STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

SUNDAY, NOV. 5, 2023

• JOCKEY AND TRAINER TITLE’S UP FOR GRABS ON FINAL DAY OF MEET • BRICKYARD RIDE, NEWGRANGE AMONG 198 WORKERS SUNDAY • HALL OF FAMER MANDELLA SCORES A STAKES DOUBLE • MANDATORY PAYOUTS ON ALL EXOTIC WAGERS SUNDAY • POPULAR BUGLER JAY COHEN HOPES TO RETURN SOON • LIVE RACING RETURNS DEC. 26 WITH SANTA ANITA CLASSIC MEET

JOCKEY AND TRAINER TITLE’S UP FOR GRABS ON FINAL DAY OF MEET The races for leading trainer and top jockey both come down to the final day of the Santa Anita Autumn Meet.

Entering Sunday’s 10-race closing day card, trainers Phil D’Amato and Mark Glatt are tied with 11 wins each. In the jockey’s race, perennial leading rider Juan Hernandez holds a three-win advantage over Umberto Rispoli.

D’Amato is a five-time leading trainer at Santa Anita. He has four horses entered in three races Sunday after scratches, none of which are favored on the morning line. Glatt is seeking his first Santa Anita trainer’s title. He has three horses entered in three races, none of which are favored on the morning line.

D’Amato’s scheduled starters Sunday are Hamwood Flier (4-1) and Lucky Girl (10-1) in the GII Goldikova, which goes as the sixth race, Impact Warrior (5-1) in the GIII Autumn Miss, carded as the eighth and Reckless Spirit (8-1) in the 10th race.

Glatt’s scheduled starters are Grazed (5-1) in the third race, Handr’sdream (7-2) in the fifth and It’s My House (3-1) in the ninth.

In the jockey’s race, Hernandez and Rispoli each have five mounts scheduled. Hernandez rides are aboard Caribbean King (4-1) in the first race, Mister Iceman (7-2) in the third, Closing Remarks (5-2) in the Goldikova, Coffee in Bed (6-1) in the Autumn Miss and Stamp My Passport (7-2) in the 10th race. Of that quintet, Stamp My Passport is the only morning line favorite.

Rispoli’s rides are aboard Ghost Coast (5-1) in the first race, Hawker (7-2) in the third, Anisette (8-5) in the Autumn Miss, Redline (6-1) in the ninth and Baj (5-1) in the 10th. Anisette is the only favorite of that group.

First post Sunday is 12 p.m. PT.

BRICKYARD RIDE, NEWGRANGE AMONG 198 WORKERS SUNDAY Following an abbreviated training schedule on Friday and Saturday due to the Breeders’ Cup, there were 198 timed workouts at Santa Anita Sunday.

On Friday, the Santa Anita main track closed for training at 7:15 a.m. On Saturday, the main track closed at 6:30 a.m. The training track was closed entirely both days.

Sunday’s workers included multiple graded stakes winners Brickyard Ride, Newgrange, Neige Blanche, Astronaut and Heywoods Beach.

Brickyard Ride worked for the first time since a fourth-place effort in the Oct. 15 California Flag Handicap. Trained by Craig Lewis, the 6-year-old California-bred worked a bullet half mile in 46.80 seconds. It was the fastest of 55 moves at the distance.

Newgrange, who returned from a seven-month layoff to finish fourth in a classified allowance here Oct. 6, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 for trainer Phil D’Amato.

Astronaut went five furlongs in 1:01.40. He is back in Southern California where he spent the majority of the 2021 and 2022 seasons with trainer John Shirreffs. In 2021, the 6-year-old Quality Road horse won the GII Del Mar Mile for Shirreffs.

Astronaut has made two starts this year, both for trainer Tom Albertrani. In March, he was 10th in the GII Mac Diarmida at Gulfstream Park. Most recently on Oct. 7, he was eighth in the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at the Belmont at the Big A meet on Oct. 7.

Neige Blanche worked four furlongs in 48.60 seconds for trainer Leonard Powell and Heywoods Beach went five furlongs in 1:00.40 for trainer John Sadler.

BUGLER JAY COHEN HOPES TO BE BACK SOON FOLLOWING SURGERY A ray of iconic sunshine to racegoers for nearly 36 years, Santa Anita Bugler Jay Cohen, who has been sidelined due to back issues for the entire Autumn Meet, will undergo surgery this Wednesday and the multi-talented New Jersey native hopes to return to action at The Great Race Place in time for the track’s traditional Winter Meet opener on Dec. 26.

A man with joy in his heart, Cohen has regaled fans of all ages on race days and at special events with magic tricks, impromptu soliloquies, jokes, world class musicianship and genuine kinship developed through his many years as one of California racing’s most recognizable figures.

“Jay is a special person and a very special talent,” said Santa Anita General Manager and Executive Vice President Nate Newby. “Our fans have missed him and so have our jockeys, trainers and everybody here that he counts as co-workers. We wish him a speedy recovery and we look forward to having him back here this winter, just as soon as he’s able.”

Cohen, who started at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, 1987 and has performed at a total of 20 racetracks in eight states and two foreign countries, addressed his predicament via telephone as he took in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Saturday from his home in Glendora.

“I’ve always tried to stay very fit, but I’ve had issues with my neck and back for a number of years now,” he said. “A couple days before we were supposed to open on Sept. 29, I really couldn’t walk more than 20 feet without being in severe pain. That’s when I realized I was not going to be able to work until I got this fixed.

“It’s been a long process with the insurance companies, but we’ve finally got the date set for Nov. 8. I’m representing Santa Anita in the Rose Parade, so I have no choice but to get back to work!”

Call it a labor of love, and it’s a two-way street between Jay Cohen’s many thousands of fans and the man himself.

Godspeed Jay. -Mike Willman

FINISH LINES: Sunday’s closing day card features mandatory payouts on all exotic wagers including the $1 Pick 6. The Pick 6 sequence starts with the fifth race at approximately 2:02 p.m. Pacific…Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella swept Saturday’s early double with Salesman ($8.60) in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes and Seal Team ($16.60) in the Twilight Derby. Mandella has four stakes wins at the meet, which is tied with John Sadler for the most among trainers… Santa Anita will celebrate the retirement of three longtime employees Sunday in the Winner’s Circle following the fifth race. Santa Anita bids a fond farewell today to three highly valued employees—Former jockey and longtime Stable Gate guard and parking lot attendant Manny Diaz, who calls it a career following 39 years of dedicated service. Tony Vivanco, a longtime exercise rider for the late Leonard Dorfman, is retiring following 29 years as a parking lot attendant. And Santa Anita also bids adieu to Alfredo Sandoval, a popular bartender at The Great Race Place for 18 years. GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!