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Santa Anita Stable Notes Friday, March 29, 2024
3/29/2024
STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2024
- MAYMUN, IMAGINATION LEAD GI SANTA ANITA DERBY NOMINATIONS - UNBEATEN KINZA AMONG 9 FILLIES NOMINATED TO GII SA OAKS - RACING CANCELED THIS WEEKEND; CARD ADDED NEXT THURSDAY - NEW SYNTHETIC TRAINING TRACK OPENS FOR WORKERS SATURDAY
MAYMUN, IMAGINATION LEAD GI SANTA ANITA DERBY NOMINATIONS Unbeaten Maymun and GII San Felipe winner Imagination, both trained by Bob Baffert, are among 15 3-year-olds nominated to next Saturday’s GI, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby.
Owned by Zedan Racing Stables, Maymun would be making his stakes debut in the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby. Most recently, the Frosted colt improved to 2-for-2 when edging Imagination by a neck in a first-level allowance going a mile here Feb. 11. Prior to that effort, Maymun aired by 7 ½ lengths in a 6 ½-furlong maiden heat here Jan. 20. Both wins came with Santa Anita leading rider Juan Hernandez in the irons.
Following his narrow loss to Maymun, Imagination made amends with a victory in the 1 1/16-mile San Felipe March 3. The Into Mischief colt won the San Felipe by a head over stablemate Wine Me Up, who is also nominated to the Santa Anita Derby for Baffert.
On Friday, Imagination worked five furlongs in 1:00.00. It was the fifth-fastest of 96 works at the distance.
Baffert’s fourth nominee is Wynstock. The Solomini colt won the GII Los Alamitos Futurity in December but came back to finish last in the GIII Southwest on a muddy track Feb. 3 at Oaklawn Park. On Friday, Wynstock fired a bullet when working four furlongs from the gate in 46.00 seconds. It was the fastest of 113 works at the distance.
Looming a major threat to the potential Baffert quartet is Stronghold for trainer Phil D’Amato. Owned by Eric M. Waller and Sharon Waller, the Ghostzapper colt exits a win in the GIII Sunland Derby Feb. 18. Prior to that breakout victory, Stronghold ended last year with consecutive runner-up efforts in the Los Alamitos Futurity and GIII Bob Hope going seven furlongs at Del Mar.
Other notable nominees expected to run include Tapalo for trainer John Sadler and Tessuto for trainer George Papaprodromou.
Tapalo, a ridgling by Tapiture for Hronis Racing, broke his maiden going seven furlongs on dirt here Jan. 12. He then came back to finish second in the El Camino Real Derby on synthetic at Golden Gate Feb. 10. The winner of the El Camino Real Derby, Endlessly, came back to win last weekend’s GIII Jeff Ruby Stakes on synthetic at Turfway Park.
Tessuto exits a comfortable 2 ½ -length maiden win going a mile here Feb. 25. It was the first time racing around two turns. On Friday, the son of Munnings worked five furlongs in 1:00.20. He is owned by Kretz Racing. Trainer Doug O’Neill is considering running E.J. Won the Cup, who made it two straight wins when taking the 1 1/16-mile Turf Paradise Derby March 14. The Omaha Beach colt is campaigned by Superfecta King Stable.
There is also one potential out-of-state invader among the nominees, according to the Santa Anita racing office. Trainer Danny Gargan nominated New York-based Society Man, who exits a three-length maiden win going a mile on a muddy track at Aqueduct March 9. The Good Magic gelding tried the GIII Withers at 1 1/8 miles prior to his maiden win and finished eighth.
Entries for the 87th Santa Anita Derby will be taken on Wednesday. Qualifying points for the 150th Kentucky Derby on May 4 will be awarded to eligible horses who finish in the top five. Points are paid on a scale of 100-50-25-15-10.
UNBEATEN KINZA AMONG 9 FILLIES NOMINATED TO GII SANTA ANITA OAKS Kinza, a perfect 3-for-3 with two graded stakes wins for trainer Bob Baffert, leads nine fillies nominated to run in next Saturday’s GII, $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks at 1 1/16 miles.
Owned by Michael Lund Petersen, Kinza has won her three starts by a combined 14 ½ lengths. She stayed perfect March 9 when taking the GIII Santa Ysabel, also at 1 1/16 miles, by five lengths under Santa Anita leading rider Juan Hernandez. The Carpe Diem filly previously won the GIII Las Virgenes at a mile here by two lengths Feb. 10 when going two turns for the first time.
Kinza’s main threat is likely Kopion for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. The Omaha Beach filly finished two lengths back of Kinza in the Las Virgenes then bypassed the Santa Ysabel. Prior to the Las Virgenes, which was her first time going two turns, Kopion won the seven-furlong GIII Santa Ysabel here by 5 ¾ lengths Jan. 7.
Baffert also nominated Nothing Like You, who was a well-beaten fourth in the Las Virgenes. Prior to that effort, the Malibu Moon filly won the seven-furlong Desi Arnaz in November at Del Mar and the GII Starlet going 1 1/16 miles at Los Alamitos Dec. 9.
Trainer Peter Eurton nominated recent maiden winner Corposo. By Vino Rosso, Corposo graduated by a nose when stretched to a mile in her second start here March 9.
Trainer Val Brinkerhoff nominated both Where’s My Ring and Ifuaintfirsturlast. Where’s My Ring, who is a maiden, finished second behind Kinza in the Santa Ysabel. Ifuaintfirsturlast tried the Santa Ysabel and did not finish after being eased on the second turn.
The Santa Anita Oaks is an official prep for the Kentucky Oaks May 3 at Churchill Downs. Eligible horses finishing in the top five earn points on a scale of 100-50-30-20-10.
LIVE RACING CANCELED THIS WEEKEND; CARD ADDED NEXT THURSDAY With heavy rain forecast for this weekend, Santa Anita has canceled live racing on Saturday and Sunday. A makeup card will be added next Thursday, April 4, with entries to be taken on Saturday. According to the National Weather Service, rain is expected to arrive in the area Friday evening and remain throughout the weekend.
Thursday's makeup card will include both the GIII Wilshire Stakes on turf, which was scheduled for Saturday, and the GIII American Stakes on turf that was set to be run this Sunday. In addition to Thursday's card, Santa Anita plans to run extra races Friday through Sunday. All races in the condition book for this weekend will be offered back next week.
Next Thursday's card will start a four-day race week at Santa Anita, which is highlighted by the GI Santa Anita Derby card on Saturday, April 6. In addition to the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby, which is a major prep for the Kentucky Derby, the card will also include the GII, $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks, a major prep for the Kentucky Oaks; GIII, $200,000 Monrovia Stakes on the hillside turf course; and a pair of California-bred stakes, the $150,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for 3-year-olds and $150,000 Evening Jewel for 3-year-old fillies, both at six furlongs on dirt.
As a result of the cancellations, no Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 wagers will be offered this weekend. 1/ST Racing was scheduled to seed Saturday's Coast-to-Coast pool with an additional $100,000. That will now take place with the Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 on Sunday, April 7.
FINISH LINES: Workers will be permitted on Santa Anita’s new synthetic training track beginning Saturday. By rule of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, toe grabs are not allowed on synthetic surfaces…Post time for Saturday’s GI, $12 million Dubai World Cup featuring GI Santa Anita Handicap winner Newgate is 9:35 a.m. PT. While there is no live racing Saturday at Santa Anita, the track will open at 7:30 a.m. with simulcast wagering available starting at 8 a.m. PT. The Dubai World Cup program will also be broadcast live on FS2 from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. PT…Next Thursday, on-track fans will receive free parking and admission plus $3 beers and $5 margaritas… Final day of the Classic Meet is next Sunday, April 7. Live racing resumes Friday, April 19 with the start of the Hollywood Meet.