STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2024

Photo: Ernie Belmonte

• CHAMPION STELLAR WIND’S 1ST STARTER DEBUTS SATURDAY • BIG CITY LIGHTS, KINZA AMONG NOTABLE WORKERS FRIDAY • SATURDAY’S $1 COAST-TO-COAST PICK 5 STARTS AT 2:18 P.M. PT • $5 MILLION 1/ST GRAND 3 PICK ‘EM CHALLENGE STARTS SATURDAY

SATURDAY MAIDEN RACES INCLUDE INTRIGUING PROSPECTS In addition to the $100,000 Mizdirection Stakes, Saturday’s 10-race card at Santa Anita includes a pair of notable maiden races at one mile on dirt.

In the eighth race, which is for colts and geldings who have not won a race, Bob Baffert will unveil Magnify, a son of Justify out of 2015 champion 3-year-old filly Stellar Wind.

Stellar Wind, by Curlin, was a six-time Grade I winner and banked more than $2.9 million. She was purchased for $6 million by M.V. Magnier at the 2017 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Magnify (5-1) is her third foal and first to race.

Magnify has worked seven times for his debut, including a five-furlong drill from the gate in 59.60 seconds last Thursday. He is owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael B. Tabor.

Also in the eighth, trainer John Sadler has a pair of high-priced 3-year-olds making their second starts. Metro (5-1), a $2.5 million son of Quality Road, switches to dirt and stretches out for his second outing. In his debut March 22, Metro finished an even fourth going six furlongs on turf.

Sadler’s other starter is Pony Express (15-1), a $500,000 son of Gun Runner. In his debut going 6 ½ furlongs on dirt March 9, Pony Express flashed early speed before fading to ninth.

Trainer Michael McCarthy has two entered including first-time starter Wise Counsel (6-1). By Curlin, the 3-year-old colt was a $400,000 auction buy as a yearling. He is a half brother to $1.6-million earner Bellafina.

Wise Counsel signaled his readiness on Sunday when sizzling four furlongs from the gate in 46.40 seconds, which was the fastest of 75 works at the distance that day.

The 5-2 morning line favorite is Mc Vay for trainer John Shirreffs. Mc Vay returns to the maiden ranks after three-straight graded stakes tries, which includes a troubled seventh in the GI Santa Anita Derby most recently on April 6.

Saturday’s eighth race is set to go at 5:09 p.m. The field in post position order: Middleburg, Edwin Maldonado (12-1); Fame, Kent Desormeaux (6-1); Leading, Jeremy Laprida (12-1); Metro, Antonio Fresu (5-1); Wise Counsel, Victor Espinoza (6-1); Magnify, Kyle Frey (5-1); Winterfell, Juan Hernandez (4-1); Pony Express, Umberto Rispoli (15-1); McVay, Mike Smith (5-2).

In Saturday’s opener, which is for fillies and mares who have not won a race, high-priced Miss Rockette makes her second start for Baffert. A $1.25 million auction buy as a yearling, the daughter of Into Mischief is the 4-5 favorite on the morning line.

Miss Rockette debuted going 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park on April 20. Dispatched at 4-5, Miss Rockette had a three-length lead at the eighth pole but was run down late by the Brad Cox-trained Flashy Dancer. Miss Rockette was seven lengths clear of the third-place finisher.

Owned by Frank Fletcher Racing Operations Inc, Miss Rockette is the first foal out of graded stakes winner Song of Spring. She will break from the rail under Juan Hernandez, who was also aboard for her debut.

Trainer John Shirreffs and owner C R K Stable will debut Tiz Silver (6-1). A $325,000 auction buy last year, Tiz Silver is by Curlin out of Tiz o’ Gold. Her siblings include half brother Bravazo, by Awesome Again, who earned more than $2 million on the track.

Tiz Silver will be ridden by Kyle Frey for her debut. She has worked seven times since March 23.

Post time for the first is 1 p.m. The field in post position order: Miss Rockette, Juan Hernandez (4-5); Petite Ange, Geovanni Franco (12-1); Hymnal, Edwin Maldonado (5-1); Tiz Silver, Kyle Frey (6-1); Ms Bo J, Antonio Fresu (2-1).

BIG CITY LIGHTS, KINZA AMONG NOTABLE WORKERS FRIDAY Big City Lights, off since winning the GIII Palos Verdes Feb. 10 at Sana Anita, had a second straight six-furlong work for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella Friday.

Big City Lights completed the drill in 1:13.40. It was his seventh work since March 24.

A 5-year-old California-bred horse by Mr. Big, Big City Lights earned his third stakes win when scoring by a nose over Hopkins in the six-furlong Palos Verdes. The next major dirt sprint at Santa Anita is the GII Triple Bend at seven furlongs June 1.

Working for Bob Baffert was Kinza, who on April 6 suffered her first loss when second as the favorite in the GII Santa Anita Oaks. The Carpe Diem filly drilled four furlongs in 49.80 seconds. It was her second work since the Santa Anita Oaks. A potential target for Kinza is the GII Summertime Oaks at 1 1/16 miles on June 8 at Santa Anita.

Continuing on the comeback trail for trainer Mark Glatt is Dr. Venkman, who last year flashed serious talent in three starts as a 3-year-old. The Ghostzapper gelding worked five furlongs in 1:00.60, which was the second-fastest of 33 moves at the distance.

Dr. Venkman won his first two starts by a combined 10 ¾ lengths last summer at Del Mar. He has been sidelined since Oct. 21 when he finished second by a head in the seven-furlong Perryville Stakes at Keeneland. There were a combined 123 workouts on the main track and training track.

SATURDAY’S $1 COAST-TO-COAST PICK 5 STARTS AT 2:18 P.M. PT The $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 on Saturday kicks off at 2:18 p.m. PT with the ninth race from Gulfstream Park. Also in the sequence is the 11th from Gulfstream and races seven, nine and 10 from Santa Anita.

Gulfstream’s ninth is a maiden race for 3-year-olds at one mile on turf. An overflow field of 16 is entered with 12 in the main body of the field. The tepid 3-1 favorite on the morning line is Monopoly of Honor, who will be ridden by Sonny Leon for trainer George Weaver.

Gulfstream’s 11th is the Roar Stakes for 3-year-olds at five furlongs on turf. In a field of nine, Crimson Advocate is the 8-5 favorite for Weaver. He will be ridden by Edwin Gonzalez.

The seventh from Santa Anita is the Mizdirection Stakes for older fillies and mares on the hillside turf course. The Wild Grazer with Geovanni Franco is a lukewarm 3-1 favorite for trainer Jeff Mullins.

Santa Anita’s ninth is a starter/optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles on dirt. With the early scratch of My Ransom, a field of seven is set to go postward. De’ Medici with Tyler Baze is the 9-5 favorite for trainer Michael McCarthy.

The anchor leg, Santa Anita’s 10th, is a maiden race for fillies and mares at a mile on turf. A full field of is 12 signed up led by 9-5 favorite Runamileinmyshoes, who will be ridden by Juan Hernandez for Mullins.

The Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 features a player-friendly 15 percent takeout rate. It is offered every Friday and Saturday through the end of the Santa Anita Hollywood Meet June 16.

$5 MILLION 1/ST GRAND 3 PICK ‘EM CHALLENGE STARTS SATURDAY The first-ever $5 Million 1/ST Grand 3 Pick ‘Em Challenge starts with Saturday’s 149th Preakness Stakes from Pimlico. The free-to-play contest tasks participants with selecting the top-four finishers in exact order for the Preakness, California Crown Sept. 28 at Santa Anita and the Pegasus World Cup Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park.

The 1/ST Grand 3 Pick ‘Em Challenge is part of 1/ST’s $25 million racing and incentive series connecting 1/ST’s premier events in Maryland, California and Florida. The Preakness, California Crown and Pegasus World Cup will feature more than $12.5 million in elevated purses and $7.5 million in other incentives.

In the Pick ‘Em Challenge, if there are no perfect entries then a $100,000 cash prize will be paid to the entry with the most overall points.

Aidan Butler, President of 1/ST said, “The 1/ST Grand 3 Pick ‘Em Challenge is a great opportunity for new fans and seasoned pros to take a shot at a huge payday, coupled with amazing racing and entertainment experiences across the three events. This is intended to drive excitement for the next eight months.”

Saturday’s Preakness will be broadcast live on NBC and Peacock from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. PT. Post time for the Preakness is set for 4:01 p.m.

For full contest and entry rules, please visit www.1st.com/contest or www.preakness.com/contest.

FINISH LINES: On Saturday, Preakness Stakes Day, Santa Anita will open for simulcast wagering at 7:15 a.m. PT. Patrons can enter through the East Gate. First post from Pimlico is 7:30 a.m. with the Preakness set to go at 4:01 p.m…Live racing Saturday at Santa Anita Saturday starts at 1 p.m. The feature on a 10-race card is the Mizdirection Stakes for older fillies and mares on the hillside turf course, which goes as the seventh race at 4:39 p.m.…Daily Racing Form’s Steve Andersen will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Saturday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:50 a.m…Every Friday during the Hollywood Meet, on-track patrons will receive free parking and admission plus $3 beers and $5 margaritas.