Malibu headlines Santa Anita's opening day card
Santa Anita will kick off its 71st Winter/Spring meet on Wednesday by staging three stakes events. As ever, the $250,000 Malibu S. (G1) for three-year-olds is the opening day highlight at the Arcadia, California, track. The historic seven-furlong contest marks the return to action of such top performers as GREAT HUNTER (Aptitude), HORSE GREELEY (Mr. Greeley) and DIVINE PARK (Chester House). Supporting the Malibu are the $100,000 Sir Beaufort S. (G3) for turf sophomores and the $125,000 California Breeders' Champion S. for state-bred juveniles. The 56th Malibu proved to be overwhelmingly popular at the entry box, with a total of 19 entered, but the field is limited to 14 starters. Several of the top contenders are returning from lengthy layoffs. Grade 1 hero Great Hunter, who captured the Robert B. Lewis S. (G2) here in March, was last seen finishing 13th in the Kentucky Derby (G1). The Doug O'Neill pupil was forced to miss the Belmont S. (G1) after being diagnosed with a bone chip in his ankle. Since reappearing on the worktab in late October, Great Hunter has been training sharply in advance of this target. Regular rider Corey Nakatani will guide the dark bay from post 9. Horse Greeley earned rave reviews during the summer of his juvenile campaign, especially in the wake of his smart score over Great Hunter in the 2006 Del Mar Futurity (G2). The Richard Mandella-trained chestnut has been all too fragile ever since. Making a belated sophomore debut in May, Horse Greeley took on older horses in an allowance/optional claimer and checked in a non-threatening fourth. He headed to the sidelines once again because of physical issues, and he will make just his second start of the year in the Malibu. Victor Espinoza will reunite with the well-regarded colt, who has drawn post 10.
|
The undefeated Divine Park has not raced since driving to an impressive 3
1/4-length victory in the Withers S. (G3) in late April at Aqueduct. A rare
shipper to Santa Anita for Kiaran McLaughlin, the bay has been firing bullets
over the Belmont training track as he sharpens up for his Grade 1 bow. Divine
Park must carve out a sensible trip from the far outside post 14, however, to
extend his mark to a perfect four-for-four. Alan Garcia has the riding
assignment.
Other prime contenders include Baldwin S. (G3) and Affirmed H. (G3) winner
DESERT CODE (E Dubai), exiting a close third to UNUSUAL SUSPECT (Unusual Heat)
in a roughly run edition of the Hollywood Turf Express H. (G3); LES GRANDS TROIS
(Officer), who is coming off a troubled runner-up effort in the Perryville S.
(G3) for Bobby Frankel; and the top two finishers from the Select S. on
Breeders' Cup Day, COBALT BLUE (Golden Missile) and E Z WARRIOR (Exploit),
respectively.
Desert Code will break from the rail beneath a 117-pound impost that includes Richard Migliore. Next will come Les Grands Trois, Rafael Bejarano, 115; E Z Warrior, Mike Smith, 115; Unusual Suspect, Tyler Baze, 119; JOHNNY EVES (Skimming), David Flores, 117; IDIDN'TDOANYTHING (Trippi), Joe Talamo, 115; HURRY UP AUSTIN (Lake Austin), Alex Solis, 115; CARRILERO (Arg) (Royal Academy), Jose Valdivia Jr., 117; Great Hunter, 119; Horse Greeley, 115; SILVER STETSON MAN (Silver Charm), Edgar Prado, 117; Cobalt Blue, Garrett Gomez, 119; INCRIMINATE (Unbridled's Song), Brice Blanc, 115; and Divine Park, 117. The one-mile Beaufort has likewise attracted a competitive field of 14 to travel one mile on the grass. O'Neill has chosen this spot as the comeback for Grade 3 victor WHATSTHESCRIPT (Ire) (Royal Applause [GB]), who enters off a seven-month layoff. A smashing winner of the Pasadena S. at this course and distance in March, the bay colt endured a nightmare trip when finishing a rallying second in the Crown Royal American Turf S. (G3) on Kentucky Oaks Day. Whatsthescript will resume his partnership with jockey Isaias Enriquez. Among his notable rivals are multiple stakes scorer and Grade 3-placed TWILIGHT METEOR (Smart Strike), a Todd Pletcher trainee who was most recently fourth in the Hollywood Derby (G1); Grade 3 king WARNING ZONE (Chester House), ninth in the Hollywood Derby; European imports MR NAPPER TANDY (GB) (Bahamian Bounty), STONESIDE (Ire) (Marchand de Sable) and ADAGIO (GB) (Grand Lodge), all of whom have creditable American form; and the formerly French-based NO DREAM (Anabaa), who will be making his U.S. debut for Mandella.
|
Nine juveniles will go postward in the
California Breeders' Champion S., and Hollywood Prevue S. (G3) fourth BOB
BLACK JACK (Stormy Jack) holds a distinct class advantage in the seven-furlong
affair. A pair of debut maiden winners, the Neil Drysdale-trained LIBERIAN
FREIGHTER (Bertrando) and DEE DEE'S LEGACY (Bartok [Ire]) from the Mike Puype
barn, loom as his chief opponents.
This is the first Winter/Spring meet to be conducted on the Cushion Track,
which has experienced drainage problems recently. Installed at a cost of more
than $10 million this past summer, the main track was closed from December 3
through last Friday so that repairs could be done on the synthetic surface. In
addition to remixing the Cushion Track material, workmen had to address the
two-inch thick blacktop underpinning of the track as well.
"Due to the fact we had far too much fine sand in the original mixture, a lot
of that material had coated and effectively sealed the blacktop, which is
designed to be porous," Santa Anita President Ron Charles said Friday. "It was
quite a job, but we've got the blacktop cleaned and draining well.
"We also want to sincerely thank our horsemen for being so understanding and
patient," Charles noted. "This project has taken longer than we originally
intended and we know this has inconvenienced everyone, but the main thing is
that we had to address these issues now, in advance of the winter rains that we
do expect."
The one-mile oval was reopened for training on Saturday, and 92 horses worked
on the surface. On Sunday, that number had grown to 152, and the reviews were
positive.
"I breezed a few horses over it today (Sunday), and the jockeys and exercise
riders who were on it said it felt pretty good," said John Sadler, who captured
his first training title at the just concluded Hollywood Park meet. "We're
cautiously optimistic."
"I like the track the way it is," jockey Martin Pedroza said. "I worked four
horses over it, and I liked how each of them went. They seemed very comfortable
on the track."
"I breezed horses yesterday after walking the track and found it to be a
really safe surface," trainer Howard Zucker said Sunday. "The horses came back
great. Santa Anita did a wonderful job repairing the surface."
With the Cushion Track issues apparently resolved, attention can turn to the terrific racing in store. Santa Anita's stakes schedule is anchored by series for certain divisions. The Malibu opens the Strub Series for foals of 2004. The second leg, the $200,000 San Fernando S. (G2) at 1 1/16 miles, is scheduled for January 12, and the $300,000 Strub S. (G2) at 1 1/8 miles will conclude the sequence on February 2. The corresponding La Canada series for fillies comprises the $250,000 La Brea S. (G1) at seven furlongs on Saturday, the $150,000 El Encino S. (G2) at 1 1/16 miles on January 13, and the $200,000 La Canada S. (G2) at 1 1/8 miles on February 10. Newly turned three-year-olds will audition for the Triple Crown trail in several preps leading up to the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 5. Sophomores will compete for all-important graded stakes earnings in the $150,000 San Rafael S. (G3) at one mile on January 12, the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis at 1 1/16 miles on February 2, the $150,000 San Vicente S. (G2) at seven furlongs on February 10, the $200,000 Sham S. (G3) at 1 1/8 miles on March 1, and the $200,000 San Felipe S. (G2) at 1 1/16 miles on March 15. Three-year-old fillies will likewise be tested for class en route to the $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G1) at 1 1/16 miles on March 8. Graded stakes tune-ups for the Oaks are the $100,000 Santa Ysabel S. (G3) at 1 1/16 miles on January 5, the $150,000 Santa Ynez S. (G2) at seven furlongs on January 13, and the $250,000 Las Virgenes S. (G1) at one mile on February 9.
|
Older distaffers will take center stage in such events as the $250,000 Santa
Monica H. (G1) at seven furlongs on January 27, the $250,000 Santa Maria H. (G1)
at 1 1/16 miles on February 9, and the $300,000 Santa Margarita H. (G1) at 1 1/8
miles on March 9.
Turf horses will be well supplied with a variety of graded opportunities throughout the meet, with the $300,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1) on March 1 the preeminent prize. The $250,000 San Juan Capistrano H. (G2) for marathoners at about 1 3/4 miles will bring down the curtain on closing day, April 20. The stakes schedule also features several blockbuster Saturdays. The first is January 26, Sunshine Millions Day, when Florida-breds and California-breds square off in eight rich contests split between Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita. Santa Anita will host the $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic at 1 1/8 miles, the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf at 1 1/8 miles, the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint at six furlongs and the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Dash for three-year-olds going six furlongs. Three other four-stakes Saturdays are on tap. On February 2, the Strub and Lewis will be accompanied by a pair of grassy events in the $100,000 La Habra S., now a Grade 3, and the $75,000 Thunder Road H. The track's signature race, the $1 million Santa Anita H. (G1), forms the centerpiece of the March 1 card. Joining the fabled 1 1/4-mile Big 'Cap are the Kilroe Mile and the $75,000 China Doll S. on the turf, as well as the Sham. The April 5 program is highlighted by the Santa Anita Derby. Its supporting cast is composed of the $200,000 Potrero Grande H. (G2) at 6 1/2 furlongs, along with a pair of one-mile grass stakes, the $150,000 Arcadia H. (G2) and the $100,000 Providencia S., which is newly elevated to Grade 2 status in 2008. A few new wrinkles will be apparent this meet. The 85-day stand will adopt a regular Thursday through Monday racing schedule, instead of the traditional Wednesday through Sunday schedule, and the track has come up with a couple of unique twists on exotic wagering.
|
The all-new $1 Super High Five exotic wager will be offered on the last race
each day and will require fans to select the first five finishers in their exact
finish order. It is expected that the Super High Five will generate some
huge payoffs, as there is a high degree of difficulty involved and there is a
carryover component to the wager. If no one correctly tabs the first five
finishers, the entire Super High Five pool will be carried over to the next
racing day. There will be no consolation payoffs. With the implementation of the
Super High Five, there will be no superfecta offered on the last race each day.
The Pick 6, Santa Anita's most popular exotic wager, will now include the
possibility of garnering a brand-new Chevrolet Corvette. Beginning Wednesday,
any person with a single winning ticket that is purchased on-track, will also
win a brand new Corvette, provided by Sierra Auto Cars in Monrovia, California.
This special Corvette component to the Pick 6 will be available to the first two
solitary on-track Pick 6 winners during this meet.
First post time on Wednesday is noon (PST). Santa Anita will be dark this
Thursday, and will reopen for a four-day week from Friday through December 31.
Regular weekday first post time will be at 1:00 p.m. First post on weekends is
slated for noon.
Authors
Categories
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Daily Selections
Full racecard analysis/expert picks for major tracks from America's top handicappers.
Buy Nowe-ponies Picks
E-Ponies computer-based figures have been around since 1997. Using an algorithm written by the business owner and handicapper, Liam Durbin, and powered by BRIS data files, E-Ponies offers a unique, fact-based, dispassionate analysis of every horse in every race, assigning scores for speed, class, form, connections, and more. Forget which jockey owes you money! What does the data say!
Buy NowBruno With the Works
Bruno De Julio & team bring 30+ yrs experience observing racehorses to Brisnet with valuable insight into their morning routines & chances for success in the afternoons.
Buy NowValue Plays AI by Predicteform
Full race card program with easy-to-use win chances and contender classifications for every runner plus analysis of the Best Bet, Live Longshot, and Wagering Suggestions for every race.
Buy NowADVERTISEMENT