Santa Anita Stable Notes Friday, February 23, 2024

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2024 

- SEVEN RIVALS TRY TO UPEND LINDA’S GIFT IN GIII SANTA ANA - STREAKING CAL-BRED KINGS RIVER KNIGHT FACES OPEN COMPANY - SATURDAY’S $1 COAST-TO-COAST PICK 5 STARTS AT 1:36 P.M. - JOCKEYS/HOLY ANGELS CHARITY HOOPS SET FOR MONDAY

SEVEN RIVALS TRY TO BEAT LINDA’S GIFT IN SATURDAY’S GIII SANTA ANA Trainers Mark Glatt and Phil D’Amato each have major players in Saturday’s GIII Santa Ana Stakes at 1 ¼ miles on turf.

Glatt, whose 18 wins at the Classic Meet leads all trainers, entered Khinjani (3-1) for what will be her U.S. stakes debut. D’Amato is represented by Musical Rhapsody (4-1), Queens Command (6-1) and Leisurewear (8-1). All will be trying to upend 5-2 favorite Linda’s Gift, a front-running winner of two straight marathon turf stakes for trainer Richard Mandella including last month’s 1 ½ mile Astra.

On Friday, Glatt and D’Amato each provided insight on their respective runners.

As for Khinjani, she was a multiple winner in her native England before being shipped to Glatt last fall. On Jan. 21 at Santa Anita, the 4-year-old Sir Percy filly was unveiled in a first-level allowance at 1 ¼ miles on turf. She rallied from dead last under Frankie Dettori to win by a length.

“It was super impressive,” Glatt said. “Especially because a lot of the Europeans need a start in the U.S. before they can kind put it all together. We’re pretty confident going into the Santa Ana, while also knowing this is better company she will be facing.”

Dettori again has the call on Khinjani Saturday.

“She comes from the clouds, so we do need a favorable pace scenario,” Glatt added. “Hopefully we get at least a reasonably quick first half mile so she’ll have something to close into.”

D’Amato’s Musical Rhapsody has finished behind Linda’s Gift in three straight races, including consecutive runner-up finishes in the Astra and the GIII Red Carpet going 1 3/8 at Del Mar Nov. 23.

“She’s given me back-to-back really good efforts,” D’Amato said. “I think this time she’ll probably be a little closer to the pace. She’s continued to train well and we’re expecting another good run Saturday.”

Like Khinjani, Ireland-bred Queens Command will also be making her U.S. stakes debut. A 5-year-old mare by War Command mare, Queens Command returned from a 14-month layoff to win a first-level allowance at a mile on turf here Jan. 7. It was her first start for D’Amato.

“It was a very promising effort. She made a really elongated move and managed to sustain it,” D’Amato said. Leisurewear returned from a seven-month layoff in the Astra. She stalked Linda’s Gift in second before weakening late and checking in fifth.

“All things considered, off the layoff, I thought it was a pretty decent effort,” D’Amato said. “We’re backing her up to a mile and a quarter, second off the bench. She should be ready to give us a nice effort.”

The Santa Ana goes as the seventh race on Saturday’s 10-race card. Post time is scheduled for 3:29 p.m. PT. The field in post position order: Queens Command, Antonio Fresu (6-1); Leisurewear, Juan Hernandez (8-1); Musical Rhapsody, Mike Smith (4-1); Customer List, Drayden Van Dyke (12-1); Khinjani, Frankie Dettori (3-1); Linda’s Gift, Tiago Pereira (5-2); Duvet Day, Kazushi Kimura (6-1); Yerwanthere, Umberto Rispoli (10-1).

STREAKING CAL-BRED KINGS RIVER KNIGHT GOES IN OPEN ALLOWANCE Kings River Knight, a winner of three straight California-bred stakes and five overall in 15 starts, tests open company Saturday in a $69,000 second-level allowance/optional claimer at a mile on turf. He is the 9-5 morning-line favorite for trainer John Sadler.

Kings River Knight was slated to run in Monday’s Tiznow Stakes for statebreds at a mile on dirt, but that plan fell through when the card was canceled due to heavy rain. Sadler audibled to Saturday’s fifth race, which also attracted a pair of geldings dropping out of graded stakes in Cathkin Peak (3-1) and Great King (5-1).

Kings River Knight’s current win streak includes the E.B. Johnston at a mile on dirt at Los Alamitos last September, the California Flag Handicap on the hillside turf course in October and most recently the Unusual Heat Turf Classic at 1 1/8 miles here Jan. 13.

“He was training to run on Monday. He’s ready to go,” Sadler said.

Jockey Juan Hernandez rode King River Knight in his three most recent stakes wins and will again be in the irons Saturday.

Kings River Knight is a 6-year-old gelding by Acclimation. He sports a sparkling record of 8-5-0 in 14 starts with $536,010 in earnings for owner The Ellwood Johnston Trust, Integrity Thoroughbred Racing, LLC, and Kenneth A. Tevelde. “It’s pretty good to have this condition for a horse as accomplished as he is,” Sadler said.

Post time for Saturday’s fifth race is scheduled for 2:29 p.m. PT. The field in post position order: Cathkin Peak, Antonio Fresu (3-1); Silver Surfer, Kazushi Kimura (12-1); Great King, Frankie Dettori (5-1); Lincoln Hawk, Victor Espinoza (8-1); Kings River Knight, Juan Hernandez (9-5); Carmelita’s Man, Tiago Pereira (4-1); Zoffarelli, Hector Berrios (6-1).

SATURDAY’S $1 COAST-TO-COAST PICK 5 STARTS AT 1:36 P.M. PT The $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 on Saturday kicks off at 1:36 p.m. PT with the 10th race from Gulfstream.

The Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 includes races from Gulfstream and Santa Anita and features a player-friendly 15 percent takeout rate. Also on Saturday’s slate are the 11th and 12th races from Gulfstream Park and the fifth and seventh races from Santa Anita. The entire sequence will be completed in under two hours.

The 11th race from Gulfstream is the six-furlong Gulfstream Park Sprint, which attracted a field of 10 led by 8-5 morning-line favorite Candy Man Rocket for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. The seventh race from Santa Anita is the featured GIII Santa Ana at 1 ¼ miles on turf. Linda’s Gift is the 5-2 morning-line favorite for trainer Richard Mandella in a field of eight.

The Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 is offered every Saturday and Sunday through the end of Santa Anita’s Classic Meet April 7.

FINISH LINES: There are 10 races Saturday with first post at 12:30 p.m. PT... Flavien Prat and Juan Hernandez remain tied atop the jockey’s standings with 32 wins each entering Friday’s action. Prat will not at Santa Anita this week. He’s in Saudi Arabia where he’s set to ride National Treasure for Bob Baffert in the $20 million Saudi Cup on Saturday… The 54th annual Santa Anita Jockeys vs. Holy Angels Middle School Charity Basketball Game is this Monday 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…Pete Forntale, an Eclipse Award winner and host of In the Money podcast, will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Saturday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:20 a.m. PT… Condolences to friends and family of Michael Harris, who was a key member of Santa Anita’s parking & valet services for more than 50 years.  Mike Harris passed away earlier this week following a lengthy illness at age 76.  “Mike was loved by everyone,” said his longtime friend, golf partner and co-worker Greg Grohs.  “There wasn’t a single person that didn’t enjoy his presence.”  Services are pending.