STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN SATURDAY, OCT. 14, 2023

• POPULAR CAL-BRED BRICKYARD RIDE RETURNS IN CALIFORNIA FLAG • BREEDERS’ CUP: SEVERAL CONTENDERS WORK AT SANTA ANITA • 11 RACES SUNDAY AT SANTA ANITA WITH 12:30 P.M. FIRST POST

POPULAR CAL-BRED BRICKYARD RIDE RETURNS IN CALIFORNIA FLAG After a pair of unsuccessful Grade II tries at Del Mar this summer, eight-time stakes winner Brickyard Ride drops back into the statebred ranks Sunday in the $100,000 California Flag on the hillside turf course. Brickyard Ride is the 9-5 second choice on the morning line in a field of seven set to go about 6 ½ furlongs down the hill. The 7-5 favorite is Kings River Knight, a versatile stakes winner on both turf and dirt for trainer John Sadler. Brickyard Ride, trained by Craig Lewis, gets back on grass after two main track tries at Del Mar. In the GII San Diego Handicap going 1 1/16 miles on July 29, Brickyard Ride set the pace before getting collared in the final furlong by winner Senor Buscador and runner-up Slow Down Andy. Brickyard Ride was then cutback to seven furlongs for the GII Pat O’Brien on Aug. 26. He again set the pace, this time with pressure, while clocking sharp fractions of 21.49 and 44.44 seconds for a half mile. He faded to finish seventh behind the winner, Anarchist. “I thought his race in the San Diego was very good,” Lewis said Saturday morning. “The subsequent race was not as good. But there was a lot of pressure. He’s run so many big races for us, you can’t expect him to fire every time.” Brickyard Ride, a 6-year-old full horse by Clubhouse Ride, has won 13 times in 28 starts and banked $865,477 for owner-breeder Alfred A. Pais. He is 1-for-2 on the hillside turf course with the defeat being a good third in the GIII San Simeon on March 5. The top two finishers of that race were Motorious, a leading contender for next month’s $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint here; and the aforementioned Anarchist, a top contender for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint. “He got beat by some very good horses last time down the hill, there’s no shame in that. That could have had Grade I next to the race name,” Lewis said. Brickyard Ride has been working fast for his return to the hill. He drilled a half mile in 46.60 seconds when returning to Santa Anita Sept. 18 and nine days ago worked a bullet six furlongs in 1:11.80. Lewis is pleased with what he’s seen from the veteran. “He’s been training very well and loves Santa Anita,” Lewis said. “While I don’t think he’s quite as good as he was in his prime, he’s still very good. On any given day he can still be a tough horse.” Lewis added a main objective at this point is to get Brickyard Ride to the $1 million mark in earnings. It remains to be determined if he’ll be back for a 7-year-old campaign. “That’s what we’re trying to do, but everything is going to be up to him,” said the veteran trainer. “If he still has it, he might be around next year. Or if it’s time for him to retire, we’ll do that.” Brickyard Ride will be ridden Sunday by Umberto Rispoli, who was aboard in the San Diego. Top Santa Anita jockey Juan Hernandez, who rode Brickyard Ride in the Pat O’Brien, has opted to ride favorite Kings River Knight. “That might be an indication of what’s going to happen. But they still have to beat him,” Lewis said. Kings River Knight, a 5-year-old Acclamation gelding, has been first or second in five consecutive statebred stakes. His two wins came in the Crystal Water at a mile on turf here in May and the E.B. Johnston Stakes going a mile on dirt in his most recent start at Los Alamitos Sept. 16. The California Flag goes as the seventh race on Sunday’s 11-race card. Post time is approximately 3:30 p.m. Pacific. The field in post position order: Brickyard Ride, Umberto Rispoli (9-5); Billy’s Bet, Geovanni Franco (20-1); Irish Heatwave, Armando Ayuso (10-1); Kings River Knight, Juan Hernandez (7-5); None Above the Law, Joe Bravo (4-1); Lil Nas, Hector Berrios (12-1); Johnny Podres, Kyle Frey (8-1)

BREEDERS’ CUP: SEVERAL CONTENDERS WORK ON A BEAUTIFUL MORNING Under idyllic conditions Saturday morning at Santa Anita, 158 horses had timed workouts including several horses pointed to the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita on Nov. 3-4. Among the Breeders’ Cup workers was a trio of horses pointed to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 4. The Chosen Vron, winner of the GI Bing Crosby last out on July 29, drilled five furlongs on the training track in 1:00.20 for trainer Eric Kruljac. Dr. Schivel, winner of the GII Santa Anita Sprint Sept. 30, and GII Pat O’Brien winner Anarchist both worked on the main track. Dr. Schivel went three furlongs in 36.60 seconds in his first work since the Santa Anita Sprint for trainer Mark Glatt. Anarchist went five furlongs in 1:01.80 for trainer Doug O’Neill. Working towards the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 4 was Clairiere, who went five furlongs in 1:00.40. Also drilling four furlongs in 48.0 second was Desert Dawn, who trainer Phil D’Amato after the work said is possible for the Distaff. Firing a bullet towards the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile Nov. 4 was Exaulted for trainer Peter Eurton. Winner of the GI Shoemaker Mile here in May and most recently second in the GII Del Mar Mile Sept. 2, Exaulted went four furlongs on the main track in 47.20 seconds. Also working towards a possible start in the Breeders’ Cup Mile was Astronomer for trainer Simon Callaghan. Most recently second in the GII City of Hope Mile here Sept. 30, Astronomer worked four furlongs in 48.60 seconds. Two horses pointed to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint Nov. 4, Motorious and Private Creed, also worked. Motorious, winner of the GII Green Flash at Del Mar Sept. 2 for D’Amato, drilled four furlongs on the training track in 48.60 seconds. Private Creed, winner of the GII Franklin-Simpson Stakes at Kentucky Downs Sept. 9, worked four furlongs in 50.40 seconds for Asmussen. A potential starter for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Fill & Mare Sprint, Clearly Unhinged, worked a half mile in 47.80 seconds for trainer Michael McCarthy. Clearly Unhinged most recently was second in the GIII Chillingworth going 6 ½ furlongs here Sept. 29. On Sunday, leading Breeders’ Cup Classic contender Arcangelo is scheduled to work for trainer Jena Antonucci at about 9 a.m. Pacific. Antonucci is in town from New York to observe the drill.

         FINISH LINES: First post is 12:30 p.m. for Sunday’s 11-race card featuring the California Flag for statebreds on the hillside turf course… …On-track fans next Friday will receive free parking and admission, $3 beer and $5 margaritas …XBTV analyst Jeff Seigel will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Sunday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:20 a.m.

SANTA ANITA STATISTICS (Current Through Monday, October 9, 2023 Inclusive) Jockey Mts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% ITM% Money Won Juan Hernandez 48 11 7 6 23% 50% $1,142,640 Antonio Fresu 49 10 6 8 20% 49% $671,360 Umberto Rispoli 35 8 7 3 23% 51% $542,960 Hector Berrios 37 5 5 6 14% 43% $478,332 Ramon Vazquez 36 4 7 4 11% 42% $373,028 Mike Smith 26 4 1 5 15% 38% $386,440 Joe Bravo 15 4 0 1 27% 33% $154,040 Edwin Maldonado 36 3 8 5 8% 44% $347,620 Tiago Pereira 30 2 5 4 7% 37% $189,510 Geovanni Franco 23 2 2 3 9% 30% $127,560 Trainer Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% ITM% Money Won Mark Glatt 22 9 4 4 41% 77% $530,260 Peter Miller 24 6 1 3 25% 42% $276,980 Peter Eurton 13 5 1 2 38% 62% $220,260 Richard E. Mandella 14 5 0 1 36% 43% $343,200 Philip D'Amato 43 4 5 2 9% 26% $433,720 John W. Sadler 19 4 2 4 21% 53% $326,180 Doug F. O'Neill 27 3 5 2 11% 37% $381,560 G. Papaprodromou 27 3 3 3 11% 33% $248,600 Bob Baffert 20 2 4 5 10% 55% $591,640 Jeff Mullins 17 2 3 3 12% 47% $134,660