Beer Can Man Kicks Off New Year in Joe Hernandez

When the entries for the 2021 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) came out, Beer Can Man  ended up the fifth alternate by the selection committee and didn't make it into the oversubscribed race. But 2022 is a new year, and the Jan. 1 Joe Hernandez Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park could be Beer Can Man's first step toward Keeneland and the 2022 Breeders' Cup.

Beer Can Man officially turns 4 on the day of the Hernandez, and his actual birthday is Feb. 12. The colt is set to take on two fellow 4-year-olds and four elders in the Hernandez, scheduled for the Santa Anita downhill turf course of about 6 1/2 furlongs.

Mark Glatt trains Beer Can Man for the partnership of Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables, and Madaket Stables. Flavien Prat is set to ride from the rail.

"He's a super cool horse and built like a Mack truck," said Billy Koch, founder and a managing partner of Little Red Feather. "He's got muscles upon muscles, and everybody at the barn loves this guy."

Beer Can Man already has a couple of nicknames. Glatt says he sometimes calls the colt the Volcano, "always ready to erupt, but in a good way." Others at the barn call him the Dragon.

"He's a highly motivated horse who likes his job," said Glatt. "He's pretty much the same every single day. My crew calls him the Dragon because he starts breathing real hard when you start doing something with him. He gets himself psyched up for whatever you're wanting to do with him."

Beer Can Man began his career at Indiana Grand, and he won two races there at 2. Bloodstock agent Jeff Mackor helped negotiate the private purchase, and Glatt took over the colt's training for Little Red Feather and Sterling. Beer Can Man won the 2020 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (G3T) at Del Mar in his first start for his new connections.

In six starts for Glatt, Beer Can Man has won three, with two seconds and a third. After Beer Can Man finished second despite not having the best of trips in the Sept. 25 Turf Monster Stakes (G3T) at Parx Racing, Madaket Stables bought into him. Beer Can Man is coming off a win Nov. 7 at Del Mar in a five-furlong allowance optional claimer that served as an alternative to the Breeders' Cup.

Commander  finished second to Beer Can Man by a head in that Nov. 7 race. Ruben Alvarado trains Commander for the Sinnott Family Trust, and Juan Hernandez will ride from post 5. Commander has two stakes placings, including a third in the 2021 Daytona Stakes (G3T) when trained by Peter Miller. Alvarado was Miller's assistant who took over much of Miller's stable after the trainer chose to take a break from training.

Alvarado also has entered Cupid's Claws  (Kent Desormeaux, post 7), owned by Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable, and Gary Barber. Cupid's Claws' only stakes victory came in the 2020 Tokyo City Cup Stakes (G3), a 1 1/2-mile race on the dirt.

Delaware , a son of Frankel , makes his first start for owner Hirsch Racing and trainer Paddy Gallagher, having previously raced in the East for trainer Chad Brown. Delaware (Mike Smith, post 4) won the listed Danger's Hour Stakes last April at Aqueduct Racetrack at a mile on the turf. 

Bran , Chewing Gum , and Momos  complete the field, all with the qualifications to contend. 

Entries: Joe Hernandez S. (G2T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, January 01, 2022, Race 6

• Grade II
• About 6 1/2f
• Downhill turf
• $250,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 2:35 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Beer Can Man (KY)	Flavien Prat	120	Mark Glatt	5/2
2	2Bran (FR)	Joe Bravo	120	John W. Sadler	6/1
3	3Chewing Gum (KY)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	120	William I. Mott	5/1
4	4Delaware (GB)	Mike E. Smith	120	Patrick Gallagher	6/1
5	5Commander (FR)	Juan J. Hernandez	120	Ruben D. Alvarado	3/1
6	6Momos (KY)	John R. Velazquez	120	Michael J. Trombetta	4/1
7	7Cupid's Claws (KY)	Kent J. Desormeaux	120	Ruben D. Alvarado	8/1