Howbeit Seeks Second Graded Success in Palos Verdes

A narrow winner of the Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (G2) two starts ago, trainer Mark Glatt's reformed claimer Howbeit  rates as a contender in the $200,000 Palos Verdes Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park Feb. 5. The six-furlong Palos Verdes attracted five other entries.

Claimed for $32,000 12 starts ago at Santa Anita on Feb. 13, 2021, Howbeit, now age 6, seems to be ready for his best in 2023 with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith back aboard for the third consecutive time. Fourth, beaten 3 1/2 lengths in an allowance optional claimer going six furlongs Nov. 20 at Del Mar, Howbeit returns to a track where he has won four races from 13 tries.

Owned by It Pays to Dream Racing Stable, Saints or Sinners, Danny Haramoto, Sheldon Kawahara, and Gregory Yamamoto, Howbeit, a horse by top sprinter Secret Circle , is 7-3-2 overall in 26 starts with earnings of $366,986.

Glatt also starts Edge Racing's Escape Route , who makes his first start since June.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert starts Hopkins  with Juan Hernandez named to ride. Most recently, the 5-year-old horse by Quality Road   dueled throughout in a six-furlong allowance optional claimer at Santa Anita Jan. 15, finishing second by a head to Glatt's Traegar  for owners SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Golconda Stable, Siena Farm, and Robert Masterson.

MyRacehorse's class-dropping Straight No Chaser  also looms a threat for trainer Dan Blacker.

Entries: Palos Verdes S. (G3)

Santa Anita Park, Sunday, February 05, 2023, Race 7

• Grade III
• 6f
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 3:38 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Straight No Chaser (KY)	Edwin A. Maldonado	120	Dan Blacker	5/1
2	2Hopkins (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	120	Bob Baffert	5/2
3	3Howbeit (KY)	Mike E. Smith	124	Mark Glatt	2/1
4	4Escape Route (KY)	Geovanni Franco	120	Mark Glatt	10/1
5	5Radical Right (KY)	Flavien Prat	120	Peter Miller	5/2
6	6McLaren Vale (KY)	Kazushi Kimura	120	John W. Sadler	6/1