After Lovesick Blues won the GI Bing Crosby on July 26 at Del Mar to secure a bid to the Breeders' Cup Sprint, owner-trainer Librado Barocio's initial idea was for the California-bred gelding to train up to the $2 million Sprint on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. Further contemplation changed that plan.
On Saturday, three weeks ahead of the six-furlong Breeders' Cup Sprint on dirt, Lovesick Blues will take on fellow statebreds in the California Flag Handicap at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course. Installed as the 5-2 program favorite, Lovesick Blues will carry highweight of 126 pounds in a field of seven.
"The Breeders' Cup is a big race and I just want to make sure I have him hitting on all cylinders," Barocio said Friday morning.
In the Bing Crosby, Lovesick Blues sprung a 16-1 upset when scoring by 1 ¾ lengths from off the pace under Geovanni Franco. It was the first graded stakes win in 41 starts for the 7-year-old grey son of Grazen.
Since the Bing Crosby, Lovesick Blues has worked five times including a half-mile drill in 51.0 seconds last Saturday.
"He's training good, feeling good," Barocio said. "He's been a little tough in the stall. I thought rather than working him hard a few more times, this race would set him up."
If the next three weeks go as planned, Lovesick Blues would be the first Breeders' Cup starter for Barocio, a 61-year-old native of Richmond, Calif. and UCLA film school graduate. Barocio got his start in racing working under late trainer Julio Canani.
Lovesick Blues was purchased by Barocio from breeder Nick Alexander late last year in a private deal. The win in the Bing Crosby was Barocio's first at the Grade I level and second graded stakes win overall.
"It's been a dream come true," Barocio said.
Since Lovesick Blues was not nominated to the Breeders' Cup as a foal, Barocio will have to pony up a $100,000 supplemental entry to run in the Sprint.
Among Lovesick Blues' chief rivals on Saturday is 3-year-old Shea Brennan, the 3-1 second choice for trainer Phil D'Amato. While a two-time stakes winner against statebreds going long on dirt, Shea Brennan has never raced on turf.
"We're going to see if he likes the grass. If he does, that will open up many more options for him," D'Amato said.
By Tough Sunday, Shea Brennan won the 1 1/16-mile California Cup Derby in January at Santa Anita and the King Glorious Stakes at one mile in December. He'll be ridden by Umberto Rispoli for the first time Saturday.
The California Flag goes as the seventh race on a nine-race card Saturday starting at 1 p.m. PT. Post time for the California Flag is set for 4:08 p.m.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, October 11, 2025, Race 7Entries: California Flag H. presented by City National Bank
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Shea Brennan (CA) Umberto Rispoli 119 Philip D'Amato 3/1 2 2Lovesick Blues (CA) Geovanni Franco 126 Librado Barocio 5/2 3 3Book Smart (CA) Mike E. Smith 122 Robert B. Hess, Jr. 8/1 4 4Sir Rocket (CA) Armando Ayuso 119 Neil D. Drysdale 10/1 5 5Cali Cat (CA) Juan J. Hernandez 117 John W. Sadler 12/1 6 6Man O Rose (CA) Edwin A. Maldonado 124 Jeff Mullins 7/2 7 7Stamp My Passport (CA) Diego A. Herrera 119 Leonard Powell 20/1 8 8Flyover (CA) Hector Isaac Berrios 118 John W. Sadler 9/2
