Eight expected for Malibu

Sadler will also send out DON TITO (Trippi), who exits a third in his stakes

debut, the Jimmy V. on Breeders' Cup Friday at Churchill Downs.

Grade 1 hero Noble's Promise rolled to a good-looking 2 1/4-length score in

the six-furlong Jimmy V. last out in his first start off a near five-month

layoff. The bay colt recorded a head second to Lookin at Lucky in the Rebel S.

(G2) earlier this season and managed a fifth in the Kentucky Derby (G1), but the

Kenny McPeek trainee is probably better at middle distances. Seven furlongs

appears right up his alley, and the talented three-year-old will have Julien

Leparoux in to ride.

Alcindor is a promising up-and-comer from Hall of Famer Bob Baffert's

shedrow. After winning at first asking on October 23 at Hollywood Park, the

$1.15 million yearling prospect stepped up with a head-turning performance

against entry-level allowance rivals on November 28, drawing clear to a 7

1/2-length decision at the Malibu distance. That netted him a 103 BRIS Speed

rating, and Alcindor will make the jump to Grade 1 company with jockey Rafael

Bejarano.

CARACORTADO (Cat Dreams) will return to stakes competition for trainer

Michael Machowsky. The California-bred gelding established himself as a

rags-to-riches horse when he went from winning a $40,000 maiden claiming race at

Fairplex Park in his debut to capturing the Robert B. Lewis S. (G2) last

February, but the chestnut hit some bumps in the road after that, losing four

straight on the Triple Crown trail before he was given six months off following

a seventh in the Preakness (G1).

He returned with an impressive victory in a six-furlong turf

allowance/optional-claiming event at Hollywood Park on November 11, winning by

nearly two lengths in a dazzling 1:07 3/5 while breaking from the rail in a

field of 10. He worked over the dirt at Santa Anita on December 12, recording

seven furlongs in 1:23.

"In the workout, we went the last eighth in :11 and two," said Joe Talamo,

who rode Caracortado for the first time in the November 11 race and will ride

him back in the Malibu. "He's an outstanding horse. Mike told me to ride him

with confidence (last time) and that he should be real good on turf. The work

was amazing. This is an unbelievable track and it should play pretty good for

him."

Also probable for Malibu are SETSUKO (Pleasantly Perfect), THISKYHASNOLIMIT

(Sky Mesa) and THOMAS BAINES (Johannesburg).

Santa Anita will also offer the $250,000 La Brea S. (G1) for three-year-old

fillies and the $150,000 Sir Beaufort S. (G3), which is scheduled for a mile on

turf, on the opening-day program.

Through Tuesday morning, Santa Anita has received more than nine inches of

rain from the storms that began on Friday, but track officials are pleased with

how the new traditional dirt surface has handled the record rainfall.

Another big storm is scheduled to hit the Arcadia, California, area

late Tuesday afternoon, dumping potentially a few more inches of precipitation, but

track superintendent Richard Tedescio is optimistic that the track will be in good shape Sunday,

with three days of clear weather predicted on Thursday-Saturday.