Santa Anita Stable Notes Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

FRIDAY, OCT. 3, 2025

- • GI AMERICAN PHAROAH: CIVIL LIBERTY, INTREPIDO FACE BAFFERT 4 - • GII RODEO DRIVE: HANG THE MOON SHOOTS FOR A REPEAT - • WORKS: JOURNALISM, BRANT, BARNES LEAD TAB - • $104K CARRYOVER IN $1 SUPER HIGH 5 FOR FRIDAY’S 9th RACE

GI AMERICAN PHAROAH: CIVIL LIBERTY, INTREPIDO FACE BAFFERT 4

Civil Liberty, trained by Doug O’Neill, and Jeff Mullins-trained Intrepido will try and deliver Bob Baffert with a rare loss in the Grade I American Pharoah for 2-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles Saturday at Santa Anita.

In 2018, Santa Anita renamed what was then the FrontRunner Stakes the American Pharoah Stakes in honor of the 2015 Triple Crown winner, who Baffert trained. Since the name change, Baffert has only been beaten once in seven runnings of the American Pharoah. That came in 2020 when Get Her Number prevailed for trainer Peter Miller. Last year, Baffert-trained Citizen Bull won the American Pharoah on his way to the Eclipse Award as North America’s outstanding 2-year-old male. Civil Liberty (5-1), like most in the field, will be racing around two turns for the first time. That will not be the case for Intrepido, a Maximus Mischief ridgling who was purchased for $385,000 at OBS April Sale of 2-year-olds in training.

On Aug. 23 at Del Mar, Intrepido was stretched out to a mile for his second start. He put himself on the lead that day, as Mullins described, before rolling to a dominant 3 ¼-length victory under Hector Berrios. The runner-up that day, Plutarch, returns in the American Pharoah after finishing second in the GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf on Sept. 7. The third-place finisher that day, Provenance--the first foal out of champion Monomoy Girl—came back to graduate last Friday at Santa Anita.

According to Mullins, Intrepido’s maiden-breaking win came as expected with the addition of more distance.

“It’s what we thought he would do,” Mullins said. “Although we didn’t think he’d go to the lead. He just took it.”

Intrepido, who will again have Berrios aboard, has worked four times since earning his diploma. His works include a bullet five-furlong drill completed in 58.0 seconds two weeks ago. “He’s really training well,” Mullins said.

Civil Liberty finished an encouraging third in the GI Del Mar Futurity going seven furlongs on Sept. 7 behind highly regarded winner Brant and runner-up Desert Gate, who returns as the 3-2 favorite in the American Pharoah. In the shorter Futurity, Civil Liberty finished 3 ¼ lengths back of Desert Gate.

O’Neill noted the added distance on Saturday should play to Civil Liberty’s advantage this time around. His pedigree would suggest the same. Civil Liberty is by long-winded Independence Hall out of Love and Respect, a daughter of two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Tiznow.

“He displays a lot of stamina in his training, and the pedigree says distance shouldn’t be a problem,” O’Neill said. “It’s a question of how the race unfolds and if he’s good enough.” Civil Liberty will have regular rider Antonio Fresu aboard. He was purchased at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale for $160,000 by owner Mark Davis, who campaigns the colt in partnership with Great Friends Stables.

“I’m really excited about him. The American Pharoah will tell us a lot about what the next move will be for him,” O’Neill said.

The American Pharoah goes as the third race with post time set for 2:03 p.m. PT. It will be aired live on CNBC and also streamed on Peacock as part of a two-hour broadcast from 1-3 p.m. The field in post position order: Desert Gate, Juan Hernandez (3-2); Intrepido, Hector Berrios (6-1); Pluarch, Kazushi Kimura (10-1); Civil Liberty, Antonio Fresu (5-1); Balboa, Umberto Rispoli (8-1); Kristofferson, Mike Smith (9-5).

GII RODEO DRIVE: HANG THE MOON SHOOTS FOR A REPEAT

A year ago, Hang the Moon upset the GII Rodeo Drive at 9-1 and earned a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. On Saturday, she’ll look to equal the feat for trainer Phil D’Amato and owner CJ Thoroughbreds.

Hang the Moon is installed at 8-1 on the morning line for this year’s edition of the Rodeo Drive, which is for fillies and mares at 1 ¼ miles on turf. She’ll be joined in the lineup by D’Amato-trained Starry Heavens (10-1).

Last year, Hang the Moon rallied from last under Kazushi Kimura to win the Rodeo Drive by 1 ½ lengths. She would go on to finish 12th at the Breeders’ Cup. A 5-year-old mare by Uncle Mo, Hang the Moon did not return to the races until the Del Mar summer meet. In two starts there she did not make an impact. Hang the Moon finished fourth in the GII Yellow Ribbon in her return on Aug. 8, then rallied to be fifth in the GII John C. Mabee on Sept. 6 after being far back early. “I was expecting more from her last time out. I think she was just so far back and out of touch that she lost interest,” D’Amato said. “She ran steady, but I’d like to see her a little more involved early in the race.”

Jockey Kazushi Kimura has been the regular rider of Hang the Moon since last year, but he will not be aboard Saturday. In his place will be Armando Ayuso. According to D’Amato, the switch in riders was not by design.

“I wasn’t planning on running her here, but she was doing so well we went ahead and entered. Kimura had already taken another commitment,” D’Amato said. “It wasn’t that I switched, it was the circumstances.”

Kimura has the mount on eastern invader Speed Shopper (15-1) for trainer William Walden. Starry Heavens enters having never missed the board in four U.S. stakes starts since her arriving from Ireland. Most recently, the 5-year-old mare by Mastercraftsmen rallied to be second behind loose-on-the-lead winner Alpha Bella, who is also back in the Rodeo Drive.

“She broke really bad that day,” D’Amato said. “She usually breaks much better than that. After breaking so bad and with no pace, I thought all things considered, for her to rally into no fractions it was pretty impressive.”

Starry Heavens will have regular rider Antonio Fresu aboard.

“I think if we can just break decent she has a big shot,” D’Amato said.

The Rodeo Drive goes as the eighth race at 4:38 p.m. The field in post position order: Watchtower, Mirco Demuro (8-1); Starry Heavens, Antonio Fresu (10-1); Speed Shopper, Kazushi Kimura (15-1); Long Ago, Mike Smith (3-1); Mission of Joy, Umberto Rispoli (6-1); Hang the Moon, Armando Ayuso (8-1); Amber Cascade, Juan Hernandez (5-2); Alpha Bella, Hector Berrios (4-1).

WORKS: JOURNALISM, BRANT, BARNES LEAD TAB

Multiple Grade I winner Journalism, Grade I winner Brant and graded stakes winner Barnes were among 97 horses to record timed workouts Friday at Santa Anita.

Journalism worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 for trainer Michael McCarthy. A 3-year-old colt by Curlin, Journalism is training up to the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 at Del Mar after finishing second in the GI Pacific Classic on Aug. 30 at Del Mar. In seven starts this year, Journalism has won the Preakness Stakes, GI Haskell, GI Santa Anita Derby and GII San Felipe while never finishing worse than second.

Brant, who won the GI Del Mar Futurity Sept. 7 to improve to 2-for-2 for trainer Bob Baffert, drilled five furlongs in 1:01.20. It was his third work since winning the seven-furlong Futurity by one length over stablemate Desert Gate, who on Saturday is the 3-2 morning line favorite in the GI American Pharoah at Santa Anita. By Gun Runner, Brant was a $3 million auction purchase earlier this year by owner Zedan Racing.

Barnes drilled five furlongs in a swift 58.80 seconds, which was the fastest of 32 works at the distance. A 3-year-old Into Mischief colt, Barnes most recently finished fourth as the odds-on favorite in the GII Gallant Bob going six furlongs at Parx Sept. 20. Also on the tab was Hey Nay Nay, who won the DIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf on Sept. 7 to improve to 3-for-3 for trainer John Sadler. The 2-year-old colt by No Nay Never worked five furlongs on the main track in 1:01.80.

FINISH LINES: Friday’s ninth race has a $104,929 carryover in the $1 Super High 5. Post time is set for 5:01 p.m. PT… Friday’s $1 Sunset Pick Six starts at 1:35 p.m. PT with the eighth race from Gulfstream Park…The $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 1:04 p.m. with the seventh race from Gulfstream…Equibase chart caller Ellis Davis will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Saturday on the Santa Anita simulcast feeds starting at 11:50 a.m. PT.