Clubhouse Ride gets two-turn experience in Barretts Juvenile

By Brad Free

POMONA, Calif. – The 2-year-old colt Clubhouse Ride was slow to come around. Five starts into his career, he was still a maiden.
“He was like a teenage kid; he had not figured it out yet,” trainer Craig Lewis said.
But in his sixth start Aug. 14 at Del Mar, Clubhouse Ride extracted himself from trouble and exploded late.
Clubhouse Ride won the six-furlong sprint like a good horse, and the best may be yet to come.
“He’s a big, long horse with a big long stride,” Lewis said. “My impression is he is a two-turn horse.”
Before the son of Candy Ride stretches to a true route, Clubhouse Ride runs Sunday in a two-turn sprint on the five-eighths mile track at Fairplex Park. Clubhouse Ride is favored in the $115,000, 6 1/2-furlong Barretts Juvenile for 2-year-olds that were offered for sale at a Barretts auction.
Owners Six-S Racing Stable and Niko Petralia hit a jackpot purchasing three horses at the January 2010 Barretts Sale. Danzing Tribal ($37,000) has earned $50,800; Clubhouse Ride ($19,000) has earned $14,460; Clubhouse Ride ($22,000) has earned $44,290.
Clubhouse Ride will race at Fairplex for the first time Sunday, but a sharp five-furlong work Sept. 10 in 1:00.20 alleviated worries.
“I was a little concerned, but he took the turns well and finished strongly,” Lewis said.
War Pilot, a $60,000 Barretts purchase at the March sale, finished a creditable third in his debut two weeks ago at Del Mar. Mike Pender trains War Pilot, and with a race under his belt the son of War Front figures to improve a ton.
Road Ready won his career debut in a stakes race in June at Golden Gate, and prepped for the Juvenile by pressing the pace and finishing eighth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 8.
Including Gold won both starts at Yavapai Downs, including a $35,000 stakes, by a combined margin of more than 20 lengths. Wealthy Aviator rallied to a visually impressive debut win Aug. 29 at Golden Gate, and worked a bullet half-mile Sept. 13 at Fairplex Park.