Santa Anita Stable Notes Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN SATURDAY, FEB. 21, 2026

- WORKS: INTREPIDO, SECURED FREEDOM AMONG NOTABLE 3YO’S - PASADENA: D’AMATO, POWELL SEND OUT A PAIR IN 3YO TURF TEST - CAL-BRED CHAMPS TO BE HONORED AT MARCH 1 AWARDS DINNER - MAKEUP DAY OF RACING ADDED FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 2

WORKS: INTREPIDO, SECURED FREEDOM AMONG NOTABLE 3YO'S ON TAB Intrepido and Secured Freedom both worked Saturday for the first time since the GIII Robert B. Lewis on Feb. 7 at Santa Anita. They were among several high-profile 3-year-olds on the Santa Anita work tab.

Intrepido, who was second in the Lewis, worked four furlongs in 48.8 seconds under jockey Hector Berrios. Trained by Jeff Mullins, Intrepido finished three-quarters of a length back of Plutarch in the one-mile Lewis in his 3-year-old debut.

“He didn’t do much. We didn’t want much,” trainer Jeff Mullins said of the drill.

Mullins added he has not decided if Intrepido will return in the GII San Felipe on March 7 or wait for the GI Santa Anita Derby on April 4.

Last year, Intrepido—a colt by Maximus Mischief—won the GI American Pharoah at Santa Anita before a fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar.

Secured Freedom, who was third in the Lewis in his two-turn debut, worked four furlongs in 48.0 seconds for trainer Tim Yakteen. By Practical Joke, Secured Freedom rallied from last to complete the trifecta in the Lewis. He previously broke his maiden going 6 ½ furlongs on Dec. 28 at Santa Anita.

Secured Freedom is also a candidate to return in the San Felipe.

“We are considering the San Felipe. He is on schedule,” Yakteen said. “We will make a final decision next week.”

Working for trainer Bob Baffert were 3-year-olds Brant, Boyd, Litmus Test and Buetane. Brant and Boyd both worked six furlongs from the gate. Brant was timed in 1:11.80 while Boyd was clocked in 1:12.0. Brant, a $3 million son of Gun Runner, hasn’t started since finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Boyd, by Violence, is a perfect 2-for-2. He most recently won the Ed Brown Stakes going 6 ½ furlongs on Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs.

Litmus Test worked four furlongs in 47.80 seconds. Winner of the GII Los Alamitos Futurity in December, the Nyquist colt is targeting the San Felipe for his 3-year-old debut.

Buetane returned to the tab after finishing third in the GIII Southwest at Oaklawn on Feb. 6. The colt by Tiz the Law worked four furlongs in 47.80 seconds.

Also working for Baffert were Splendora, Explora and Usha. Splendora returned to the tab after winning the GII D Wayne Lukas on Feb. 7. Winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, Splendora worked five furlongs in 1:01.2.

Explora returned to the tab after a second-place finish in the Las Virgenes for 3-year-old fillies on Feb. 8. By Blame, Explora drilled five furlongs in 59.0 seconds. It was the fastest of 43 works at the distance. Usha, winner of the GI La Brea on Dec. 28, worked five furlongs in 1:00.2.

Other notables on the tab included El Potente (4f, 50.20) for trainer Dan Blacker; Grade I winner Subsanador (5f, 1:00.2) and Big City Lights (4f, 48.0), both for trainer Richard Mandella; Mrs. Astor (4f, 48.80) and Will Then (4f, 48.80), both for trainer Jonathan Thomas; and Light Won Up (4f, 49.0) for trainer Doug O’Neill.

PASADENA: D’AMATO, POWELL SEND OUT A PAIR IN 3YO TURF TEST

An overflow field of 11 3-year-olds is signed on for Sunday’s Pasadena Stakes going one mile on turf. Only 10 will run.

Tabbed as the 3-1 favorite is Greenwich Village, winner of last month’s Baffle Stakes sprinting about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course in his grass debut. Trained by Bob Baffert, Greenwich Village mounted a furious rally from last to win the Baffle by a neck. The Pasadena will be his first time racing around two turns.

Finishing just a length back of Greenwich Village in the Baffle was Later Than Planned, who also returns in the Pasadena. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Later Than Planned in the Baffle raced up on the pace and led at the sixteenth pole before being rundown by Greenwich Village. It was Later Than Planned first start in nearly three months. Previously, the Irish-bred colt by Cotai Glory finished off the board in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on Oct. 31 at Del Mar.

“I think he needed that race,” D’Amato said of the Baffle. “He came out of it really good and has come back with a couple of nice works.

On Sunday, Later Than Planned drilled five furlongs on the synthetic training track in a sharp 59.80 seconds. Prior to the Breeders’ Cup, Later Than Planned broke his maiden going a mile on turf at Del Mar and also won the Speakeasy at five furlongs on turf at Santa Anita.

D’Amato also sends out Iriseach in the Pasadena. An Irish-bred colt by Ubettabelieveit, Iriseach most recently was fourth in the Eddie Logan at one mile on turf on Jan. 8. The chart notes Iriseach pulled and was rank early that day.

“I thought we fought him too much in that last race,” D’Amato said. “Now we’re going to let him kind of do what he wants. Let him get a little more comfortable and into the race.”

Trainer Leonard Powell also send out a pair with Unrivaled Time and Caro Buono. Unrivaled Time finished third in the Eddie Logan after a troubled trip. Prior to that, the Not This Time colt won the GIII Cecil B. DeMille in November at Del Mar going one mile on turf.

“We got shuffled back further than we wanted in that race. We just had way too much to do,” Powell said of the Eddie Logan. “This time we should be fairly close (to the pace). Hopefully we can repeat the race he had at Del Mar.”

Caro Buono, imported from France last year, has been limited to minor shares in four straight stakes, all going one mile on turf. Most recently, the colt by Zelzal finished fifth in the Cecil B. DeMille.

“The horse is better than his record,” Powell said. “He has a good turn of foot. He has been very unlucky in some trips.”

The Pasadena goes as the seventh race on a 10-race card Sunday. First post is at 12:30 p.m. PT and the Pasadena goes at 3:37 p.m. The field in post position order: Smoovin Saturday, Ricky Gonzalez (15-1); Greenwich Village, Juan Hernandez (3-1); Caro Buono, Armando Ayuso (20-1); Sammy Davis, Hector Berrios (9-2); Later Than Planned, Tiago Pereira (4-1); Unrivaled Time, Diego Herrera (5-1); Brigante, Emisael Jaramillo (10-1); Army Man, Florent Geroux (12-1); Iriseach, Antonio Fresu (8-1); Medici, Mirco Demuro (10-1); Bust Out (AE), Kazushi Kimura (15-1).

CAL-BRED CHAMPS TO BE HONORED AT AWARDS DINNER MARCH 2

The 2025 California-bred Horse of the Year will be announced at the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Awards Dinner and Annual Meeting on Monday, March 2 at Le Meridien Hotel in Arcadia. Finalists for Horse of the Year are, in alphabetical order: Lovesick Blues, Man O Rose and Om N Joy.

Other Cal-bred champions to be recognized at the banquet:

2-Year-Old Male – Ocean Bear, bred by Richard Barton Enterprises, owned by Richard Barton and trained by George Papaprodromou.

2-Year-Old Female – Mohaven, bred by Richard Barton Enterprises, owned by Legacy Ranch and trained by John Sadler.

3-Year-Old Male – Speedy Wilson, bred by owner Nick Alexander and trained by Phil D’Amato. 3-Year-Old Female – Om N Joy, bred by Jerry & Connie Baker, owned by Jerry & Connie Baker, Michael Golovko and Terrence Scanlan and trained by Aggie Ordonez.

Older Male – Lovesick Blues, bred by Nick Alexander, owned by Mia Familia Racing Stables and trained by Librado Barocio.

Older Female – Majestic Oops, bred by William Dory, Sandy Dory, Gary Kropp & Janet Kropp, owned by Sublime Stables and Janet Kropp and trained by Dan Ward.

Sprinter – Lovesick Blues, bred by Nick Alexander, owned by Mia Familia Racing Stables and trained by Librado Barocio.

Turf Horse – Kings River Knight, bred by Old English Rancho, owned by Integrity Thoroughbred Racing, The Ellwood Johnston Trust and Kenneth Tevelde and trained by John Sadler.

Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Earnings – Grazen, property of Nick Alexander.

Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Number of Winners – Stay Thirsty, property of Terry Lovingier.

Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Turf Earnings – Grazen, property of Nick Alexander.

Champion Sire of California Conceived Two-Year-Olds by Earnings – Stay Thirsty, property of Terry Lovingier.

Trainer of the Year – Steve Knapp.

Broodmare of the Year – Queenofhercastle, property of Nick Alexander.

Champion Breeder of California Foaled Thoroughbreds by Earnings – Richard Barton Enterprises.

CTBA Hall of Fame – Chris McCarron, Mike Smith, Gary Stevens.

FINISH LINES: Santa Anita has added a makeup card for Thursday, April 2…Trainer Martin Valenzuela III broke his Santa Anita maiden Friday when Angel Baby won the first race as the longest shot on the board under Abel Lezcano and paid $53.80. It was the 10th career win for Valenzuela, son of trainer Martin Valenzuela Jr….Saturday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 1:20 p.m. PT with the ninth race from Gulfstream Park….The $1 Sunset Pick 6 starts at 1:50 p.m. with the 10th race from Gulfstream.