Bertrando Heavy Choice to Win Today’s Strub

Bertrando, the nine-length winner of the San Fernando Stakes in his first start of the year, is the 4-5 morning-line favorite for the $500,000 Charles H. Strub Stakes today.

The odds on the 4-year-old Skywalker colt probably will be even shorter against seven rivals, four of whom he easily defeated over a sloppy track in the San Fernando.

Chris McCarron again will ride Bertrando, who will carry 122 pounds, two more than he carried on Jan. 16. Never worse than third in eight lifetime starts, the California-bred worked six furlongs in 1:12 1/5 on Jan. 29, then came back with an easy half-mile Thursday.

Star Recruit, whose two-race winning streak ended when he ran second in the San Fernando, is the 3-1 second choice. Laffit Pincay will ride for trainer Jerry Fanning.

The other entrants are Al Sabin, who was beaten by 29 lengths in the San Fernando; Major Impact, who will be making his first start on dirt since getting his first victory last May at Hollywood Park; Zurich, Siberian Summer, Daros and Brilliant Blue.