lengths as the 4-5 favorite under Joel Rosario.

"I didn't get to watch it," Lerner said, "My best man was giving his speech but my Dad (Ross) was behind him watching it on his phone simultaneously, and no one knew. But he gave me a signal that we won, so I knew what was going on.

"I was under the chuppah at the time, but we were in the reception area kind of doing dinner and speeches with the best man and the bridesmaids. I didn't have my phone. I lost my phone privileges for the day, but my Dad came through like he always does."