Santa Anita Stable Notes Saturday, May 2, 2026

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2026

- SANTA BARBARA: RESOLVE LEADS A PAIR FOR POWELL ON SUNDAY - GRADED WINNER BIG CITY LIGHTS BACK IN SATURDAY ALLOWANCE - WORKS: JOURNALISM BACK ON THE TAB FOLLOWING 4YO DEBUT - SA OAKS WINNER MEANING A GALLANT 2nd IN KENTUCKY OAKS

SANTA BARBARA: RESOLVE LEADS A PAIR FOR POWELL ON SUNDAY

After being on the short end of three straight photo finishes, Resolve will look to finally breakthrough for trainer Leonard Powell in Sunday’s feature, the Santa Barbara Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 ½ miles on turf.

A 4-year-old filly by Midnight Lute, Resolve is installed as the 2-1 second choice on the morning line. In her most recent effort, the GIII Santa Ana at 1 ¼ miles in March, Resolve was beaten by a nose after rallying from mid-pack under Hector Berrios. The winner, Take A Breath, returned last Saturday to win the GIII Royal Heroine going one mile on turf.

Prior to the near-miss in the Sana Ana, Resolve was second by a head in two consecutive allowance races.

“It’s definitely been frustrating to have so many seconds,” Powell said. “But every time she runs, she runs her race. Hopefully this time we’ll be on the right side of the photo finish, if there is a photo finish.”

Resolve has never raced 1 ½ miles. However, last year she ran well going 1 3/8 miles when, you guessed it, she finished second in an allowance at Del Mar.

“I’m not worried about the distance for her,” Powell said.

In addition to Resolve, Powell will also send out French Moonlight. She is by Liam’s Map out of the Galileo mare Claire de Lune. The Santa Barbara will be the stakes debut for French Moonlight.

“It’s a small field and she’s well-bred, so being in the top three would increase her value tremendously. We’re taking a shot,” Powell said.

French Moonlight is a half sister to multiple graded stakes winner Full Count Felicia, whose wins included the GI E.P Taylor going 1 ½ miles at Woodbine in 2024.

“With that pedigree, the distance shouldn’t be a handicap for her. Is she up to this level? We’re not sure yet, but as long as she runs a good race we’ll be proud of her,” Powell said.

French Moonlight is 5-1 on the morning line. She’ll break from the rail under Antonio Fresu, who’ll be riding French Moonlight for the first time.

The 9-5 program favorite in the Santa Barbara is Hey Jessie, who goes for trainer Sean McCarthy. A 4-year-old daughter of Grazen, Hey Jessie finished sixth in the Santa Ana. Jockey Emisael Jaramillo rides Hey Jessie for the first time.

The Santa Barbara goes as the third race on a nine-race card Sunday, which starts at 1 p.m. PT. Post time for the Santa Barbara is 2:02 p.m. The field in post position order: French Moonlight, Antonio Fresu (5-1); Resolve, Hector Berrios (2-1); Cailin Dana, Armando Ayuso (6-1); Hey Jessie, Emisael Jaramillo (9-5); Ulysses Rose, Kazushi Kimura (5-2).

GRADED WINNER BIG CITY LIGHTS RETURNS IN SATURDAY ALLOWANCE

In Saturday’s 10th race, a high-level allowance going seven furlongs, graded stakes-winning California-bred Big City Lights makes his belated return for trainer Richard Mandella. He is the 2-1 morning line favorite. The field also includes Extensive, the 5-2 second choice, who hasn’t started since finishing third in last year’s GII Hollywood Gold Cup.

Big City Lights will be making his first start since November when, testing turf for the first time, he finished off the board in the Stormy Liberal going five furlongs at Del Mar. That effort followed an eighth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, also at Del Mar.

A 7-year-old horse by Mr. Big, Big City Lights was set to return in the California Cup Sprint in January but had to be scratched after grabbing a quarter during training. He has since been working fast for his seasonal debut. After drilling five furlongs in 58.4 seconds two weeks ago, Big City Lights returned last Saturday with a four-furlong work in a swift 46.80 seconds. He’ll be ridden by Kazushi Kimura.

Extensive, a 5-year-old horse by City of Light, was making his stakes debut when third behind winner Skippylongstocking in last year’s Hollywood Gold Cup. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Extensive has worked seven times for his comeback. He’ll have jockey Emisael Jaramillo aboard for the first time.

Post time for Saturday’s 10th race is at 5:45 p.m. The field in post position order: Momad, Victor Espinoza (10-1); Extensive, Emisael Jaramillo (5-2); Deer District, Cesar Belmont (20-1); Modus Bestia, Tiago Pereira (6-1); Judge Miller, Antonio Fresu (5-1); Speedy Wilson, Armando Ayuso (6-1); Big City Lights, Kazushi Kimura (2-1); Drop Um, Kyle Frey (15-1).

WORKS: JOURNALISM BACK ON TAB FOLLOWING 4YO DEBUT

Journalism, who finished third in the GII Oaklawn Handicap in his 4-year-old debut April 18 at Oaklawn, returned to the work tab Saturday at Santa Anita for trainer Michael McCarthy. Also working for McCarthy was multiple Grade I winner Formidable Man, who has been off since finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 1.

Journalism worked four furlongs in 48.4 seconds. In the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap, Journalism finished two lengths back of winner Sovereignty, his nemesis from last year’s Triple Crown run. McCarthy has reported Journalism could return in the GI Met Mile on June 6 at Saratoga.

Journalism last year won the Preakness Stakes and was second to Sovereignty in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. Journalism’s other Grade I wins last year came in the Santa Anita Derby and Haskell.

Formidable Man worked four furlongs in 48.6 seconds. It was his fourth work on the comeback trail. A 6-year-old horse by City of Light, Formidable Man last year won the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita and both the GII Eddie Read and GII Del Mar Mile during the Del Mar summer meet. In 2024, Formidable Man won the GI Hollywood Derby at Del Mar. He is a candidate to return in the GI Shoemaker Mile on May 25.

El Potente, who trainer Dan Blacker is pointing to the Shoemaker Mile, worked five furlongs on the training track in a sharp 58.0 seconds. It was the fastest of 11 works at the distance. A 7-year-old horse by Temple City, El Potente most recently was second as the 9-5 favorite in the GII Frank E. Kilroe Mile March 7.

SA OAKS WINNER MEANING A GALLANT 2nd IN THE KENTUCKY OAKS

After taking the lead in mid-stretch, GII Santa Anita Oaks winner Meaning could not hold off a late charge from Always a Runner to finish second in the Kentucky Oaks Friday at Churchill Downs.

With Juan Hernandez aboard, Meaning finished 1 ¼ lengths back of Always a Runner, who was ridden by Jose Ortiz for trainer Chad Brown. By Gun Runner, Meaning is trained by Michael McCarthy for owners Bridlewood Farm and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.

“Tough one to swallow,” Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners X account posted following the race. “Meaning put it all on the line—taking command late and fighting every step of the way—only to be caught in the final strides.

“A valiant second, and an effort that says everything about her heart, her class, her future. We’re incredibly proud of her.”

McCarthy told Churchill Downs publicity, “I thought she would show up and she did. I am happy with her race.”

Hernandez also provided his assessment.

"I had a really good trip. She broke really well and got in a good position,” Hernandez said. “Around the turn, I swung out because the horse in front of me was kind of stopping. When I asked her, she exploded. I thought we had it for a second, the other filly was just a little faster than we were today.”

Purchased for $440,000 as a yearling, Meaning is now 5: 3-1-0 with $583,000 in earnings.

FINISH LINES: Saturday’s $1 Sunset Pick 6 has a three-day carryover of $22,992. The wager starts at 2:07 p.m. PT with the eighth race from Gulfstream Park. The $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 1:34 p.m. PT with the second race from Santa Anita…Horseplayer Tony Banks will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Sunday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:50 a.m. PT…