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Santa Anita Stable Notes Saturday, March 23, 2024
3/23/2024
STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN
SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2024
- SENSATIONAL STAR: CATALINA EDDY FAVORED FOR 1st STAKES WIN - O’NEILL ON RECENT ACQUISITION VLAHOS: ‘HE’S A BEAST’ - BLUE-BLOODED JUDGE MILLER AMONG 180 WORKERS
SENSATIONAL STAR: CATALINA EDDY FAVORED FOR 1ST STAKES WIN Catalina Eddy, a 4-year-old California-bred colt by Square Eddie, served notice last month when he beat open allowance foes sprinting on the hillside turf course.
On Sunday, Catalina Eddy returns to the hill for trainer Craig Lewis with a chance at his first stakes win. He is the tepid 3-1 favorite in the featured Sensational Star Stakes for statebreds going about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course.
In his first-level open allowance win under Kazushi Kimura, Catalina Eddy earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure. It was his third win in six turf starts, all at Santa Anita.
“We always thought he was a good horse. I think he showed it in his last race,” Lewis said Saturday morning.
Catalina Eddy first displayed his talent as an early season 3-year-old last year. He broke his maiden in February in his second start when sprinting on turf against statebreds. Two starts later on April 21, he cleared his first level statebred allowance condition when going a mile on turf. That would be it for Catalina Eddy until resurfacing on opening day of the Santa Anita Classic Meet Dec. 26.
“He had one minor issue to deal with last year, then after that we just wanted to give him time to develop. Let him grow into himself,” Lewis explained.
Catalina Eddy is also proving to be a tactical sort. He’s won both on the lead and from a stalking position. In his most recent win, Catalina Eddy sat close to the pace then closed with a flourish to score at 9-2.
“It’s good to have a horse like this because you can put him anywhere you want, depending on how the race shapes up,” Lewis said.
Catalina Eddy will again have Kimura in the irons Sunday. The only other potential speed in the race appears to be Northern California shipper Clovisconnection, the 7-2 co-second choice who returns from a 5 ½-month layoff for trainer Blaine Wright. Last year, Clovisconnection reeled off four-straight stakes wins ending with the Harris Farms Stakes going six furlongs on dirt Oct. 7 at Fresno. This will be his first-ever start at Santa Anita.
Catalina Eddy has banked $157,810 for owner Rainmaker Racing, which is the nom de plum of Larry Lewis, Craig’s brother. Larry Lewis purchased the colt for $30,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings and Horses of All Ages Sale.
The Sensational Star goes as the seventh race on an eight-race card Sunday. Post time is set for 4:09 p.m. The field in post position order: Disko Tribute, Flavien Prat (8-1); Lovesick Blues, Juan Hernandez (4-1); Catalina Eddy, Kazushi Kimura (3-1); None Above the Law, Antonio Fresu (8-1); Coalinga Road, Umberto Rispoli (7-2); Johnny Podres, Geovanni Franco (5-1); Clovisconnection, William Antongeorgi III (7-2).
O’NEILL ON RECENT ACQUISITION VLAHOS: ‘HE’S A BEAST’ The newest addition to Doug O’Neill’s barn, smashing debut winner Vlahos, arrived last week with a big Beyer Speed Figure and high expectations in tow.
On March 9 at Santa Anita, Vlahos debuted for trainer Luis Mendez and blitzed what on paper looked to be a promising group of 3-year-old maidens. The strapping chestnut ridgling by Kantharos, dismissed at 13-1 in the wagering, went straight to the front under Edwin Maldonado in the 6 ½ furlong maiden heat, set fast fractions and drew off to win by 4 ½ lengths. The winning time of 1:15.75 earned a lofty 98 Beyer Speed Figure.
The winning debut came for owner Dan Northrup. Vlahos was subsequently sold privately and transferred to O’Neill. According to O’Neill, Vlahos’s new owners are Ty Leatherman, Todd Cady and Greg Pappas with Northrup also maintaining a minor share. The sale price was not disclosed. “We’ve only had him about a week, but it’s been a good week. He’s a beast,” O’Neill said Friday.
Vlahos originally sold for $35,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. As a 2-year-old last year, his work tab shows multiple starts and stops. It was as a newly turned 3-year-old Jan. 1 that things began to get serious. It was that day he had the first of eight works for his unveiling, which would include a bullet half-mile work in 46.40 in early February.
“He had such an impressive debut. That was a really good field he beat,” O’Neill said.
“I’m good friends with Luis Mendez, he’s a fabulous horseman. When we heard he came up for sale, we got a deal done.”
O’Neill added it would likely be another week before Vlahos returns to the work tab. At this point, he does not know when or where Vlahos may resurface.
“It’s hard to find a 3-year-old with this much ability. The sky is the limit for him,” O’Neill said. “We’ll get to know him more and see if we go dirt, turf, short or long. We do know about going short on dirt at Santa Anita. He certainly likes that. We’re excited about the future.”
As for Mendez, developing and then selling young prospects is familiar territory. Most notably, Mendez was behind the early development of multiple Grade I winner and current stallion Dr. Schivel.
As a 2-year-old in 2020, Dr. Schivel broke his maiden at Del Mar for Mendez and owners William A. Branch and Arnold R. Hill. Dr. Schivel came right back to win the GI Del Mar Futurity for Mendez, with Branch being joined on the owner’s line by Red Baron’s Barn, Rancho Temescal and Dean Williams. Dr. Schivel would subsequently be transferred to trainer Mark Glatt.
By Violence, Dr. Schivel finished his career with a record of 15: 7-2-3 and $1,347,100 in earnings. He currently stands at Taylor Made Farm in central Kentucky for a fee of $12,500.
BLUE-BLOODED JUDGE MILLER AMONG 180 WORKERS SATURDAY Judge Miller, the full brother to Clairiere who romped by 11 lengths in a one-mile allowance win here Feb. 14, worked a half mile for trainer Mark Glatt Saturday at Santa Anita.
The 4-year-old son of Curlin out of multiple Grade I winner Cavorting went four furlongs in 48.40 seconds. It was Judge Miller’s second drill since his breakout victory.
Judge Miller made a belated debut last November when he finished second in a six-furlong maiden race on dirt at Del Mar. He would graduate in his next start Dec. 26 at Santa Anita going seven furlongs.
In his allowance win, Judge Miller dueled on the lead for six furlongs before powering through the stretch to win by double-digit lengths. His final time of 1:35.20 earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure, which according to Daily Racing Form ties for the highest posted in North America this year.
Glatt hopes to find another allowance spot for Judge Miller before hunting bigger game. On Friday, Glatt said Judge Miller could ship and run at next month’s Keeneland meet.
Judge Miller was purchased as a yearling for $550,000 by owner Muir Hut Stable. His sister Clairiere earned $3,266,392 on the track with a record of 8-6-2 in 22 starts, which includes four Grade I wins.
FINISH LINES: First post for an eight-race card Sunday is 1 p.m. PT…Trainer Ben Cecil got his first win of the Classic Meet with Hot Legs Romolo ($7.80) in Friday’s fifth race on turf…Friday’s $1 Pick 6 returned $3,462 for 16 perfect tickets. The consolation payout for 5-of-6 was $66.10…Sunday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 1:37 p.m. with Gulfstream Park’s eighth race…Santa Anita morning-line maker Jon White will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Sunday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:50 a.m.