Santa Anita Stable Notes Friday, Oct. 9, 2026

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

FRIDAY, OCT. 9, 2026

• CALIF. FLAG: LONESOME STEW 6-5 FAVE IN SATURDAY’S FEATURE • SUPER CORREDORA, FULL SERRANO AMONG BC WORKERS • HALL OF FAME JOCKEY DON PIERCE DIES AT AGE 89 • RISPOLI EARNS STAKES DOUBLE SUNDAY; MCCARTHY WINS 3 • TEX SUTTON OFFERS HORSEMEN ASSISTANCE FOR BC TRAVEL

CALIFORNIA FLAG: LONESOME STEW 6-5 FAVE IN SATURDAY’S FEATURE

The featured California Flag Handicap on Saturday for horses bred or sired in California attracted a competitive field of seven that will sprint about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course.

Installed as the 6-5 favorite on the morning line is Lonesome Stew, who’ll have hot-riding Umberto Rispoli aboard for trainer Mark Glatt. A 6-year-old gelding by Grazen, Lonesome Stew’s lone stakes win came last year on the unique hillside course in the Sensational Star for statebreds. He’ll be cutting back in distance in the California Flag. Last time out, Lonesome Stew made a rare start around two-turns on turf at Del Mar against open company in a second-level allowance. He settled in mid-pack in 12-horse field and rallied into a quick 46.53 opening half mile split to win comfortably by 1 ¾ lengths.

“Five furlongs isn’t a great distance for him down there on turf, so we went ahead and ran him long,” Glatt said. “He ran a very good race. But he did catch a strong pace in front of him that didn’t hurt.”

Lonesome Stew enters the California Flag following a pair of fast works on the main track. He drilled five furlongs in 58.8 seconds on Sept. 26 and last Saturday worked the same distance in 59.4 seconds.

“He’s kind of funny about switching leads and sometimes goes a little too quick. But he’s a big, strong horse so I think he can handle that type of training. He’s doing well.”

Among Lonesome Stew’s chief rivals is Flyover, the 4-1 second choice trained by John Sadler. A 5-year-old horse by Om, Flyover hasn’t started since July 19 when facing a salty allowance field sprinting five furlongs on turf at Del Mar. He set a contested pace that day and then yielded late to finish fourth by two lengths. The top three finishers were graded stakes winner Sumter, Motorious and Sorrento Sky.

“We decided after that to just go ahead and wait for this against Cal-breds,” Sadler said. “He’s very good at 6 ½. We’re excited about him and he should be one of the choices.”

Flyover will be ridden by Emisael Jaramillo for the first time. Jaramillo replaces Joel Rosario, who on Saturday will ride at Keeneland where his mounts include Santa Anita-based Grade I winner Kensington Lane for trainer Phil D’Amato in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.

Flyover also has been working fast for his return after nearly three months. He’s posted a pair of five-furlong works on the training track in just over 59 seconds.

“He loves that synthetic surface. He’s been working well and we expect a big race tomorrow,” Sadler said.

The California Flag Handicap goes as the ninth race on a 10-race card Saturday. First post is at 1 p.m. PT and the California Flag is set to go off at 5:09 p.m. The field in post position order: Lonesome Stew, Umberto Rispoli (6-5); On the Whim, Tiago Pereira (6-1); Chomeflash, Ricky Gonzalez (30-1); Flyover, Emisael Jaramillo (4-1); Steak Fries, Juan Hernandez (6-1); Big City Lights, Kazushi Kimura (9-2); Boss Sully, Mike Smith (8-1).

SUPER CORREDORA, FULL SERRANO AMONG BC WORKERS

Stablemates Super Corredora and Full Serrano, both candidates to run in the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 31, each worked for trainer John Sadler Friday at Santa Anita.

Super Corredora, winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, was clocked going four furlongs in 48.0 seconds. It was her first work since returning from a 6 ½-month layoff and earning a dominant front-running victory in the GII Zenyatta Stakes going 1 1/16 miles on Sept. 27. She is eyeing the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

Full Serrano worked six furlongs in 1:13.4. He is a candidate to run in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile for the third year in a row. He won the race in 2024 and finished fifth in last year’s edition. Both were at Del Mar.

“They worked well. We’re happy with them,” Sadler said.

A third Grade I winner on the work tab was Formidable Man for trainer Michael McCarthy. The 5-year-old horse by City of Light drilled five furlongs on the main track in 1:00.

Formidable Man, who was second in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile, most recently shipped to Kentucky Downs for the GIII Mint Millions Invitational going one mile and finished seventh as the 2.69-to-1 favorite. In May at Santa Anita, Formidable Man earned his second Grade I win in the Shoemaker Mile.

Sorrento Sky, who is targeting the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, worked for the first time since winning the GII Eddie D on the hillside turf course on Sept. 26. Trained by Phil D’Amato, the 5-year-old gelding by Prince of Lir drilled four furlongs on the training track in 49.2 seconds.

Pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup close on Oct. 19.

Santa Anita Photo

HALL OF FAME JOCKEY DON PIERCE DIES AT AGE 89

Hall of Fame jockey Don Pierce passed away at the age of 89 on Monday after a longtime battle with cancer. Coming from humble beginnings in Clebit, Oklahoma, Pierce became one of the most accomplished and successful jockeys of the 1960s and 1970s. Over a career spanning three decades, Pierce established himself as a leading rider on the Southern California circuit, earning success at Santa Anita Park, Hollywood Park, and Del Mar, while also winning major races throughout North America.

Pierce began his riding career at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico in 1954. From there, he steadily built a reputation as a talented and dependable rider, earning opportunities with some of the sport’s most respected trainers, including Mesh Tenney, William Molter, Charlie Whittingham, and Robert Wheeler.

By the 1960s and 1970s, Pierce had become a dominant presence in Southern California racing. He won the Santa Anita Handicap four times. He also won the Santa Anita Derby in 1964 with Hill Rise and again in 1979 with Flying Paster.

Pierce won five editions of the Santa Anita Oaks, four each of the Del Mar Debutante and Hollywood Oaks, and three apiece of the Del Mar Derby, Del Mar Oaks, Santa Monica Handicap, Santa Ana Handicap, and Santa Margarita Handicap.

Pierce’s accomplishments extended well beyond California. He won a riding title at Belmont Park and captured several of Saratoga’s most prestigious races, including the Hopeful Stakes and Jim Dandy Stakes.

In 1973, Pierce led all North American jockeys with 32 stakes victories. His distinguished mounts included Flying Paster, Hill Rise, Quack, Taisez Vous, La Zanzara, Triple Bend, Silky Sullivan, Kennedy Road, Modus Vivendi, Forceten, and Minstrel Miss.

One of the memorable highlights of Pierce’s career came in 1968 when he guided Princessnessian to victory over male rivals in the Hollywood Gold Cup. The achievement was made even more remarkable by Pierce’s five-win day.

In recognition of his accomplishments and contributions to the sport, Pierce received the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 1967. The honor recognizes riders whose careers and personal conduct exemplify the highest standards of the profession.

After 30 years in the saddle, Pierce retired in 1985 with an impressive record of 3,546 victories from 28,740 mounts, including 351 stakes wins and earnings of $39,018,422. He was inducted into Racing’s Hall of Fame in 2011.

RISPOLI EARNS STAKES DOUBLE SUNDAY; MCCARTHY POSTS HAT TRICK

It was a big Sunday at Santa Anita for jockey Umberto Rispoli and trainer Michael McCarthy. Rispoli won both stakes on the program, the GIII Zuma Beach and GIII Surfer Girl, while McCarthy saddled three winners including Zuma Beach hero Repo Man, who led a McCarthy-trained exacta with Rispoli up in the race for 2-year-olds at one mile on turf.

Rispoli has ridden four of the first six programs of the Santa Anita Autumn Meet—he spent two days at Keeneland—and has already bagged four stakes wins. On Sunday, about an hour after winning the Zuma Beach with Repo Man, Rispoli also took down the Surfer Girl for 2-year-old fillies at one mile on turf with heavy favorite Vanta ($2.40) for trainer Jeff Mullins. On opening weekend of the Santa Anita Autumn Meet, Rispoli won both the GII John Henry Turf Championship on Attitlan for trainer Richard Mandella and GII Eddie D with Sorrento Sky.

Repo Man ($3.60) prevailed by a head in the Zuma Beach over stablemate Maxify for McCarthy. The other winners on the card for McCarthy were Separator ($5.40) in the third race with Emisael Jaramillo aboard; and Mo Chuisle ($6.20), who prevailed in the seventh race under Hector Berrios.

On Friday, Rispoli returns to to ride at Keeneland where he has three mounts booked including on Vote No (6-1) for trainer Kelsey Danner in the GII Sycamore Stakes at 1 ½ miles on turf.

Rispoli will be back ride at Santa Anita on Saturday, Sunday and the special holiday program on Monday. On Saturday, his mounts include 6-5 program favorite Lonesome Stew for trainer Mark Glatt in the California Flag Handicap on the hillside turf course. In Sunday’s featured California Distaff Handicap on the hillside turf course, he’ll be aboard 5-2 second choice Rosa Parks for trainer Phil D’Amato. Then in Monday’s Swingtime Stakes at one mile on turf, Rispoli has the call on Slick (3-1) for D’Amato.

TEX SUTTON OFFERS HORSEMEN ASSISTANCE FOR BC TRAVEL

For California-based trainers with horses bound for this year’s Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 30-31, Tex Sutton is offering assistance with booking space on scheduled FedEx flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Indianapolis. All domestic Breeders’ Cup horses must be on the grounds at Keeneland by Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 11 a.m. ET for security check-in.

According to the advisement, trainers may ship equipment on the FedEx flights, but stable staff cannot travel with the horses. To reserve space, which is limited, horsemen are asked to contact Tex Sutton agent KC Casebeer at (847) 651-8146.

FINISH LINES: Friday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 1:04 p.m. PT with the eighth race from Gulfstream Park…The $1 Sunset Pick 6 begins at 12:30 p.m. with the seventh race from Gulfstream…There will be a Celebration of Life for longtime Santa Anita bartender Richard “Richie” Hovanetz on Oct. 22 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Horseshoe Bar on the Mezzanine level where Richie long plied his trade. All are invited. Hovanetz died from pancreatic cancer last month…Ryan Cosato, agent for newly arrived jockey Jamie Spencer, will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Saturday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:50 a.m. PT.