STABLE NOTES BY ED GOLDEN SUNDAY, OCT. 2, 2022

• JUSTIFY FILLY WORKS FOR GRADE II CHANDELIER • NEIGE BLANCHE WILL VISIT RODEO DRIVE AGAIN • MILLER BUSY NEXT WEEKEND AT SANTA ANITA • D’AMATO & GLATT HIT STAKES DOUBLES

PROMISING JUSTIQUE PREPS FOR THE CHANDELIER

Justique, who “inhaled foes” coming from 10th and last after a slow start to win her debut race by 2 ½ lengths at 8-1 going 5 ½ furlongs July 31 at Del Mar, worked five furlongs in 1:01.80 yesterday for this Saturday’s Grade II Chandelier Stakes.

At a mile and one-sixteenth, the Chandelier is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Race giving the nominated winner automatic entry into Keeneland’s Juvenile Fillies Nov. 4.

A daughter of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify’s first crop, Justique was breezed by Victor Espinoza, who was aboard for her debut win.

John Shirreffs, who trains Justique for C R K Stable LLC, candidly admitted that Justique’s victory, which earned an uncommon “inhaled foes” comment, was unexpected.

“She’s always been an OK worker,” said Shirreffs, who sent out favored Beyond Brilliant to win yesterday’s Grade II City of Hope Mile for C R K Stable LLC.

“She’s done nothing spectacular in the mornings, so it was very surprising and exciting to see her run as well as she did.”

NEIGE BLANCHE SHARP FOR RODEO DRIVE

Neige Blanche, a consistent French-bred mare that fancies Santa Anita’s marathon turf races and has run exclusively in stakes in all of her 14 starts in the United States, winning six, is on point for the Grade I Rodeo Drive Stakes on Saturday.

The $300,000 race is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge race for fillies and mares three and up at 1 ¼ miles on the hillside turf course. Neige Blanche was an eventful fourth in last year’s Rodeo Drive, and has a 4-0-2 record from nine starts at Santa Anita.

“She’s coming into the race extremely well,” said Frenchman Leonard Powell, who trains the chestnut mare for Madaket Stables LLC, Laura De Seroux, Marsha Naify and Mathilde Powell. “She showed really good form at Santa Anita in the spring and I’m hoping for a very good effort on Saturday.”

Juan Hernandez, who has ridden Neige Blanche in her last 11 races, winning six, will be back in the irons.

GIVER NOT A TAKER TRIES GRASS IN ZUMA BEACH

Giver Not a Taker, unbeaten in two impressive sprint victories on dirt including the I’m Smokin at Del Mar on Sept. 2, stretches out on turf next Sunday the Grade III Zuma Beach Stakes for two-year-olds at one mile.

The California-bred son of Danzing Candy won his two races by a combined margin of 10 lengths under Jose Valdivia, Jr. who will be back aboard in the Zuma Beach.

“The horse is bred for grass and it looks like he’ll run long,” said Peter Miller, who trains the gelding for owners/breeders Kirk and Judy Robison. “The owners said let’s take a shot and see how he likes the grass.”

The turf breeding is there.

Giver Not a Taker, a chestnut out of the Kitten’s Joy dam Kitten Trip, also is nominated to this Saturday’s Grade I American Pharoah Stakes, a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Race at 1 1/16 miles.

Miller said he plans to enter Grade I Del Mar Debutante winner And Tell Me Nolies in this Saturday’s Grade II Chandelier Stakes.

“She’s doing great; we’re looking forward to that,” Miller said. “She’s coming off three sprints, but she’s bred for two turns (by Arrogate out of the Exchange Rate dam Be Fair) and she acts like she’ll like it, so that’s the plan.”

Ramon Vazquez, who has ridden the Kentucky-bred bay filly in all three of her starts, retains the mount in the Chandelier.

FINISH LINES: Congratulations are in order to a pair of trainers who scored stakes doubles yesterday, Phil D’Amato, with Masteroffoxhounds (Umberto Rispoli) in the Grade II John Henry Turf Championship and Connie Swingle (Kyle Frey) in the $85,000 Unzip Me, and Mark Glatt, who took the Grade II Santa Anita Sprint Championship with Howbeit (Mike Smith) and the and the Grade II Eddie D. with Whatmakessammyrun (Joe Bravo). Howbeit nosed out eight-year-old C Z Rocket who closed on the rail in a thriller that at this early date is the Race of the Meet . . . Mandatory exotic payouts are in play at Golden Gate Fields today, the final day of live racing at the 2022 Summer meet . . . Condolences to family and friends of longtime Northern California trainer Duane Offield, who passed away Thursday after a lengthy illness at age 82. Offield began his career in 1976 and won 721 races, his most significant the 1990 Grade I Haskell at Monmouth Park with Restless Con . . . There were 219 recorded workouts at Santa Anita today, 67 on the training track...Santa Anita will be dark for live racing Monday through Thursday. Live racing resumes 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7.