Santa Anita Stable Notes Friday, May 23, 2025

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

FRIDAY, MAY 23, 2025

• SADLER OPTS GII SANTA MARGARITA FOR ALPHA BELLA • WORKS: BAEZA DRILLS 6F; RODRIGUEZ, NYSOS ALSO ON TAB • MISO PHANSY TO SCRATCH FROM MELAIR AFTER NEAR-MISS SUNDAY • MEMORIAL DAY: TOP-LEVEL RACING, FOOD & DRINK SPECIALS

SADLER OPTS GII SANTA MARGARITA FOR ALPHA BELLA

Alpha Bella, who was entered in both Sunday’s GII Santa Margarita on dirt and Monday’s GI Gamely on turf, will run in the GII Santa Margarita at 1 1/8 miles, trainer John Sadler said Friday.

Alpha Bella is part of a compact field of six entered in the Santa Margarita. Joining her in the lineup is Where’s My Ring, who was also cross entered in the Gamely. On Friday morning, Where’s My Ring’s new trainer, Peter Miller, said he had not yet decided which race she would contest. Where’s My Ring was previously trained by Val Brinkerhoff.

As for Alpha Bella, she is installed at 5-1 on the morning line for the Santa Margarita. The versatile mare by Justify is a graded stakes winner on turf and has finished runner-up in three graded stakes on dirt since being transferred to Sadler from trainer Todd Pletcher last summer. Most recently, Alpha Bella was second in the GIII Wilshire at one mile on turf March 29 at Santa Anita.

“She’s good on both surfaces and we were trying to handicap what’s the better spot,” Sadler said. “We decided to go on dirt Sunday.”

A homebred for Don Alberto Stable, Alpha Bella is one of four stakes runners this weekend for Sadler. On Saturday, which features five stakes for California-breds, Sadler has 4-5 favorite Kings River Knight in the Crystal Water Stakes at a mile on turf and Cali Cat (3-1) in the Snow Chief, which is for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf. On Monday, Sadler will take a shot in the GII Hollywood Gold Cup with Packs a Wahlop, who has raced almost exclusively on turf and synthetic.

Kings River Knight will be making his second start following a 10-month layoff in the Crystal Water, a race he’s won each of the past two years. He’ll also be stretching out in distance. On March 30, the 7-year-old Acclamation gelding returned in the Sensational Star for statebreds sprinting on the hillside turf course. He raced up near the pace that day before weakening in the stretch.

“He’s been working great since his comeback,” Sadler said. “Maybe he needed that race after the long layoff. But he got a decent rating and a mile on turf against Cal-breds is really his spot.”

Cali Cat is also stretching out in distance in the Snow Chief after most recently being beaten just a half-length when sprinting down the hill in the John Shear Stakes April 6. “He broke his maiden at a mile,” Sadler noted. “He was in the shorter races for a couple because that’s what was available for Cal-breds on the turf. But we think he’s good at a mile, mile and an eight. This looks like a good spot for him.”

First post Saturday for a 10-race card is 1 p.m. PT. In addition to the Snow Chief and Crystal Water, the card also includes the Fran’s Valentine for fillies and mares at one mile on turf, Thor’s Echo at six furlongs on dirt and Melair for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on dirt.

BAEZA WORKING FRIDAY MORNING Ernie Belmonte

WORKS: BAEZA, RODRIGUEZ, NYSOS, QUEEN MAXIMA LEAD TAB

Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Baeza worked six furlongs in company Friday at Santa Anita for trainer John Shirreffs. It was the second work since the Derby for the Curlin colt, who is pointed to the Belmont Stakes on June 7 at Saratoga.

Other notables on the tab included Rodriguez, who was scratched from the Kentucky Derby; Nysos, who returned from a 14-month layoff to finish second in the GI Churchill Downs Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 3; and Queen Maxima, a winner of five straight including the GIII Unbridled Sidney at Churchill Downs May 2.

Baeza worked in company with stablemate Westwood, who hasn’t started since finishing third in the GI Santa Anita Derby April 5. Baeza, who was second in the Santa Anita Derby, was timed in 1:12.40. Westwood was clocked in 1:13.40.

Rodriguez was credited with a seven-furlong work in 1:24.80 for trainer Bob Baffert. Winner of the GII Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, Rodriguez was scratched from the Kentucky Derby due to bruised hoof. After bypassing the Preakness, the colt by Authentic is also a candidate for the Belmont going 1 ¼ miles.

Nysos worked five furlongs in 59.20 seconds, which was the fastest of 14 works at the distance. A 4-year-old Nyquist colt, Nysos dead-heated for second in the Churchill Downs going seven furlongs just a neck back of winner Mindframe. It was his first start since winning the GIII Robert B. Lewis in February 2024 at Santa Anita.

Queen Maxima drilled five furlongs in 1:00.80 for trainer Jeff Mullins. She’s a perfect 4-for-4 this year with wins including the Wishing Well in February and GIII Monrovia in April, both at Santa Anita.

MISO PHANSY WILL SCRATCH FROM MELAIR AFTER NEAR-MISS SUNDAY

Trainer Leonard Powell confirmed Friday morning that Miso Phansy, who was beaten just a nose in Sunday’s GIII Honeymoon at 1 1/8 miles on turf, will scratch from Saturday’s Melair Stakes for statebred 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on dirt. Miso Phansy was the 3-1 third choice on the Melair morning line.

In the Honeymoon, Miso Phansy rallied from last with a furlong remaining to be beaten just a nose by Firenze Flavor in what was a three-way photo finish. The daughter of Karakontie is owned by breeder Ciaglia Racing and Robin Christensen.

The scratch of Miso Phansy leaves Powell with one stakes runner on Saturday’s card, Stamp My Passport, who is a 15-1 longshot in the Crystal Water at one mile on turf. It will be the first time in a stakes for the 6-year-old gelding by Vancouver, who drew the rail.

“He’s won the first condition for Cal-breds on both turf and dirt and now he has to face open company, so we thought going against Cal-breds in a stakes was about the same level as open company,” Powell said. “The ownership wanted to see if he was up to it. He has a good post position, he’s got speed and will be forwardly placed. Hopefully he’s good enough to get a piece of it.”

The Crystal Water goes as the eighth race on the card with post time set for 4:38 p.m. The field in post position order: Stamp My Passport, Armando Ayuso (15-1); Coalinga Road, Umberto Rispoli (7-2); Takes Three, Kazushi Kimura (8-1); Kings River Knight (4-5); Barely Funtional, Ricky Gonzalez (10-1); Clouseau, Hector Berrios (9-2); Freeport Joe, Assael Espinoza (30-1).

FINISH LINES: Santa Anita has a special 11-race card set for Memorial Day featuring the GI Shoemaker Mile, GI Gamely and GII Hollywood Gold Cup. First post is 1 p.m. PT. On-track patrons will receive $1 beers and sodas and $2 hot dogs…Track officials reported this week that handle, field, size, purses and attendance are all up at the Hollywood Meet as compared to last year’s session. Handle is up 14 percent from a year ago, purses are up 10 percent, field size is up 11 percent and on-track attendance is up five percent…Hornblower Jay Cohen announced that his continued recovery will not allow his return prior to the end of the Hollywood Meet as he had hoped. Cohen has been calling the horses to the post at Santa Anita since 1987. “Jay Cohen is a Santa Anita institution,” said Nate Newby, Santa Anita Park’s General Manager. “We welcome him back whenever he is able. In the meantime, we have been very fortunate to have several of Jay’s old friends, led by Rick Tyree, filling in for him until his return.”…Friday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 1:37 p.m. PT with the eighth race from Gulfstream Park…Santa Anita’s Jeff Seigel is back this week providing full-card analysis of each day’s races, which can be accessed at 1ST.TV…Owner and horseplayer Dino Herrera will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Saturday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:50 a.m. PT.