Santa Anita Stable Notes Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

__SATURDAY, FEB. 22, 2025 __

• WORKS: JOURNALISM, ROMANESQUE, FORMIDABLE MAN DRILL • 3-YEAR-OLD FILLY FORMULA ROSSA SERVES NOTICE WITH DEBUT WIN • JOCKEY HERRERA, TRAINER RUVALCABA GET 1st SANTA ANITA WINS • SATURDAY’S $1 COAST-TO-COAST PICK 5 STARTS AT 2:13 P.M. PT

WORKS: JOURNALISM, ROMANESQUE, FORMIDABLE MAN DRILL

Journalism and Romanesque, both nominated to next weekend’s GII DK Horse San Felipe Stakes for 3-year-olds, worked Saturday at Santa Anita.

Journalism, trained by Michael McCarthy, drilled five furlongs in 1:01.00. By Curlin, Journalism hasn’t started since winning the GII Los Alamitos Futurity in December. Romanesque worked four furlongs from the gate in 47.20 seconds for trainer Bob Baffert. It was the second-fastest of 39 moves at the distance.

By Practical Joke, Romanesque would be making his third start and first around two turns in the DK Horse San Felipe. Romanesque won his debut going six furlongs in November at Del Mar and returned to finish second behind highly regarded stablemate Barnes in the GII San Vicente going seven furlongs Jan. 4 at Santa Anita.

Next Saturday’s DK Horse San Felipe going 1 1/16 miles is the final major prep for the GI Santa Antia Derby on April 5 and also awards qualifying points to this year’s Kentucky Derby. It will be joined on a blockbuster card with the GI Santa Anita Handicap presented by Yaamava' Resort & Casino, GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile, and GII Buena Vista Stakes.

Three horses nominated to the Kilroe Mile—Mi Hermano Ramon, Formidable Man and Grand Aspen—also worked. Mi Hermano Ramon earned a bullet when working five furlongs on the training track in 59.0 seconds for trainer Mark Glatt. The 5-year-old Creative Cause gelding most recently finished fourth in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park.

Grade I winner Formidable Man worked four furlongs on the main track in 47.60 seconds for McCarthy. A 4-year-old colt by City of Light, Formidable Man set the pace in the Pegasus World Cup Turf before fading to last in a 12-horse field.

Grand Aspen, trained by Jonathan Thomas, worked four furlongs on the training track in 48.80 seconds. The 6-year-old horse by Dialed In, who is Grade III-placed on dirt, most recently finished fourth in an allowance sprinting on the hillside turf course Feb. 8. Nominations for Saturday, March 1 are now available at Santaanita.com. Next Saturday’s card will be drawn on Monday.

FORMULA ROSSA BENOIT PHOTO

3-YEAR-OLD FILLY FORMULA ROSSA SERVES NOTICE WITH DEBUT WIN

Formula Rossa, a 3-year-old filly by Vekoma, made an eye-catching debut Friday at Santa Anita for trainer Mark Glatt and owner Muir Hut Stables.

With Hall of Famer Mike Smith aboard, Formula Rossa rolled to a dominant four-length victory against maiden sophomore fillies going six furlongs. Her winning time of 1:08.73 earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily Racing Form’s Brad Free.

On Saturday morning, Glatt reported Formula Rossa “came back well.

“It was a pretty scintillating performance,” he continued. “We were high on her going in, but I don’t think we were expecting to see what we saw.”

Sent off the 4-1 third choice for her unveiling, Formula Rossa tracked pacesetter and 4-5 favorite Brilliantly through fractions of 21.89 and 44.41 seconds for a half mile. She surged past Brilliantly at the top of the stretch, reached the eighth pole in 56.64 seconds and then motored to the wire the easiest of winners.

Muir Hut Stables purchased Formula Rossa for $270,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale. She is out of the unraced Majestic Warrior mare Fay Na Na.

What’s next for Formula Rossa remains to be determined. One possibility would be to test the deep waters in the Grade II Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita Oaks going 1 1/8 miles on April 5, but Glatt didn’t sound particularly keen on the idea.

“I don’t think it’s particularly best,” Glatt said of the Oaks. “I mean, she’s a special horse and they can an overcome disadvantages. But I think we’ll just see how she bounces back and take it from there.”

GOLDEN RIVER BENOIT PHOTO

JOCKEY HERRERA, TRAINER RUVALCABA TEAM FOR 1st SANTA ANITA WINS

Jockey Hugo Herrera and trainer Alberto Ruvalcaba each earned their first-ever wins at Santa Anita in Friday’s second race with Golden River, who scored in a restricted $8,000 claimer going six furlongs.

Owned by Three Kings Racing and Victory Rose Thoroughbreds, Golden River tracked the leaders and kicked clear in the stretch to win by 1 ¼ lengths as the 5-1 third choice in the wagering. She improved to 11: 3-1-3 with $65,070 in earnings.

Herrera, a 46-year-old native of Mexico, rode his first winner in 2009 at Portland Meadows. His victory on Golden River was the 486th of his career.

Ruvalcaba previously served as an assistant to longtime trainer Ellen Jackson. After taking over Jackson’s stable when she retired in the summer of 2023, Ruvalcaba won his first race in July of that year at Pleasanton. Golden River’s victory was Ruvalcaba’s first from seven starts this year and 31st overall from 210 starters.

SATURDAY’S $1 COAST-TO-COAST PICK 5 STARTS AT 2:13 P.M. PT

The $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 on Saturday kicks off at 2:13 p.m. PT with the 10th race from Gulfstream Park. The sequence also includes 12th race from Gulfstream and the fifth, seventh and ninth races from Santa Anita.

Gulfstream’s 10th is an allowance/optional claimer at a mile on turf. A field of 10 is signed on led by 3-1 program favorite Luiza Bere, who will have Joe Bravo aboard for trainer Christophe Clement. Gulfstream’s 12th is a 3-year-old maiden race going 7 ½ furlongs on turf. A field of 10 will go postward led by 2-1 program favorite After Taxes, who will be ridden by Junior Alvarado for trainer Wesley Ward.

Santa Anita’s fifth race is for statebred maidens going one mile on turf. In a field of 10, King of Clubs with Flavien Prat up is the 8-5 program favorite for trainer Mark Glatt. The seventh race is for statebred 3-year-old maiden fillies going a mile on turf. In a field of 11 after scratches, Sasafran with Juan Hernandez aboard is the 5-2 program favorite for trainer Gary Mandella.

The final leg is an allowance sprinting about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course. A field of 11 will go postward led by 7-2 program favorite Guy Named Joe, who will have Hernandez aboard for trainer Doug O’Neill.

FINISH LINES: Saturday’s feature, the Wishing Well Stakes for older fillies and mares sprinting six furlongs on turf, goes as the third race at approximately 1:30 p.m. PT. Queen Maxima, ridden by Juan Hernandez and trained by Jeff Mullins, is the 3-5 morning line favorite…Hernandez won three races Friday to move into a tie with Flavien Prat atop the jockey’s standings with 34 victories at the stand. Hernandez scored in the fifth race on Atia ($18.60) for trainer Michael McCarthy, the sixth race aboard Cowboy Mike ($3.20) for trainer Bob Baffert, and the seventh race with Amorita ($10.20) for trainer Richard Mandella…Santa Anita is hosting a donation drive for fire relief Sunday in the parking lot from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. All those who donate can enjoy a complimentary day at the races with free admission, free parking and free program.