Santa Anita Stable Notes Saturday, March 8, 2025

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2025

• PASADENA: WILL THEN TAKES ON MALES IN 3-YEAR-OLD BOW • WORKS: CITIZEN BULL, BAEZA DRILL FOR SANTA ANITA DERBY • 1 WINNING TICKET IN FRIDAY’S PICK 6 PAYS $37K • SATURDAY’S $1 COAST-TO-COAST PICK 5 STARTS AT 1:21 P.M. PT

PASADENA: WILL THEN TAKES ON MALES IN 3-YEAR-OLD BOW

Will Then makes her 3-year-old debut Sunday as the only filly in a field of eight entered in the $100,000 Pasadena Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf. With a Grade III win on her resume, she is also the most accomplished in the lineup.

Will Then, trained by Jonathan Thomas, closed out her juvenile campaign Nov. 30 with an attractive 2 ¼-length victory in the GIII Jimmy Durante for fillies at a mile on turf at Del Mar. Unfortunately for Thomas and owner-breeder Augustin Stables, preparations for her sophomore unveiling haven’t gone exactly as planned.

Will Then enters the Pasadena with a bit of a spotty work tab. She worked once in January, twice last month, and again this past Sunday. All were going four furlongs. Thomas said the interrupted training schedule was the result of both the weather and a “little bug that was going around the barn.

“She is not exactly where we would like her to be, but this race might help her to get there,” Thomas said Saturday morning. “It’s mainly a timing thing why we’re going here. If she were to do well, it would allow us a couple of options. We can come back in two weeks for the China Doll here or maybe go for a race in Kentucky.”

Will Then is listed as the co-third choice on the morning line at 9-2. The War of Will filly will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli for the first time. Thomas noted she is part of what is a “unique bunch of horses getting together.”

Tiz Secure, the 2-1 program favorite trained by Bob Baffert, switches to turf just two weeks after winning his debut sprinting six furlongs on dirt at Santa Anita. Freedom’s Not Free, the 5-2 second choice for trainer Mark Glatt, is unproven around two turns. Shea Brennan, also listed at 9-2 on the morning line, is a two-time stakes winner versus statebreds but has never raced on turf and never faced open company. There is also a maiden in the field, Rank (15-1), who is trained by Doug O’Neill.

“It seems like everyone has an obstacle to overcome,” Thomas said.

The Pasadena goes as the ninth race on an 11-race card starting at 12:30 p.m. PT. Post time for the Pasadena is approximately 4:30 p.m. The field in post position order: Freedom’s Not Free, Flavien Prat (5-2); Shea Brennan, Antonio Fresu (9-2); Friendly Confines, Tiago Pereira (8-1); Fomo Joe, Edwin Maldonado (10-1); Precision, Ricky Gonzalez (30-1); Rank, Kyle Frey (15-1); Will Then, Umberto Rispoli (9-2); Tiz Secure (2-1), Juan Hernandez (2-1).

WORKS: CITIZEN BULL, BAEZA DRILL FOR SANTA ANITA DERBY

Champion Citizen Bull and fellow 3-year-old Baeza, both expected to go in the GI Santa Anita Derby on April 5, were among 207 horses to record timed workouts Saturday at Santa Anita.

Citizen Bull worked six furlongs in 1:12.60 with former jockey Juan Ochoa aboard. Trained by Bob Baffert, Citizen Bull exits a win in the GIII Robert B. Lewis when making his sophomore debut Feb. 1 at Santa Anita. As a juvenile, the Into Mischief colt won both the GI American Pharoah at Santa Anita and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar to clinch champion 2-year-old male honors.

Baeza worked five furlongs in 1:02.20 with jockey Hector Berrios aboard. Trained by John Shirreffs, Baeza most recently rolled to a dominant 4 ¾-length maiden win going a mile on Feb. 14 at Santa Anita. This was the second work since graduation day for the McKinzie colt.

Returning to the work tab for Baffert was 3-year-old Madaket Road, who two weeks ago finished second in the GII Rebel at Oaklawn Park after setting the pace. The Quality Road colt drilled three furlongs in 37.0 seconds. Continuing on the comeback trail for Baffert was Grade I winner Speed Boat Beach. The 5-year-old Bayern horse drilled five furlongs from the gate in 59.0 seconds, which was the second-fastest of 76 works at the distance. Speed Boat Beach hasn’t started since winning the GI Malibu at Santa Anita in December 2023.

Mrs. Astor, who is ticketed for next Saturday’s Santa Ana Stakes where she figures to be among the favorites, worked four furlongs on the main track in 49.80 seconds for trainer Jonathan Thomas. A 5-year-old Lookin at Lucky mare, Mrs. Astor won the GIII Robert J. Frankel Dec. 27 at Santa Anita and before that claimed the GIII Red Carpet at Del Mar in November.

Queen Maxima, winner of the Wishing Well on Feb. 22 at Santa Anita, worked a bullet on the training track for trainer Jeff Mullins. The 4-year-old Bucchero filly was clocked going four furlongs in a sharp 46.80 seconds. It was the fastest of 21 works at the distance.

1 WINNING TICKET IN FRIDAY’S PICK 6 PAYS $37K

A lone winning ticket in Friday’s $2 Pick Six paid $37,628.80. According to Santa Anita’s pari-mutuel department, the ticket was purchased for $2 at the Hunt Valley Country Club in Maryland.

Entering Friday’s ninth and final race, only two horses were covered in the Pick Six— Targaryis, the 6-5 favorite, and 2-1 second choice Check’s On The Way. Check’s On The Way, with Umberto Rispoli aboard, prevailed by a length over runner-up Targaryis.

The winning horses in Friday’s Pick Six starting with the fourth race were #5 Day Dawning ($6.20), #5 Lucky Sermon ($16), #8 Nameless ($2.60), #1 Venganza ($6.20), #3 See Through It ($33) and #7 Check’s On The Way ($6.20).

Saturday’s Pick Six starts with the sixth race at approximately 2:34 p.m. PT. After early scratches, the sequence averages 8.0 starters per race.

FINISH LINES: Saturday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 1:21 p.m. PT with the eighth race from Gulfstream Park…The Chosen Vron was named 2024 California-bred Horse of the Year Monday at the CTBA Awards Dinner and Annual Meeting. He also won the award last year, making him the 10th horse to win it in back-to-back seasons…Santa Anita will host a special St. Patrick’s Day card on Monday, March 17…Santa Anita simulcast host and analyst Michelle Yu will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Sunday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:20 a.m.