Santa Anita Stable Notes Saturday, February 10, 2024

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN __SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2024 __

- SWEET LIFE: D’AMATO TRIO INCLUDES FAVORITE VOODOO MAGIC - NATIONAL TREASURE RETURNS TO TAB; SAUDI CUP NEXT - SANTA ANITA RACETRACKERS LEAN CHIEFS IN SUPER BOWL LVIII - SATURDAY’S $1 COAST-TO-COAST PICK 5 STARTS AT 1:06 PT - EARLY 11 A.M. FIRST POST ON SUPER BOWL SUNDAY

SWEET LIFE: D’AMATO TRIO INCLUDES FAVORITE VOODOO MAGIC Horseplayers will have no shortage of options in Sunday’s Sweet Life Stakes, which attracted a contentious field of 11 3-year-old fillies set to about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course.

Pegged as the lukewarm 7-2 favorite on Jon White’s morning line is European import Voodoo Magic. She will be joined in the starting gate by stablemates Zona Verde (5-1) and Granny Budgie (10-1) for top turf trainer Phil D’Amato. 

Voodoo Magic had two wins in five starts last year in France. Prior to shipping across the pond, the daughter of Wootton Bassett started in a pair of group stakes which includes an off-the-board finish in the GI Prix Marcel Boussac going a mile at Longchamp in October.

“She came to me during the Del Mar fall meet,” D’Amato said Saturday morning. “We let her acclimate with the idea of getting her ready for Santa Anita.”

Owned by Martin Schwartz, Voodoo Magic has worked six times at Santa Anita. She has lured the services of top rider Joel Rosario for her stateside debut..

“She been training well. I expect her to come running,” D’Amato said.

Granny Budgie comes in from England where she mostly raced at smaller tracks. She displayed a nose for the wire last year with three wins in six starts, which D’Amato noted came facing males. The England-bred daughter of Massaat has worked seven times for her domestic unveiling.

“She’s a steady training filly who should also be coming late,” D’Amato said. “She was racing against the boys in England, albeit at smaller tracks. I can’t wait to get going with her.

Granny Budgie will be ridden by Victor Espinoza. She is owned by David A. Bernsen, Omar Aldabbagh and Jeffrey Lambert.

Zona Verde, who won the GIII Jimmy Durante at a mile on turf at Del Mar Dec. 2, cuts back to a sprint after a troubled fourth in the one-mile Blue Norther here Dec. 29. In the Blue Norther, the chart notes Zona Verde threw her head at the start and jockey Juan Hernandez lost his left iron.

“I thought the trouble was huge. It probably cost her the race,” D’Amato said. “She spotted the field many lengths and closed valiantly.”

Zona Verde would wind up fourth beaten about 2 ¾ lengths. On Sunday, Kazushi Kimura will be aboard Zona Verde for the first time. Hernandez takes the call on Elegant (6-1) for Bob Baffert.

“I think with a better break she has a chance,” D’Amato said.

The Sweet Life goes as the seventh race on Sunday’s nine-race card. With an early 11 a.m. first post due to the Super Bowl, post time for the Sweet Life is scheduled for 2 p.m. PT. The field in post position order: Alluring, Umberto Rispoli (6-1); Girl of My Dreams, Antonio Fresu (12-1); Sea Dancer, Antonio Ayuso (15-1); Zona Verde, Kazushi Kimura (5-1); Visually, Kyle Frey (12-1); Elegant, Juan Hernandez (6-1); Voodoo Magic, Joel Rosario (7-2); Dial a Friend, Edwin Maldonado (12-1); Granny Budgie, Victor Espinoza (10-1); Antifona, Hector Berrios (12-1); Julias Dream, Flavien Prat (4-1).

NATIONAL TREASURE BACK ON TAB AFTER PEGASUS; SAUDI CUP NEXT National Treasure had his first work since winning the GI Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park Jan. 27. Trained by Bob Baffert, National Treasure worked five furlongs in 1:01.60.

National Treasure’s win in the Pegasus pushed his career earnings to $3,322,000 for an ownership group that includes SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables. On Thursday, SF Racing’s Tom Ryan announced via social media National Treasure, last year’s Preakness winner, would make his next start in the $20 million Saudi Cup Feb. 24 in Riyadh.

Also slated for the Saudi Cup is Santa Anita-based White Abarrio, the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner for trainer Richard Dutrow Jr.

National Treasure was among 213 horses to have time workouts Saturday at Santa Anita.

SANTA ANITA RACETRACKERS LEAN CHIEFS IN SUPER BOWL LVIII The San Francisco 49ers are a slight 1.5-point favorite over the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday’s Super Bowl at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Based on a sampling of Santa Anita racetrackers, the smart bet is to take the Chiefs and the points.

Among those siding with the Chiefs, albeit with limited knowledge of American football, is international superstar jockey Frankie Dettori. Born and raised in Italy, Dettori will be in attendance for his first NFL experience.

“I was offered a ticket and I jumped at it,” Dettori said Friday. “I really don’t know anything about American football, but I think I’m going with the Chiefs.”

With the Super Bowl starting at 3:30 p.m. PT, Santa Anita will have a special early post time of 11 a.m. Sunday. The ninth and final race on the card is set to go at approximately 3 p.m.

PICKS: Frankie Dettori, jockey: Chiefs; Peter Eurton, trainer: Chiefs; Mark Glatt, trainer: 49ers; Phil D’Amato, trainer: Chiefs; Gary Stute, trainer: 49ers; Matt Nakatani, jockey agent: Chiefs; Craig O’Bryan, jockey agent: Chiefs; Kent Desormeaux, jockey: 49ers; Jeff Bonde, trainer: 49ers; Steve Miyadi, trainer: Chiefs; John Sadler, trainer: 49ers Vince DeGregory, jockey agent: Chiefs; Tony Matos, jockey agent: Chiefs;  Brandon O’Bryan, jockey agent: Chiefs; Frank Mirahmadi, mild mannered Announcer, “49ers by 18.”

FINISH LINES: Saturday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 begins at 1:06 p.m. with the ninth race from Gulfstream Park. The sequence averages 8.6 starter per race before scratches…Jockeys Flavien Prat and Juan Hernandez are deadlocked atop the jockey’s standing with 23 wins each heading into Saturday…Santa Anita will host five straight days of racing beginning this Thursday and ending with a special Presidents’ Day card on Monday, Feb. 19. Thursday’s card will be drawn later Saturday…Santa Anita track announcer Frank Mirahmadi will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Sunday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 9:50 a.m.