Santa Anita Stable Notes Friday, May 22, 2026

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2026

- FRAN’S VALENTINE: GRADED WINNER OM N JOY GETS TURF TEST - FRIDAY CARRYOVERS: $60K IN $2 PICK 6 & $12K IN $1 SUNSET PICK 6 - 4 OTHER STATEBRED STAKES JOIN THE FRAN’S VALENTINE SATURDAY - WORKS: JOURNALISM LEADS MCCARTHY STAKES WINNERS ON TAB - MEMORIAL DAY: GI SHOEMAKER, GI GAMELY, GII GOLD CUP FEATURED

FRAN’S VALENTINE: OM N JOY SWITCHES TO TURF AFTER GRADE I TRY California-bred graded stakes winner Om N Joy hasn’t raced on turf since making her first two career starts in the winter of 2024-25, a span of eight races and nearly 16 months. After giving it a go six weeks ago in the Grade I Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park, Om N Joy drops in with her fellow statebreds and returns to turf in the Fran’s Valentine for fillies and mares going one mile on the sod.

Om N Joy, trained by Aggie Ordonez, is the 5-1 second choice on the morning line behind even-money favorite Grand Slam Smile. Both of her turf starts at the onset of her career came sprinting against statebred maidens. She finished a respectable third each time. Om N Joy was subsequently switched to dirt and won her next five starts including the GIII Torrey Pines going one mile in August at Del Mar.

“She’s ready to run and any time you can go from a Grade I to a statebred stakes, that’s an opportunity you want to take a look at,” Ordonez said. “The surface change is a concern. But it would certainly open more doors for her.

“When she improved so much last year, was it because of the dirt? I would beg to say that she matured and developed. I can’t say she ran poorly on the grass, I’m just not as confident on the turf.”

A 4-year-old filly by Om, Om N Joy is campaigned by breeders Jerry Baker and Connie Baker along with partners Michael Golovko and Terrence J. Scanlan. Om N Joy’s half-brother Vodka Vodka, who the Bakers also bred, is a stakes winner on turf. In January, the 5-year-old gelding by Stay Thirsty won the Unusual Heat Turf Classic for statebred males at Santa Anita.

Om N Joy in the 1 1/16-mile Apple Blossom--one of the nation’s leading springtime dirt races for older fillies and mares—ran on to finish fifth in a nine-horse field. Ordonez was satisfied with the effort.

“I was proud of her. She didn’t embarrass herself. But I feel like she was a tick off her best effort,” Ordonez said.

In the Fran’s Valentine, Om N Joy will break from the far outside in post eight with regular rider Kent Desormeaux aboard.

Morning line favorite Grand Slam Smile, trained by Sean McCarthy, is also back in with statebreds following a graded stakes try. The ultra-consistent 5-year-old mare by Smiling Tiger most recently tried the GIII Royal Heroine at one mile on turf on April 25 at Santa Anita. Sent of the 8-5 favorite. Grand Slam Smile showed the way into the stretch before being overtaken and finishing third, one length back of winner Take A Breath who returns in the GI Gamely on Monday. Grand Slam Smile has a record of 20: 11-6-3 with $924,120 in earnings for owners-breeders Larry D. Williams and Marianne Williams.

First post Saturday is 1 p.m. for a 10-race card. The Fran’s Valentine goes as the fourth race at 2:33 p.m. The field in post position order: Take Another Card, Antonio Fresu (5-1); Prancingthruparis, Armando Ayuso (6-1); Grand Slam Smile, William Antongeorgi III (1-1); O K Rose, Hector Berrios (6-1); Mars Magic, Erick Garcia (30-1); Quick Kate, Kazushi Kimura (30-1); Sunset Grazen, Juan Hernandez (12-1); Om N Joy, Kent Desormeaux (5-1).

FRIDAY CARRYOVERS: $60K IN THE $2 PICK 6, $12K IN $1 SUNSET PICK 6

Helping to kick off a big Memorial Day weekend at Santa Anita Friday are notable carryovers in both the $2 Pick 6 and $1 Sunset Pick 6. The $2 Pick 6 carryover is $60,494 and the $1 Sunset Pick 6 has $12,380 carryover.

The $2 Pick 6 starts at 2:32 p.m. with Santa Anita’s fourth race. Track officials estimate a total pool of $400,000. The Sunset Pick 6, which combines the final three races from Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park, begins at 1:04 p.m. with the seventh race from Gulfstream Park.

To help horseplayers in their pursuit of winning the two wagers, Santa Anita and Daily Racing Form have joined forces to provide free past performances for Santa Anita’s full card. They can be accessed at https://promos.drf.com/santaanita25.

4 OTHER STATEBRED STAKES JOIN THE FRAN’S VALENTINE ON SATURDAY

In addition to the Fran’s Valentine, Saturday’s program also features four other stakes for horses bred or sired in California.

The Thor’s Echo Stakes, which goes as the third race, is for older horses at six furlongs on the main track. Looming in the lineup is graded stakes winner Big City Lights. Trained by Richard Mandella for owner William R. Peeples, Big City Lights most recently beat open company in a high-level allowance going seven furlongs on May 2. It was the first start in more than five months for the 7-year-old horse by Mr. Big. Big City Lights is the 6-5 morning-line favorite.

Pure Madness, who was 8-1 on the morning line and drew the rail, will be scratched, trainer Brian Koriner said Friday. Pure Madness will instead run on Monday against open company in a first-level allowance going six furlongs on turf.

The Thor’s Echo field in post position order: Pure Madness, Armando Ayuso (8-1); Thirsty Rebel, Abel Lezcano (20-1); Uncle Chilly, Joel Rosario (10-1); Drop Um, Kyle Frey (15-1); Big City Lights, Kazushi Kimura (6-5); Book Smart, Mike Smith (9-2); Lonesome Stew, Antonio Fresu (2-1).

The sixth race Saturday is the Crystal Water Stakes at one mile on turf. Pegged as the even-money favorite on the morning line is Flyover, trained by John Sadler, who stretches out in distance after winning the Sensational Star for statebreds at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course March 22. It was the first stake win for the 5-year-old horse by Om. Flyover is 1-for-2 at one mile on turf. He is owned by The Ellwood Johnston Trust, Integrity Thoroughbred Racing and Kenneth A. Tevelde.

On the Whim, the 5-1 second choice, finished runner-up to Flyover in the Sensational Star. Trained by Dean Pederson, On the Whim in 2024 won both California Dreamin’ Stakes for statebreds at 1 1/16 miles on turf and California Flag Handicap on the hillside turf course. The 6-year-old gelding by Acclamation is campaigned by breeder Harris Farms.

The Crystal Water field in post position order: Santa Barbarian, Armando Ayuso (10-1); On the Whim, Tiago Pereira (5-1); Cali Cat, Joel Rosario (6-1); Prince Dolce, Ricky Gonzalez (8-1); Stamp My Passport, Victor Espinoza (20-1); Canani, Kyle Frey (15-1); Flyover, Antonio Fresu (1-1); Curlin’s Kaos, Edwin Maldonado (30-1); Call Me Sir, Kazushi Kimura (8-1).

The seventh race Saturday is the Melair Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

Mohaven, a two-time stakes winner sprinting versus statebreds, is installed as a heavy 3-5 favorite on the morning line. This will be her first time racing around two turns. Trained by John Sadler, the daughter of Yaupon most recently romped by six lengths when winning the Evening Jewel Stakes going 6 ½ furlongs on April 4 at Santa Anita. She is owned by Legacy Ranch.

Run With Liberty makes her stakes debut a perfect 2-for-2 but has never raced on dirt. Both of her wins came at one mile on turf against statebreds. Trained by Jeff Mullins, the daughter of Orginaire graduated by three lengths on March 22 at Santa Anita and came right back to win a first-level allowance, again by three lengths, on April 24. Run With Liberty is a homebred for BG Stables.

The field for the Melair in post position order: Holdthatrainbow, Florent Geroux (5-1); Good Golly Dolly, Abel Lezcano (30-1); Run With Liberty, Kyle Frey (7-2); Mohaven, Emisael Jaramillo (3-5); Cecilia Street, Antonio Fresu (12-1); Lino’s Angel, Tyler Baze (30-1; Troisieme Etoile, Joel Rosario (8-1).

The eighth race is the Snow Chief Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

He’s a Knockout, trained by Carla Gaines, is the 6-5 morning line favorite While he enters his stakes debut a perfect 2-for-2, he has never raced around two turns. Most recently, the Smiling Tiger colt won a statebred allowance sprinting on the hillside turf course on April 19. He’s a Knockout is a homebred for Harris Farms.

Unrivaled Time, the 7-2 second choice, most notably won the GIII Cecil B. DeMille at one mile on turf in November at Del Mar. In two subsequent starts, both open stakes at one mile on turf, the son of Not This Time was third in the Eddie Logan in January and sixth in the Pasadena, both at Santa Anita. Unrivaled Time is trained by Leonard Powell for breeder Alfred A. Pais and Innergy Racing Corp.

The Snow Chief field in post position order: Unrivaled Time, Armand Ayuso (7-2); Smoovin Saturday, Florent Geroux (30-1); He’s a Knockout, Juan Hernandez (6-5); Trump Era, Edwin Maldonado (15-1); Wave With Envy, Cesar Belmont (30-1); Ventry Stand, Antonio Fresu (9-2); Third Beer, Kazushi Kimura (6-1); John Metcalfe, Joel Rosario (20-1); Fionello, Tiago Pereira (30-1); Scatalotadingdong, Mike Smith (15-1).

WORKS: JOURNALISM LEADS MCCARTHY STAKES WINNERS ON TAB

Top 4-year-old Journalism, pointed to the GI Metropolitan Handicap on June 6 at Saratoga, GII Santa Maria winner Simply Joking and recent GIII Senorita Stakes winner Marjoram all worked for trainer Michael McCarthy Friday at Santa Anita.

Journalism worked five furlongs in 59.4 seconds. It was the second-fastest of 42 works at the distance. By Curlin, Journalism kicked off the 2026 campaign on April 18 with a third-place finish in the GII Oaklawn Handicap going 1 1/8 miles.

Simply Joking drilled five furlongs in 1:02.4. A 4-year-old daughter of Practical Joke, Simply Joking romped by 6 ¾ lengths in the 1 1/16-mile Santa Maria on April 19 at Santa Anita. She’s expected to make her next start in the he GII Santa Margarita going 1 1/8 miles on May 30 at Santa Anita.

Marjoram worked four furlongs on the main track in 48.0 seconds. A homebred daughter of Quality Road for Juddmonte, Marjoram won the Senorita for 3-year-old fillies sprinting on the hillside turf course by a head on May 9.

Finish Lines: On Memorial Day Monday, Santa Anita has a big 10-race card set featuring the Grade I Shoemaker Mile, GI Gamely Stakes and Grade II Hollywood Gold Cup. First post is at 1 p.m. PT. The 1 ¼-mile Gold Cup kicks off the stakes action as the fourth race on the program. The Gamely for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf goes as the sixth race and the Shoemaker Mile on turf is carded as the eighth race on the program…Friday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick starts at 1:34 p.m. PT with the eighth race from Gulfstream Park…Owner-breeder Terry Lovingier of Legacy Ranch will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Saturday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:50 a.m. PT.