Santa Anita Notebook

SANTA ANITA

NOTEBOOK

FEBRUARY 3, 2005

by Bernard T. Moore

The return of the Sunshine Millions on Saturday at Santa Anita Park also

marked the re-emergence of sunny skies to the Los Angeles area. An on-track crowd

of 17,533 came to witness the four races for Florida- and California-bred

runners. This is the third year of the Sunshine Millions, which consists of eight

stakes events pitting California- and Florida-bred runners against each other. A

remarkable $3.6 million in purse money is awarded during a nationwide telecast,

which certainly lends excitement and anticipation to an otherwise ordinary

winter day in January.

The first race of the day in the series of four races at Santa Anita Park was

the Sunshine Millions Oaks for three-year-old fillies going six furlongs. The

Sunshine Millions, while still in its infancy, has been thrilling to say the

least, as upsets have been commonplace in both runnings thus far. When HOT STORM

(Stormy Atlantic) was able to rally to win from off the pace despite a wide

trip, it was a harbinger of things to come for the remaining Sunshine Millions'

races.

Ridden by Jerry Bailey, Hot Storm, a 21-1 longshot in the field of

12, raced within striking distance of the leaders

while outside rivals down the backstretch. Trained by Dallas Stewart, the Fair

Grounds invader seized the lead in the stretch, and was able to fend off the

late challenges of both She's a Jewel (Successful Appeal) and Memorette (Memo

[Chi]),

who finished second an third, respectively, despite drifting in the stretch under

pressure. Brooke's Halo (Southern Halo), making her first start for trainer Jeff

Mullins, was dispatched as the 5-2 favorite. She attended the early pace before

weakening to finish a well-beaten 10th.

The second Sunshine Millions' race on the Santa Anita Park card was the six

furlong Padua Stables Sprint for four year olds and up, and it produced yet

another surprising result. RED WARRIOR (Benchmark) closed resolutely after

racing towards the back of the pack early on to post well deserved one-length

victory over runner-up Full Moon Madness (Half a Year). Both rivals bided their

time before making their run, as there was a suicidal speed duel on the front

end. When the pacesetters began their meltdown on the far turn, both runners

moved in unison, with Full Moon Madness a bit quicker of the two at this point.

Once jockey Garrett Gomez was able to straighten the course of Red Warrior in

the stretch, the Cal-bred chestnut was able to rally smartly in the drive, slowly edging away from

the competition in deep stretch. Areyoutalkintome (Smokester) acquitted himself

quite well as the favorite in the race, finishing a close up third despite

contesting a torrid early pace in a strong showing.

The only turf race in the Sunshine Millions series at Santa Anita was up

next, and it featured the return of A to the Z (Benchmark) to the racing wars.

He had not been seen under silks since a sharp second place finish in the

Citation H. (G1) at Hollywood Park in late November, and as a result of

that effort, was bet down to 2-1 favoritism. Despite a field of 12 runners,

STAR OVER THE BAY (Cozzene) was able to clear from his extreme outside

post to dictate the early pace.

The seven-year-old gelding once again proved how

difficult he is to overhaul when he is unoccupied on the front end as eventual

second place finisher A to the Z tried in vain to corral the pacesetter in the

stretch. Saddled by Mike Mitchell, Star of the Bay relaxed nicely on the lead

for jockey Tyler Baze, who seems to get along quite nicely with the gray

gelding. When Star of the Bay was headed in the stretch, there more than enough

gas left in the tank to turn back all challenges, as the East coast invader

Silver Tree (Hennessy) closed belatedly for the show despite racing in traffic

in the bulky field.

The Distaff for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles was the final race of the

Sunshine Millions. All three winners returned double-digit payoffs thus far, and

it would be interesting to see if the trend toward upsets, which was so

prevalent throughout the day, would continue as the 10 distaffers took their

positions in the starting gate. When Yearly Report, (General Meeting) the

prohibitive choice in the race, lacked her customary early zip and was racing

in mid-pack, you had the feeling that another implausible result was on the

horizon.

That sentiment came to fruition when SWEET LIPS (Kris S.), donning

blinkers for the first time in her career, came barreling through the stretch to

run down the beleaguered pacesetters to win going away. Stretching out to a

distance of ground off a non-descript ninth-place finish, the Bobby Frankel-trained runner was full of run as the early pacesetters began to wilt in the

stretch. She was forced to alter course under jockey Rene Douglas for clear

sailing while in the midst of her rally in the stretch, but remained undeterred,

closing resolutely to win going away by 1 1/2 lengths at nearly 13-1. Fencelineneighbor (Wild

Rush) attended the early pace from the outset, held gamely to save the place

over an oncoming Dream of Summer (Siberian Summer) at 39-1.

Yearly Report was never a

serious threat and simply failed to fire. A suspensory injury was discovered

after the race and the four-year-old filly has been retired.

Favorites continued to take it on the chin in stakes events on Sunday as well

when SALT CHAMP (Arg) (Salt Lake) closed strongly in the final yards to defeat

the favored Island Fashion (Petionville) in the Santa Monica H. (G1). Making her first start in the United States for

trainer Richard Mandella, the lightly raced five-year-old was unhurried early

under rider Gary Stevens. She found her best stride leaving the far turn and

continued to accelerate in the stretch, collaring the runner-up in deep stretch

before edging away late.

Island Fashion gave a good account of herself despite returning

from a layoff. She was in a bit tight shortly after the start and

then was forced to wait for

racing room down the backstretch. Once clear, she dispensed a bold move around

the far turn to join the front-runners, but could not contain the winner late in

a game effort. Resplendency (Tale of the Cat) held well for third after vying

for the early lead.

Douglas and Baze continue to duke it out for leading rider honors,

with Douglas holding a two-win margin over his younger counterpart. Jon Court

continues to hold down the third spot in the standings, followed by Gomez and Victor Espinoza.

Doug O'Neill's lead in the trainer's race stands at nine, as Mullins is

now solidly in second. Richard Mandella and Bob Baffert

hold down the third and fourth spots, respectively.

The main track favored early speed virtually the entire week in sprint

contests, with Friday being the day when the bias appeared to be at its

strongest, and distance races seemed to play more fairer. There did not appear to

be any path bias all week. The turf course was quite fair as well, with no

particular running style enjoying an advantage.

HORSES TO WATCH

Wednesday (1/26)

4TH – GOT THE MESSAGE (Memo [Chi]) got an absolutely brutal trip off the

Sanford Shulman claim.

He raced extremely wide on the far turn, losing valuable ground, and

continued widest all in the stretch run while closing very well late under a 10

lb. apprentice rider who was merely a passenger.

7TH – BOASTING (Kris S.) was an unlucky second off

a layoff vs. a minor stakes winning favorite. The New York invader from Frankel

was trapped along the inside

while tracking a dawdling pace down the backstretch and around the far turn. Forced to

alter course as the pace quickened in the stretch, she kicked into gear once

clear to just miss in a sharp effort.

Thursday (1/27)

2ND - RAN FOR THE DOUGH (Bertrando) had modest success employing rating tactics

here off a brief rest. She displayed an even effort while racing one-paced throughout

and definitely

needs to see the lead to be at her best.

6TH – DOWNTIME (Favorite Trick) needed this useful sprint sharpener off a layoff.

He rated

far back early before being forced widest of all entering the stretch and closed with good energy late. May be stretched out in second start off the

shelf.

7TH – KATDOGAWN (GB) (Bahhare) was a very unlucky third on the drop. She raced in

extremely cramped quarters entering the stretch and was forced to check sharply to

avoid clipping heels in the midst of a rally. Bumped soundly by another rival

who lugged in, she straightened out under Douglas to muster another rally

and closed with a flourish when finally clear.

Friday (1/28)

5TH – FRANKELSTEIN (Bertrando) displayed an improved effort while making his second start off a

freshening. He held well for second after chasing a very hot pace for the distance.

7TH – ARGENTINISIMA's (Arg) (Candy Stripes) fourth-place finish is better than it

appears. She broke a bit slowly from the gate and was forced to steady along the inside on

the backstretch and again on the far turn. She failed to reduce her deficit in the

stretch over a speed conducive track and was not abused late. May be switched

back to the grass in next start.

Saturday (1/29)

4TH - Areyoutalkintom was part of a four-horse speed duel for

the lead. He continued on gamely to the wire, giving ground grudgingly in deep stretch

to fresh closers.

5TH – A to the Z may have been best in a sharp second-place

finish off the shelf. He was forced to take the overland route when dispensing an

eye-catching move on the far turn to draw on even terms with a loose speed who

wired the field. Obviously paid for that explosive run in the stretch as the

rustiness from the layoff began to show.

Sunday (1/30)

8TH – Island Fashion once again exhibited her affinity for the

Santa Anita Park main track with a troubled second off a layoff, while suffering

her first defeat at the tricky seven-furlong distance. Tough as nails

five-year-old mare will probably be stretched out to two turns in subsequent

starts.