Gas Me Up Motors to Quick Hernandez Victory

Many California owners prefer keeping their horses close to home where they can watch them race. But Justin Border and Ryan Exline know the opportunities afforded a Canadian-bred, and successfully sent Gas Me Up to Woodbine for several races. On Dec. 29 Gas Me Up returned to California a more mature 5-year-old and blasted down Santa Anita Park's hillside course to conquer the Joe Hernandez Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park, completing a last-to-first rally in the field of 10 older horses. Gas Me Up raced well behind the early pace of 80-1 Schwarzmeier, who set initial fractions of :20.91 for a quarter-mile and :42.82 for a half-mile. As horses began to challenge the leaders, jockey Mirco Demuro roused Gas Me Up well outside. They came roaring up deep in the stretch, and Gas Me Up's momentum took him to a 1 1/4-length victory over Sumter, who also closed from well back. A third closer, Zio Jo, finished third. Gas Me Up stopped the timer in a brisk 1:10.88 on firm turf. The Santa Anita course record is 1:10.52, set by Noble Reflection in 2023. Gas Me Up went off as the fifth choice at 13-1 in the overflow field of 10. Schwarzmeier was one of two also-eligibles who drew in after the scratches of Imagination and Unconquerable Keen (IRE). Border and Exline race Gas Me Up in the name of their Exline-Border Racing along with partners Michael Jawl, Aaron Kennedy, and Tom Zwiesler. Trainers Peter Eurton and Kevin Attard have collaborated on the 5-year-old gelding's career. Eurton started him in California, where he earned his maiden in 2022 at Del Mar and ran fourth in the Zuma Beach Stakes (G3T) after a troubled early trip. "We felt like he was a stakes horse," Border said. "He had a couple different injuries, and we had to give him time. But we always believed in his talent." Gas Me Up started next at Woodbine as a 4-year-old, winning in his only start that year. Then, in 2025, he put it all together, capturing the King Edward Stakes (G2T) and running third in the Woodbine Mile (G1T). "He won a grade 2 up there and ran fantastically in the Woodbine Mile and earned his way into the Breeders' Cup," Border said. "He ran great there. It was just a tough post to overcome. Kevin, Pete, and all of us thought he'd be great down the hill." Gas Me Up drew post 12 in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) at Del Mar, closing from far back to finish seventh at 59-1. The Hernandez was his first attempt down Santa Anita's hill. Exline-Border, which has partnered on such earlier runners as Eclipse Award winners Champagne Room and Storm the Court, bought Gas Me Up for $140,000 from breeder Sam-Son Farm at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Gas Me Up is out of Sam-Son homebred Chic Thrill, a stakes-placed daughter of Smart Strike whose foals include stakes-winning Give It a Whirl, a full brother to Gas Me Up. Gas Me Up, Pondering, and Elysian Field are 2025 graded stakes winners sired by Hard Spun, also the sire of Eclipse Award winner Questing (GB). Hard Spun is scheduled to stand the 2026 season for $20,000 at Darley near Lexington. Sumter settled for runner-up honors for a second straight year in the Hernandez while grade 1-placed Zio Jo earned another graded stakes placing. Favored Motorious (GB) could not sustain a bid between horses and finished seventh. Earlier on the Santa Anita card, 2-year-old fillies met at a mile on the turf in the Blue Norther Stakes. Two necks separated the top three, as La Ville Lumiere, the 9-5 favorite, scored in 1:37.52 over Wild Like the West, with Peanutbutterbombe third. Flavien Prat rode La Ville Lumiere, a Kentucky-bred daughter of City of Light--Malibu Drive, by Malibu Moon. Michael McCarthy trains the filly for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Sabby Racing LLC, and Ken Reimer.