Santa Anita Stable Notes Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN __SUNDAY, JAN. 19, 2025 __

Photo: Ernie Belmonte

• WORKS: TAMARA BACK ON TAB; MIXTO DRILLS FOR PEGASUS • $52K CARRYOVER IN SUNDAY’S $2 PICK 6; STARTS AT 2 P.M. PT • FRESU WINS 3 SATURDAY INCLUDING 2 STAKES; DQ’D FROM ANOTHER • KIMURA REMAINS OFF ALL MOUNTS SUNDAY AND MONDAY • MLK JR. HOLIDAY CARD MONDAY INCLUDES $1 BEERS, $2 HOT DOGS

WORKS: TAMARA BACK ON TAB; MIXTO DRILLS FOR PEGASUS

Grade I winner Tamara, who was scratched from opening day’s GI La Brea because of a fever on Dec. 26, returned to the work tab Sunday for trainer Richard Mandella.

Tamara worked three furlongs on the main track in 37.20 seconds. The 4-year-old daughter of Bolt d’Oro out of Hall of Fame mare Beholder has made just one start since the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita. On Nov. 15 at Del Mar, Tamara returned after more than year away to finish second in an allowance/optional claimer going six furlongs.

Tamara is a homebred for Spendthrift Farm. As a 2-year-old, she won the GI Del Mar Debutante prior to a seventh-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Tamara emerged from the Breeders’ Cup with a leg injury that forced her to miss most of the 2024 campaign.

Mixto, who drew the rail in Saturday’s Grade I, $3 million Pegasus World Cup, had his final major work for trainer Doug O’Neill before departing to Gulfstream Park on Tuesday. The 5-year-old Good Magic horse drilled five furlongs in 1:01.40.

Owned by Calumet Farm, Mixto most recently was third in the GIII Native Diver at Del Mar Nov. 23. Prior to that effort, he won the GI Pacific Classic and was 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, both at Del Mar.

Trainer Bob Baffert worked the 3-year-olds Romanesque and Varney, who are both part of this weekend’s Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool. Romanesque, who was second in the GII San Vicente going seven furlongs in his sophomore bow Jan. 4, drilled four furlongs in 47.80 seconds. The Practical Joke colt was a debut winner at Del Mar in November.

Varney is an unraced colt by Vekoma who sold for $775,000 as a yearling. He went four furlongs in 47.80 seconds, which was the third-fastest of 69 works at the distance.

$52K CARRYOVER IN SUNDAY’S $2 PICK 6; STARTS AT 2 P.M. PT

There is a carryover of $52,050 in Sunday’s $2 Pick 6 after there were no winning tickets on Saturday. Sunday’s sequence, which averages 8.6 starters per race before scratches, begins with the sixth race at approximately 2 p.m. PT.

On Saturday, there were just two winning favorites in the Pick Six—Old Pal ($5.60) in the ninth race and Take Another Card ($5.80) in the 11th and final race. There were also no tickets with five winning selections. The consolation payout was $437.20 for tickets with 4-of-6 winners.

The winning horses in Saturday’s Pick Six beginning with the sixth race were #8 Devil Among Us ($18.20), #6 Shocking Grey ($19), #7 Check’s On the Way ($20.20), #2 Old Pal ($5.60), #10 Whiskyginandbrandy ($42.20) and #6 Take Another Card ($5.20).

Track officials estimate Sunday’s Pick Six pool will approach $500,000.

FRESU WINS 3 SATURDAY INCLUDING 2 STAKES; DQ’D FROM ANOTHER

Only 22 times in Santa Anita’s 90-plus year history has a jockey won at least three stakes on a single program. Antonio Fresu nearly joined that distinguished group Saturday on California Cup Day.

Fresu, a 33-year-old native of Italy, won three races on the card including the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint aboard longshot Shocking Grey ($19) for trainer Jeff Mullins and the Unusual Heat Turf Classic on favorite Old Pal ($5.60) for trainer Mark Glatt.

Later on the card in the California Chrome California Cup Derby, Fresu again crossed the wire first aboard Shea Brennan, trained by Phil D’Amato. However, Shea Brennan made what the stewards’ rules as “hard contact” with runner-up Whiskyginandbrandy near the top of the stretch. In a unanimous decision, Shea Brennan was disqualified and placed second.

The last jockey to win three stakes on a card at Santa Anita was Flavien Prat on Feb. 3, 2024. The record for stakes wins in a day at Santa Anita is five set by the legendary Laffit Pincay Jr. on Oct. 28, 2000.

KIMURA REMAINS OFF ALL MOUNTS SUNDAY AND MONDAY

Jockey Kazushi Kimura will remain sidelined at least through Monday, agent Brian Beach said Sunday morning.

Kimura was injured in the starting gate prior to Thursday’s fifth race. His leg got caught between his mount and the side of the gate. Beach said Kimura is continuing to deal with swelling from the incident.

Kimura has five wins from 42 mounts at the Classic Meet, which includes three stakes victories. He won the GIII Las Flores aboard Richi for trainer Bob Baffert on Jan. 4, the Blue Norther with Casalu for Baffert on Dec. 28 and the GI La Brea on Kopion for trainer Richard Mandella on Dec. 26.

Kimura was booked on eight mounts Sunday, which included the GIII Las Cienegas aboard Ma Rae’s Girl for trainer Doug O’Neill. Ma Rae’s Girl will now be ridden by Mike Smith.

FINISH LINES: Santa Anita will host a special 10-race program Monday as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. First post is at 12 p.m. PT. On-track patrons Monday will receive $1 beers and sodas and $2 hot dogs as part of the festivities…Big City Lights, ridden by Flavien Prat and trained by Richard Mandella, earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure for his 7 ¾-length romp in Saturday’s Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint. Mandella said a trip to Dubai in the spring could be in the cards for Big City Lights…Sunday’s co-features are the GIII La Canada for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles and the GIII Las Cienegas for fillies and mares sprinting on the hillside turf course. The La Canada goes as the eighth race at approximately 3 p.m. followed by the Las Cienegas…Former jockey Iggy Puglisi will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Monday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 10:50 a.m.