Santa Anita Stable Notes Friday, May 2, 2025

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

FRIDAY, MAY 2, 2025

- • GII WHITTINGHAM: DICEY MO CHARA BACK FOR 4th TIME - • KENTUCKY DERBY: BAEZA IN, RODRIGUEZ OUT __- • BIG PAYOUTS IN $2 PICK 6 CONTINUE AT HOLLYWOOD MEET __ - • 2-YEAR-OLD RACING COMMENCES THIS WEEK WITH CAL-BREDS

GII WHITTINGHAM: DICEY MO CHARA BACK FOR 4th TIME

It just wouldn’t be the GII Charles Whittingham Stakes without Dicey Mo Chara. On Saturday, the veteran gelding trained by Leonard Powell will be making his fourth consecutive appearance in the 1 ¼-mile turf event for older horses. It’s also his 18th consecutive graded stakes try and 21st stakes attempt overall in four seasons of racing.

“He’s a blue-collar horse,” Powell said Friday morning. “He shows up every time and runs his race.”

Dicey Mo Chara has been with Powell since the spring of 2021 when, as a 3-year-old, he was imported by owner Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal after making one start in Europe. He has since become a graded stakes winner and compiled a record of 29: 4-7-4 with $658,777 in earnings.

Dicey Mo Chara is installed as the 9-2 third choice on the morning line in this year’s edition of the Whittingham. His best finish in the race came in 2023 when second to Offlee Naughty. Last year, Dicey Mo Chara was just a length back at the eighth pole before weakening to an off the board finish behind winner Gold Phoenix.

According to Powell, Dicey Mo Chara has been training well for his fourth go-around in the Whittingham.

“He’s really doing good,” Powell said. “He’s a 7-year-old now, but he’s still got some good runs in him. He’s aging well.”

Dicey Mo Chara will have a new jockey Saturday. In recent starts, he has been piloted by Santa Anita leading rider Juan Hernandez. But with Hernandez riding at Churchill Downs this weekend, Armando Ayuso will take over in the irons.

“Armando has done a good job for us. Hopefully he’s a good fit,” Powell said.

Looming as the main threat in the Whittingham is Atitlan, the 3-2 morning line favorite for trainer John Shirreffs. Atitlan most recently earned a field-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure when rolling to a two-length victory in the GIII San Luis Rey going 1 ½ miles on March 22 at Santa Anita.

The Whittingham goes as the sixth race on a 10-race card Saturday. With first post at 1 p.m. PT, the Whittingham is set to go at 3:38 p.m. The field in post position order: Wizard of Westwood, Kyle Frey (8-1); Dicey Mo Chara, Armando Ayuso (9-2); City Exile, Tiago Pereira (3-1); Maltese Falcon, Drayden Van Dyke (6-1); Packs a Wahlop, Reylu Gutierrez (8-1); Balladeer, Kent Desormeaux (12-1); Atitlan, Hector Berrios (3-2).

KENTUCKY DERBY: BAEZA IN, RODRIGUEZ OUT DUE TO BRUISED HOOF

GI Santa Anita Derby runner-up Baeza, who had been relegated to the also-eligible list for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby is now in the field following the scratch Thursday of fellow Santa Anita-based colt Rodriguez.

Tom Ryan, racing manager for Rodriguez’s co-owner SF Racing, revealed on social media that the Authentic colt was being withdrawn from the Kentucky Derby due to a slight bruise in his right front foot. Connections plan for the GII Wood Memorial winner to return in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 17.

The defection of Rodriguez leaves just one horse in the Derby field for trainer Bob Baffert, Citizen Bull. It also opened the door for Baeza to try and give trainer John Shirreffs a second win in the Kentucky Derby. Owned by C R K Stable, Baeza shipped to Churchill Downs last week and has been training with the thought he would ultimately draw in the field. The McKinzie colt, who is a half-brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage and 2024 Belmont winner Dornoch, worked five furlongs in 1:02.00 on Monday at Churchill Downs, then came back Thursday with a strong two-mile gallop. Shirreffs previously won the Kentucky Derby in 2005 with longshot Giacomo.

Baeza will break from the far outside under Flavien Prat, the reigning Eclipse Award-winning jockey. In early Kentucky Derby wagering, Baeza’s odds were 19-1 as of Friday morning. Citizen Bull, who will break from the rail under Martin Garcia, was 14-1. Joining that duo in the Derby lineup is Santa Anita Derby winner Journalism, who will have Umberto Rispoli aboard for trainer Michael McCarthy. Journalism was the 3-1 favorite as of Friday morning.

Post time for the 151st Kentucky Derby is 3:57 p.m. PT. It will be aired live on NBC.

SUNDAY’S $2 PICK 6 PAYS $53K FOR 2 WINNING TICKETS

Big payouts in the $2 Pick Six at the Hollywood Meet continued Sunday when there were just two winning tickets with each paying $53,992.40.

Sunday’s Pick Six sequence had just two winning favorites: Liquid Spirit, who won the sixth race for trainer George Papaprodromou with Kyle Frey aboard and paid $5.60; and Annan, trained by Alexis Barba, who won the 11th and final race under Hector Berrios and paid $4.40.

The winning horses in Sunday’s Pick Six were #5 Stay In Line ($35), #2 Jungle Peace ($9.60), #9 Liquid Spirit ($5.60), #10 Hellcity ($6.80), #5 Contrary Chieftain ($11.40) and #1 Annan ($4.40).

Friday’s Pick Six kicks off with the fourth race at approximately 2:35 p.m. PT. The sequence averages 10 starters per race before scratches.

FINISH LINES: Friday’s fourth race is the first 2-year-old race of the season. For California-bred fillies at 4 ½ furlongs, a field of eight is signed on led by 3-1 morning line favorite Cara Rose. The daughter of Caravaggio will have William Antongeorgi III aboard for trainer Steve Miyadi…Splendora, runner-up in the GII Santa Maria April 19, returned to the work tab Friday with a three-furlong drill in 36.20 seconds for trainer Bob Baffert…Friday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 1:15 p.m. PT with the eighth race from Gulfstream Park…Sunday’s feature at Santa Anita is the 1 ½-mile Santa Barbara Stakes on turf for older fillies and mares. The 3-2 morning line favorite is Mrs. Astor, who will have Umberto Rispoli aboard for trainer Jonathan Thomas…Santa Anita track announcer Frank Mirahmadi will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Saturday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:50 a.m. PT…