Santa Anita Stable Notes Friday, February 16, 2024

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN __FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2024 __

- BAFFLE STAKES: SADLER PAIR, GODOLPHIN COLT AMONG PRINCIPALS - WORK TAB: FORBIDDEN KINGDOM LEADS MANDELLA CONTINGENT - $1 COAST-TO-COAST PICK 5 RETURNS SATURDAY AT 1:36 P.M. PST - 54th ANNUAL JOCKEYS/HOLY ANGELS CHARITY HOOPS SET FOR FEB. 26

BAFFLE STAKES: SADLER PAIR, GODOLPHIN COLT AMONG PRINCIPALS Among those looking to upend 5-2 favorite Stay Hot in Saturday’s Baffle Stakes for 3-year-olds on the hillside turf course are Heart Headed and Hedwig, the 3-1 co-second choices on Jon White’s morning line.

Heart Headed is one of two colts entered for trainer John Sadler. He will be joined in the lineup by stablemate Final Boss, a 12-1 longshot who cuts back in distance after an even fifth in the one-mile Eddie Logan on turf here Dec. 29.

Heart Headed will be trying turf for the first time Saturday. He is by well-regarded turf sire Oscar Performance out of multiple stakes winner La Malaguena, a daughter of 2007 champion turf horse English Channel.

Heart Headed joined Sadler’s barn this winter after he was purchased for $135,000 at last year’s Keeneland November Sale. Prior to the auction, Heart Headed made two starts in Kentucky. He was fifth on debut in a $50,000 maiden claimer on dirt at Keeneland in October, then came right back to beat open maidens going seven furlongs on dirt at Churchill Downs Nov. 2.

In his first local start here for Sadler and new owner Hronis Racing Jan. 15, a $50,000 starter allowance/optional claimer at 6 ½ furlongs on dirt, Heart Headed won again.

Sadler assistant Juan Leyva provided insight on Heart Headed’s acquisition and more.

“We liked that he ran first time out for $50,000. You bring a horse like that out here you have plenty of conditions. That’s why he was worth the money,” Leyva said. “Then the way he won a maiden special weight at Churchill Downs, that really interested us.”

In his local bow, Heart Headed attended the pace under Flavien Prat and finished best to win by 1 ¾ lengths.

“He showed nice speed,” Leyva said. “You never know when they come to California if they are fast enough to keep up early. He obviously was and had a nice finishing kick.”

With Prat riding at Fair Grounds in New Orleans Saturday, Heart Headed will be ridden for the first by Juan Hernandez. Leyva said the colt has “continued to do well” for his turf debut.

“Being by Oscar Performance, he should be able to handle the grass,” he added.

Hedwig is owned by Godolphin and trained by Eoin Harty. The Maclean’s Music colt also made two starts in Kentucky last year before heading west. In August, he won his debut at Ellis Park going 5 ½ furlongs on turf. He then was beaten less than a length when second in the Juvenile Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs going 6 ½ furlongs a month later.

“It is no surprise he’s turned out as nice as he has,” Harty said. “He’s always shown plenty of speed and ability.”

Hedwig shipped to California last fall for a potential start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint but he did not make the field. Instead, he was entered in a first-level allowance at Del Mar Nov. 11 and promptly scored by a half-length under Umberto Rispoli.

“He’s a high-energy horse,” Harty said.

The Baffle goes as the seventh race on Saturday’s nine-race card. Post time is set for approximately 3:29 p.m. PT. The field in post position order: Heart Headed, Juan Hernandez (3-1); Final Boss, Kazushi Kimura (12-1); Stay Hot, Antonio Fresu (5-2); Hedwig, Umberto Rispoli (3-1); Always on Cay, Frankie Dettori (10-1); Boltage, Mike Smith (4-1); Charge for Gold, Ricardo Gonzalez (6-1).

WORK TAB: FORBIDDEN KINGDOM LEADS MANDELLA CONTINGENT Forbidden Kingdom, who won his third graded stakes in the GII Joe Hernandez at 6 ½ furlongs on turf here Dec. 30, worked seven furlongs Friday at Santa Anita.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Forbidden Kingdom completed the stout drill in 1:24.60. It was the only work at the distance The 5-year-old American Pharoah horse is being pointed to Oaklawn Park’s GIII, $600,000 Razorback Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 24.

Also working for Mandella were a pair of graded stakes-winning fillies, Ice Dancing and Window Shopping. Each went six furlongs in 1:13.40.

Ice Dancing was most recently sixth in the GI La Brea going seven furlongs here Dec. 26. Window Shopping has been sidelined since finishing fourth in the GII Zenyatta here Oct. 1.    

In all, there were 70 timed workouts at Santa Anita Friday.

SANTA ANITA JOCKEYS, HOLY ANGELS CHARITY HOOPS GAME FEB. 26 A time-honored tradition dating back more than five decades, the 54th annual Santa Anita Jockeys vs. Holy Angels Middle School Charity Basketball Game will be held Monday, Feb. 26 at La Salle High School in nearby Pasadena.

The La Salle High gymnasium will open to the public at 6 p.m. and tip-off is set for 7 p.m.  Admission tickets will be available on-site and a $5 donation will generate proceeds to the Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund (PDJF) and Holy Angels athletics.

A distinguished group of Hall of Fame jockeys will be on-hand beginning at 6:30 p.m. to sign posters and other memorabilia courtside.  In years past, retired legends such as Laffit Pincay, Jr., Donald Pierce and Gary Stevens have been available as well as active Hall of Famers such as Kent Desormeaux, Victor Espinoza and Mike Smith.

Tickets may be purchased at the door.  For additional information, please contact Angela Valenzuela at aavalenz@gmail.com 

FINISH LINES: Jockeys Flavien Prat and Juan Hernandez each won two races Thursday. They remain deadlocked atop the jockey’s standings with 29 wins each at the Classic Meet…Trainer Craig Lewis bagged a pair of wins Thursday with favorites Ruff Ride ($3.60) in the fifth race and Two By Four ($4.20) in the sixth…Saturday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 1:36 p.m. PT with the 10th race from Gulfstream Park…Santa Anita will host a special Presidents’ Day card Monday. On-track fans will receive $1 beers and sodas and $2 hot dogs… A tip of the cap is in order to Pete & Evelyn Parella’s Legacy Ranch in Clements, CA, home to stallions Clubhouse Ride and Mr. Big, as they sired a combined three winners on Thursday’s card—Mr. Big sired 3rd race winner Big Rainbow & Clubhouse Ride  was flattered by 5th & 6th race winners Ruff Ride & Two by Four, both of whom are trained by Craig Lewis…Horseplayer Tom Massis will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Saturday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:20 a.m. PT.