Jeranimo springs Oak Tree Mile victory

B. J. Wright's Jeranimo grabbed command of Santa Anita's Grade 2,

$150,000

Oak Tree Mile in the lane on Saturday and withheld the late run of

4-5 favorite Mr. Commons to score his first win since taking the Grade 2

San Gabriel last December. Jockey Martin Garcia guided the Michael

Pender trainee through a mile on the firm turf in 1:32 3/5 to pay

$11.20, $4.40 and $3.20 as the 9-2 second choice.

Jeranimo moved to the lead entering the backstretch, setting the

opening quarter of :22 2/5, but the front-running Monterey Jazz kept in

close attendance and soon took over through a half in :45 and six

furlongs in 1:08 3/5. Garcia settled Jeranimo a little farther back,

with John Johny Jak keeping pace just in behind. As the field hit the

lane, Garcia gave Jeranimo his cue and the five-year-old took off to

regain the advantage. The pair cruised through stretch, having enough

left to easily withstand Mr. Commons' late-running effort.

"He has been running with some really tough horses so I think the

group today was the perfect kind for him," Garcia said. "I let him run

and do whatever he wanted to do, so he put himself in that position. I

didn't expect that I would have that much horse, but he's a good horse."

When asked if Mr. Commons is still being pointed toward the Breeders'

Cup Mile Shirreffs replied, "I'll have to talk to Mr. Banwell (owner Ian

Banwell of St. George Farm LLC), and we'll decide in a couple days. It's

really too early to say right now."

Jeranimo has been competing at the top level all year long, placing

in a pair of Grade 1s -- the Eddie Read and Frank E. Kilroe Mile -- as

well as the Grade 2 Arcadia. The bay didn't do so well when transferred

to the Polytrack at Del Mar for the Pacific Classic last out, running

eighth in that Grade 1 contest, but rebounded here to improve his

scorecard to 22-6-4-4. Also a winner of the Grade 2 Strub Stakes last

year, he's banked $660,400 for his career.

"The horse just got in a tight spot (in the Pacific Classic) and once

you get in to his mouth, he tends to spit the bit (out) a little bit,"

Pender explained. "Today he got the trip. (Martin) Pedroza rode him

perfectly (in the Pacific Classic). He just put him in the wrong spot at

the wrong time. Today he got the trip and you saw the result.