SANTA ANITA STABLE NOTES

By Ed Golden —-

• O’NEILL WORKS ILIAD FOR SANTA ANITA DERBY
• FLAMBOYANT SET FOR MARATHON SAN LUIS REY
• FAMILIARITY BREEDS VICTORY IN DUBAI: ESPINOZA
• WAGERING FRIDAY ON THE DUBAI WORLD CUP
• TOP NOTCH SHOULD FANCY A MILE ON SUNDAY
• DRAYDEN VAN DYKE DUE TO RETURN IN MID-MAY

ILIAD BREEZES FOR SANTA ANITA DERBY

San Vicente Stakes winner Iliad, one of four possible starters in the Santa Anita Derby for Doug O’Neill, worked five furlongs Friday morning in 1:01.40 for the $1 million, Grade I event on April 8, the West Coast’s major steppingstone to the Kentucky Derby on May 6.

Also working for the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby was San Felipe third-place finisher Term of Art, who went five furlongs under Tyler Baze in 1:01.80.

“Both horses went real well,” said O’Neill, who watched the drills with Kaleem Shah, owner of Iliad. “Iliad finished up great and both Kaleem and I thought he showed great energy.”

Iliad had jockey Amir Cedeno in the saddle. He worked with Royal Albert Hall who also was clocked in 1:01.40.

O’Neill, who won the Santa Anita Derby back-to-back in 2012 and 2013 with I’ll Have Another and Goldencents, also plans to enter California Derby winner So Conflated and California-bred Milton Freewater.

So Conflated also worked Friday morning, going four furlongs in 52.80.

SAN LUIS REY DISTANCE SUITS FLAMBOYANT

Marathon turf specialist Flamboyant, who has run 23 of his 25 career races on grass, will add to those statistics in Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 San Luis Rey Stakes at a mile and a half on the green.

The French-bred son of Peer Gynt trained by Paddy Gallagher for owners Bienstock or Winner was third in the Feb. 4 San Marcos Stakes, his first start in nine weeks.

“He seems to be doing well since his last race,” Gallagher said. “He acts like he’ll run OK at a mile and a half. He’s run well at a mile and a quarter.” Flamboyant won the Grade II San Marcos at a mile and a quarter in 2016.

Asked if a mile and a half marathon was “a jockey’s race,” Gallagher quipped, “It’s a jockey’s race as long as they have the horse.”

Brice Blanc, who rode Flamboyant in this year’s San Marcos, says he could have had better racing luck when beaten just 2 ½ lengths.

“I got fanned out, but otherwise had a perfect trip,” said the native of Lyon, France. “The rider inside me kept moving out and pushed me a little bit, but my horse ran well anyway.

“It’s going to be tough to beat Ashleyluvssugar, but if Flamboyant takes to the distance, I really have a good shot, I think.”

The San Luis Rey, the ninth and final race: Inordinate, Corey Nakatani, 8-1; Power
Foot, Kent Desormeaux, 15-1; Flamboyant, Brice Blanc, 6-1; Ashleyluvssugar, Gary Stevens, 5-2; Liam the Charmer, Victor Espinoza, 12-1; Syntax, Rafael Bejarano, 15-1; Buster Douglas, Santiago Gonzalez, 30-1; Papacoolpapacool, Edwin Maldonado, 10-1; Texas Ryano, Joe Talamo, 7-2; Itsinthepost, Tyler Baze, 5-1; Some in Tieme, Tiago Pereira, 30-1; and Site Read, Stewart Elliott, 30-1.

LIAM THE CHARMER EYES FIRST STAKES WIN

Victor Espinoza hopes to pilot Liam the Charmer to his first stakes victory in the San Luis Rey after capturing an overnight race at a mile and a quarter on turf Feb. 9. The lightly raced son of Smart Strike trained by Michael McCarthy for Mr. and Mrs. W.K. Warren Jr. bobbled at the start of his last race but closed from ninth and last to win anyway.

“This distance is exactly what he wants,” Espinoza said of Liam the Charmer, bred by Ron and Deborah McAnally. “The first time I rode him, at a mile and a sixteenth, it was too short for him (he raced willingly but finished fourth). He came back at a mile and a quarter and it was an ideal distance.
“He broke a little slow but still won easy. I think a mile and a half is definitely going to
help him.”

ESPINOZA SAYS FAMILIARTY WOULD HELP ARROGATE, SMITH

Victor Espinoza knows his way around Meydan Racecourse whether the saddle is on properly or not.
Last year the Hall of Fame nominee who turns 45 on May 23 piloted California Chrome to victory in the $10 million Dubai World Cup despite riding with a saddle that slipped early on in the mile and a quarter race.

Espinoza will be watching from afar Saturday when Arrogate is favored to vanquish 13 rivals in the World Cup under Mike Smith, no stranger to the Meydan course, although he is winless in his lone try in the lucrative event.

Espinoza says it helps to have ridden over the course at least once before a race like the World Cup
“Things change,” Espinoza said, reflecting on what a difference a year makes for him. “Last year I won the race; now, I’m watching it. Everything is different about that track except the distance. That’s the same everywhere you ride. In Dubai you’re competing against a lot of different horses and you really don’t know how they’re going to run.

“As for me, when I was there, I was just guessing what all the horses and jockeys were going to do. I just did my thing and I think that was best. If a jockey tries to study every single horse in the race, he’s really going to get confused.

“I didn’t worry about any other horse or study anything. I just broke out of there and did my thing, but I think it helps a lot if a jockey has at least one race over that surface before the big race. Any other track in the world, it doesn’t matter.

“It took me twice to really nail it, but the first race helped me a lot when I won last year That was a bonus.”

ADVANCE WAGERING TODAY ON SATURDAY’S DUBAI WORLD CUP

There is advance wagering on races three through nine today on Saturday’s Dubai World Cup program. Early bird wagering opens at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, with betting available on races seven through nine, the ninth race being the World Cup with an approximate post time of 9:45 a.m.

Arrogate, trained by Bob Baffert, drew post position nine in a field of 14. Hoppertunity, also trained by Baffert, has post position 11.

TOP NOTCH MAKES STAKES DEBUT IN DREAM OF SUMMER

Top Notch makes her stakes debut and her first race beyond six and a half furlongs Sunday in the $100,000 Dream of Summer Stakes for older fillies and mares at one mile on the main track, another in the Golden State Series for California-bred or sired runners.

Trained by Jeff Bonde for owners/breeders George and Mary Schmitt, Top Notch is a four-year-old chestnut daughter of Old Topper who won her last start, an overnight race at five-and-half furlongs under Edwin Maldonado, who retains the mount Sunday.

“She’s a consistent filly and tries hard every time and she should route,” Bonde said. “She’s a big, long-striding filly and training well.”

The field: Top Notch, Edwin Maldonado; Skye Diamonds, Tiago Pereira; Time for Ebby, Stewart Elliott; Ashley’s Sassy, Jaime Theriot; Run for Retts, Tyler Baze; Roo’s Valentine, Martin Pedroza; Mizzen Glory, Chantal Sutherland; Sheer Pleasure, Kent Desormeaux; Dressed to a T, Corey Nakatani; and Cuddle Alert, Israel Ocampo.

VAN DYKE DUE BACK IN TWO MONTHS

Drayden Van Dyke, the nation’s Eclipse Award winner as outstanding apprentice of 2014, is expected to resume riding in two months after recovering from a major injury in a spill at Santa Anita in the fourth race on Jan. 26, suffering “an open break” in which the bone went through the skin on his right forearm.

“His cast has been cut down so it’s below the elbow now,” said his agent, Brad Pegram, who also represents the nation’s leading money earner and regular rider of Arrogate, Mike Smith. “Drayden will have that on for three weeks, then it will be replaced with a soft brace that he can take on and off.
“He’ll start therapy at that time, so we’re looking at two months from yesterday that he can resume riding, putting us at mid-May. He’s at home in Pasadena, he’s comfortable, he’ll start therapy in a couple weeks and is looking forward to coming back.”

A 22-year-old native of Louisville, Kentucky, Van Dyke had five wins, nine seconds and two thirds from 51 mounts, with earnings of $319,786, before his mishap.

FINISH LINES: Stellar Wind, champion three-year-old filly of 2015, worked six furlongs Friday for John Sadler under Victor Espinoza in 1:13 prepping for her 2017 debut in the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn April 14. She went in company with Mr.Opportunist who was clocked in 1:13.60. “She went good,” Espinoza said of Stellar Wind, two-time conqueror of four-time champion Beholder. “She’s going in the right direction.” . . . There is a single ticket Pick Six Jackpot carryover of $368,689.71 into Friday . . . Martin Garcia, Mario Gutierrez and Gary Stevens ride at Sunland Park in New Mexico Sunday. Joe Talamo was scheduled to ride Kimbear for Eric Kruljac there Sunday, but the trainer had an 11th hour change of heart and is passing the Sunland Derby. The son of Temple City is a late nominee to the Santa Anita Derby . . . What aView, winner of the Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile on grass last year, worked four furlongs on the training track Friday in 49.40 for trainer Kenny Black, who was aboard the six-year-old California-bred Vronsky gelding. “It was the best he worked in the three years I’ve had him,” Black said. It was the first breeze for What a View since his crushing head loss to Bal a Bali in this year’s Kilroe on March 11. “I can’t say enough about this turf course,” Black said. “Horses just come out of the grass races here in great shape.” Black said What a View’s next start could either be in Southern California or out of town.

SANTA ANITA STATISTICS

(Current Through Thursday, March 23)
Jockey Mts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% ITM% Money Won

Flavien Prat 235 52 40 44 22% 58% $3,313,910
Tyler Baze 255 43 46 32 17% 47% $2,392,202
Kent Desormeaux 146 30 18 18 21% 45% $1,733,081
Rafael Bejarano 146 27 24 23 18% 51% $1,770,096
Joseph Talamo 166 24 17 23 14% 39% $838,443
Norberto Arroyo, Jr. 105 21 11 10 20% 40% $923,201
Stewart Elliott 161 18 16 25 11% 37% $854,293
Mike Smith 57 18 6 14 32% 67% $1,872,172
Martin Pedroza 120 16 21 25 13% 52% $739,697
Tiago Pereira 113 14 12 17 12% 38% $467,561
Santiago Gonzalez 137 13 23 17 9% 39% $689,981
Corey Nakatani 78 13 8 9 17% 38% $806,897
Edwin Maldonado 83 12 10 11 14% 40% $386,531
Luis Contreras 89 10 10 23 11% 48% $487,537
Jamie Theriot 81 10 8 8 12% 32% $471,365
Mario Gutierrez 104 9 19 10 9% 37% $815,888
Victor Espinoza 66 9 17 7 14% 50% $779,422

Trainer Mts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% ITM% Money Won

Peter Miller 104 31 22 10 30% 61% $1,475,921
Jerry Hollendorfer 125 26 20 22 21% 54% $1,708,469
Richard Baltas 130 22 22 20 17% 49% $1,265,107
Doug O’Neill 156 20 30 22 13% 46% $1,715,052
Philip D’Amato 93 19 13 14 20% 49% $1,244,380
Bob Baffert 63 15 8 10 24% 52% $1,582,516
Vladimir Cerin 55 11 12 9 20% 58% $545,589
Peter Eurton 58 11 6 7 19% 41% $600,402
William Spawr 32 11 4 5 34% 63% $347,000
John Sadler 64 10 12 13 16% 55% $636,690
Mark Glatt 78 9 11 13 12% 42% $470,535
J. Keith Desormeaux 44 9 4 6 20% 43% $509,505
Steven Miyadi 62 8 17 7 13% 52% $403,716
James Cassidy 47 8 8 3 17% 40% $430,916
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About Us
Santa Anita Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is North America’s premier supplier of virtual online horseracing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.