Santa Anita Stable Notes Sunday, January 7, 2024

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

__SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2024 __

- NATIONAL TREASURE, NEWGRANGE INVITED TO GI PEGASUS - JOCKEY MALDONADO EXPECTED TO MISS 2-3 WEEKS WITH INJURY - SUNDAY’S COAST-TO-COAST PICK 5 FEATURES $186K CARRYOVER - STUTE, AGENT/BREEDER LAWSON SCORE WITH PROMISING CAL-BRED - ECLIPSE AWARDS: SANTA ANITA’S MUTH, PRAT NAMED FINALISTS - CAL CUP DERBY, 4 SUPPORTING STAKES ON TAP SATURDAY

NATIONAL TREASURE, NEWGRANGE INVITED TO $3 MILLION PEGASUS Three horses based at Santa Anita – National Treasure, Newgrange and Subsanador – were among a dozen horses receiving invites this week to the Grade I, $3 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park Jan. 27. 

Trainer Bob Baffert has 2023 Preakness winner National Treasure slotted to run in the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus after bypassing multiple stakes options with the Quality Road colt on opening day at Santa Anita Dec. 26. D’Amato said Newgrange, winner of the GII San Antonio here opening day, is “50-50” to either run in the Pegasus or defend his title in the GII San Pasqual at 1 1/8 miles here the same day. Sadler Sunday morning said Subsanador, a multiple Group I winner in Argentina who was fourth in the San Antonio in his U.S. bow, will not run in the Pegasus.

National Treasure has not started since a nose loss to likely Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile here Nov. 4. On Friday at Santa Anita, National Treasure had his second-straight bullet work when drilling six furlongs from the gate in 1:11.20.

Baffert will be seeking a third win in the Pegasus after previously prevailing with Arrogate in 2017 and Mucho Gusto in 2020.

Newgrange won the 1 1/16-mile San Antonio by 2 ½ lengths in what was his third start on the comeback trail. Last year, the now 5-year-old Violence horse won the San Pasqual prior to finishing off the board in the GI Santa Anita Handicap.

The other nine “main” invitees to the Pegasus, including trainer, are First Mission (Brad Cox), Grand Aspen (Todd Pletcher), Hoist the Gold (Dallas Stewart), Il Miracolo (Antonio Sano), O’Connor (Saffie Joseph Jr.), Saudi Crown (Cox), Senor Buscador (Todd Pincher), Skippylongstocking (Joseph) and Trademark (Vickie Oliver).

JOCKEY MALDONADO EXPECTED TO MISS 2-3 WEEKS WITH INJURY Jockey Edwin Maldonado is expected to miss 2-3 weeks after sustaining a shoulder injury during training hours Saturday, agent Tony Matos reported.

“We have an appointment tomorrow and will know more then. But right now it sounds like it will be about two to three weeks,” Matos said.

Maldonado’s injury occurred on the track when he was unseated from his mount. The 41-year-old reinsman was sent to a local hospital for treatment and later released.

For Maldonado, it’s an unfortunate turn of events after what has been a promising start to the Classic Meet. Through Friday. Maldonado was tied for fifth in the jockey’s standings with six wins from 15 mounts, a robust 40 percent strike rate. Maldonado’s biggest win to date at the stand came on New Year’s Eve with Ruby Nell in the Lady of Shamrock Stakes on turf.

Maldonado has been riding professionally since 2002. He has won 1,544 races while banking more than $53.7 million in purse earnings.

Maldonado was scheduled on four mounts for Sunday’s nine-race card.

SUNDAY’S COAST-TO-COAST PICK 5 FEATURES $186K CARRYOVER There is a $186,880 carryover for Sunday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 after there were no winning tickets on Saturday. Sunday’s Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 sequence begins at 1:04 p.m. with the ninth race from Gulfstream Park and concludes at 3:07 p.m. with the seventh race from Santa Anita.

The Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 features a player-friendly 15 percent takeout rate. On Saturday, the total pool was $219,883. The winners in the sequence were Ozara ($8) in Gulfstream’s ninth race, Ship to Shore ($5.60) in Gulfstream’s 10th, Nesso’s Lastharrah ($38) in Santa Anita’s fifth, Tocayo ($29.80) in Gulfstream’s 11th and Lunar Impact ($7.20) in Santa Anita’s seventh.

Sunday’s sequence also includes the fourth race from Santa Anita, 10th race from Gulfstream Park and fifth race from Santa Anita. Note the 10th race from Gulfstream Park has been moved off the turf. The Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 is offered every Saturday and Sunday through the end of the Santa Anita Classic Meet April 7.

STUTE, AGENT/BREEDER LAWSON SCORE WITH PROMISING CAL-BRED Veteran trainer Gary Stute won his first race of the Classic Meet and breeder Derek Lawson also enjoyed a lucrative payday Sunday when the 3-year-old filly Safa won Sunday’s fourth race, a six-furlong maiden race for California-breds.

Bet down to the 1-2 favorite, the daughter of Grazen blitzed the field by nine lengths under Tiago Pereira to earn her diploma. For Lawson, the victory was doubly sweet. Not only did Lawson breed Safa from his broodmare Hadarra, by Harlan’s Holiday, he also serves as Pereira’s agent.

“It was a good day certainly,” Lawson said Sunday morning. “Gary did a great job to have the filly ready and Tiago got her home.”

Safa was just the second horse to start at the Classic Meet for Stute. His first starter, Divine Feminine, ran second on Friday in a $10,000 claiming race.

Lawson said Hadarra, a five-time winner on the track, is his only broodmare. Of her three foals of racing age, all have won.

“It’s a little project for me, a hobby,” Lawson said. Hadarra has a yearling full sister to Safa as well as a 2-year-old filly by Stanford who Lawson said will be sold Jan. 30 at the CTBA Winter Mixed Sale in nearby Pomona.

Hadarra is currently in foal to California-based stallion Halladay, who stands at Harris Farms for an advertised fee of $7,500.

FINISH LINES: Grade I winner Muth, who took Saturday’s GII San Vicente at Santa Anita, and jockey Flavien Prat were each named finalists for 2023 Eclipse Awards. Muth is among three finalists for champion 2-year-old male, while Prat is up for the nation’s outstanding jockey…California-breds will be in the spotlight Saturday with five stakes including the $200,000 California Cup Derby at 1 1/16 miles on dirt. The other stakes on the card are the $200,000 California Cup Oaks at a mile on turf, California Cup Sprint going six furlongs on dirt, Unusual Heat Turf Classic at 1 1/8 miles on turf and Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint on the hillside turf course…First post moves to 12:30 p.m. PT beginning this Friday. Each Friday during the Classic Meet, on-track fans receive free admission and parking plus $3 beers and $5 margaritas.