Go Back
LITMUS TEST 12.13.25 uts2
PRESS RELEASES

Litmus Test a new addition to Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds after being rescheduled for Monday; key contenders Secured Freedom, Decisive Win remain in field

6/12/2026

LITMUS TEST A NEW ADDITION TO AFFIRMED STAKES FOR 3-YEAR-OLDS AFTER BEING RESCHEDULED FOR MONDAY; KEY CONTENDERS SECURED FREEDOM, DECISIVE WIN REMAIN IN FIELD

Originally set for Thursday, the 1 1/16-mile Affirmed was moved due to a power failure at Santa Anita that forced Thursday’s card to be canceled after the fifth race

ARCADIA, CA (June 12, 2026)—The $100,000 Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds, which will now be run on Monday after Thursday’s card at Santa Anita was canceled due to a power outage, attracted one major addition when entries were retaken on Friday. Now in the field is Grade II winner Litmus Test, who trainer Bob Baffert said would be scratched from Saturday’s Delaware Derby and will ship to Santa Anita from Kentucky for the 1 1/16-mile Affirmed.

Litmus Test will be making his first start since finishing 17th in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 2. He is seeking his first win since the GII Los Alamitos Futurity in December. In between the Futurity and Kentucky Derby, the colt by Nyquist finished third in the GII Rebel and seventh in the GIII Arkansas Derby, both at Oaklawn Park. He’ll be ridden by Emisael Jaramillo for the first time in the Affirmed.

Secured Freedom, trained by Tim Yakteen, makes his first start since finishing fourth in the GII Pat Day Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard. In the Pat Day Mile Secured Freedom settled in mid-pack and then improved his position late to finish a solid fourth behind winner Crude Velocity. Prior to that effort, the colt by Practical Joke was fourth in GII San Felipe and third in the GIII Robert B. Lewis, both at Santa Anita. Secured Freedom is owned by Leslie A. Amestoy, Pierre Jean Amestoy Jr. and Roger K. Beasley. Hall of Famer Joel Rosario will ride Secured Freedom for the first time.

Decisive Win makes his stakes debut for trainer Doug O’Neill. By Nyquist, Decisive Win on May 22 at Santa Anita was stretched out to one mile for his second start and promptly aired by 5 ½ lengths under Antonio Fresu. He was purchased for $600,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale and is campaigned by Great Friends Stable and Mark D. Davis. Fresu again has the call on Decisive Win.

THE AFFIRMED STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 6 of 8 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

  1. Court of Appeal—Kyle Frey—120
  2. Litmus Test—Emisael Jaramillo—124
  3. Constitution Andi—Victor Espinoza—120
  4. Secured Freedom—Joel Rosario—120
  5. Decisive Win—Antonio Fresu—120
  6. Mo Koko—Armando Ayuso—120
  7. One More Freud—Mike Smith—124

First post Monday is at 1 p.m. PT.