Santa Anita Stable Notes Friday, June 5, 2026

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2026

• HONEYMOON: DEEP FIELD OF 10 3YO FILLIES SET FOR 1M TURF TEST
• AIELLO TAKES OVER IN ANNOUNCER’S BOOTH THIS WEEKEND
• AFFIRMED NOMS SECURED FREEDOM, CONSTITUTION ANDI WORK
• MAKEUP DAY ADDED FOR CLOSING WEEK NEXT THURSDAY

HONEYMOON: DEEP FIELD OF 10 3YO FILLES SET FOR 1 MILE TURF TEST The featured Honeymoon Stakes on Saturday attracted a deep and competitive field of 10 sophomore fillies that will battle over one mile on turf. It goes as the eighth race at 4:51 p.m.

Tabbed as the 9-5 favorite on the morning line is stakes winner Light Won Up, who goes for trainer Doug O’Neill and owners Purple Rein Racing and Mark Davis. Light Won Up has never raced around two turns. All five previous starts have been sprints, which includes most notably a win in the Sweet Life Stakes at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course in February, Additionally, Light Won Up will have a new jockey Saturday. With regular jockey Antonio Fresu in New York to ride the Belmont Stakes program at Saratoga, Juan Hernandez jumps aboard Light Won Up for the first time.

Trainer Phil D’Amato runs three in the Honeymoon. From the rail out they are Kintrigue (post 1, 15-1), Inbox (post 2, 7-2) and Darya (post 6, 5-1).

Kintrigue makes her stakes debut. On April 30, the daughter of McKenzie graduated in a $50,000 maiden-claimer going one mile on turf. She raced up on a lively pace that day and dug in gamely late to prevail by a nose.

“She impressed me that day,” D’Amato said. “She was challenged multiple times and made like three or four different moves. I thought it was a better-than-looked effort and we decided to take a swing here.”

D’Amato said Kintrigue will be gunning from the inside post under jockey Edwin Maldonado.

“I think we got the best speed rider on the grounds in Maldonado,” D’Amato said. “We’re going to go to the lead and see what happens.”

Both Inbox and Darya exit the Providencia Stakes going 1 1/8 miles on April 5. Each were officially beaten one length by longshot winner Lilo Lil, who also returns in the Honeymoon. Lilo Lil, trained by Michael McCarthy, was allowed on an uncontested lead in the Providencia and won by a nose. The runner-up that day, Wild Like the West, also returns in the Honeymoon for trainer Richard Baltas.

Inbox, an English-bred daughter of Ectot, was facing winners for the first time in the Providencia. She was near the back of the pack before finishing well to be fourth.

“Style-wise it will be similar for her this time. But I think this time she’ll get more speed to run at,” D’Amato said.

Darya, an Irish-bred daughter or Persian King, was the 3-2 favorite in the Providencia. She stalked the pace and finished willingly but could not catch a loose-on-the-lead Lilo Lil.

“She was a little closer to the pace that day than I wanted,” D’Amato said. “I think we’ll have her covered up. Same thing with her, a mile should help with more pace.”

First post Saturday is 1 p.m. for a 10-race card. The field in post position order: Kintrigue, Edwin Maldonado (15-1); Inbox, Joel Rosario (7-2); Dreaming of Alys, Mike Smith (20-1); Lilo Lil, Emisael Jaramillo (15-1); Bella Lyra, Ricky Gonzalez (20-1); Darya, Hector Berrios (5-1); Wild Like the West, Armando Ayuso (10-1); Lookin at Diamonds, Victor Espinoza (6-1); Light Won Up, Juan Hernandez (9-5); Revera, Tiago Pereira (12-1).

AIELLO TAKES OVER IN ANNOUNCER’S BOOTH THIS WEEKEND Pete Aiello, the regular track announcer at Gulfstream Park, will be on the microphone at Santa Anita this weekend in place of Frank Mirahmadi, who this week is in New York calling the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga.

Aiello also served as Mirahmadi’s replacement during last year’s Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

“I feel honored that Frank and the Santa Anita team invited me back out this weekend,” Aiello said. “The Great Race Place is aptly named and I can’t wait to get back to the booth. It’s a great change of pace for me and always a challenge.”

Tapped to replace Aiello at Gulfstream this weekend is Jason Beem, the regular announcer at Tampa Bay Downs.

Aiello has been Gulfstream Park’s year-round announcer since 2016. A 40-year-old native of West Palm Beach, Fla., Aiello previously served as a guest racecaller at Santa Anita during the 2023 Breeders’ Cup.

WORKS: AFFIRMED NOMS SECURED FREEDOM, CONSTITUION ANDI DRILL Secured Freedom and Constitution Andi, both nominated to next Thursday’s 1 1/16-mile Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds, led the work tab Friday.

Secured Freedom fired a bullet for trainer Tim Yakteen when working five furlongs in 59.8 seconds. It was the fastest of 21 works at the distance. By Practical Joke, Secured Freedom most recently was fourth in the GII Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs on May 26. Prior to that effort, he was fourth also in the GII San Felipe and third in the GIII Robert B. Lewis.

Constitution Andi, trained by Mike Puype, worked four furlongs in 47.6 seconds. The colt by Constitution most recently was third in a one-mile maiden race on turf on May 2.

Working towards a potential start in next Friday’s Possibly Perfect Stakes next Friday was nominee Ulysses Rose. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Ulysses Rose worked five furlongs on the main track in 1:01.4. The 4-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Ulysses most recently was third in the 1 ½-mile Santa Barbara Stakes on turf on May 3.The Possibly Perfect for fillies and mares is at 1 ¼ miles on turf.

FINISH LINES: The $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 Friday starts at 1:34 p.m. PT with the eighth race from Gulfstream Park…The $1 Sunset Pick 6 begins at 1:04 p.m. with the seventh race from Gulfstream…A rarity occurred in Sunday’s fifth race when full sisters Quantum Innergy ($10.80) and Fibonnacis Ride finished one-two in an allowance/optional claimer for California-bred fillies and mares going one mile on turf. Quantum Innergy, a 5-year-old, bested her 4-year-old younger sister by a neck on the wire. Both are by Clubhouse Ride out of the Wildcat Heir mare Wild Carolina and were bred by James Shenouda…FanDuel Racing’s Dave Weaver will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Saturday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:50 a.m. PT…The East Gate Saturday will open at 7:30 a.m. to allow patrons to watch and wager on the Belmont Stakes program at Saratoga. The card starts at 8 a.m. PT and post time for the Belmont Stakes is 4:04 p.m…Santa Anita will host four consecutive days of racing next week starting on Thursday and ending with closing day of the Hollywood Meet on Sunday.