Santa Anita: Grade 1’s Awesome Again, Frontrunner, Rodeo Drive Stakes Previews

By Mike Willman —-

Cupid; Santa Anita Pak Photo

CUPID, MIDNIGHT STORM & BREAKING LUCKY HEAD GRADE I, $300,000 AWESOME AGAIN STAKES AT 1 1/8 MILES SATURDAY AT SANTA ANITA
AWESOME AGAIN IS ONE OF FIVE BREEDERS’ CUP ‘WIN & YOU’RE IN’ CHALLENGE RACES SATURDAY

ARCADIA, Calif. (Sept. 27, 2017)—Bob Baffert’s Cupid, Phil D’Amato’s Midnight Storm and Reade Baker’s Breaking Lucky head a strong field of eight in Saturday’s Grade I, $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita. For 3-year-olds and up at a mile and one eighth, the Awesome Again will serve as a prep for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 4.

A rising star in Baffert’s formidable arsenal, Cupid, a winner of the Grade I, 1 ¼ miles Gold Cup at Santa Anita two starts back on May 27, seeks his third consecutive win and will be handled by regular rider Rafael Bejarano.

A close fourth on turf as the 2-1 favorite in the Grade II Del Mar Mile Handicap Aug. 20, Midnight Storm transitions back to the main track as his connections ponder a possible run in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

Third to top rated Gun Runner in his last two Grade I starts, the Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 5 and the Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs June 17, Breaking Lucky will be making his West Coast debut as he preps for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

CUPID: A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Tapit, he overcame trouble at the start to take the one mile Harry F. Brubaker Aug. 23, defeating Curlin Rules by three quarters of a length as the 2-5 favorite. Owned by Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith, Cupid, who was a three-time graded stakes winner in 2016, will be making his third start of the year and looms strictly the horse to beat. Perfect in two starts this year, Cupid is 11-6-1-0 overall with earnings of $1,683,873.

MIDNIGHT STORM: A 6-year-old full horse by Pioneerof the Nile, he became a five-time graded stakes winner on turf for D’Amato dating back to his win in the 2014 Del Mar Derby. With his turf resume highlighted by victory here in the Grade I Shoemaker Mile in June 2016, it appeared Midnight Storm would race for the remainder of his career on grass, but D’Amato pointed him to the main track to finish up 2016 and he responded with a resounding 7 ¾ length score in the Grade III Native Diver Stakes on Nov. 27. He was subsequently victorious in the Grade II San Pasqual here Jan. 1; a close second behind Shaman Ghost in the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap March 11; third in the Oaklawn Handicap April 15, fourth, beaten six lengths by Cupid in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita May 27, and most recently fourth, beaten 1 ½ lengths on turf in the Grade II Del Mar Mile Handicap Aug. 20. Bred in part by Alex Venneri and owned by A Venneri Racing, Inc. and Little Red Feather Racing, Midnight Storm is 25-10-4-2 overall with earnings of $1,723,110.

BREAKING LUCKY: Off at 12-1 and attentive to the early pace, he had to settle for third, 6 ½ lengths behind superstar Gun Runner in the Grade I Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 5. Beaten just a neck in a pair of races, the Grade I Woodward at Saratoga in September, 2016 and the Grade II New Orleans Handicap on April 1 of this year, the 5-year-old Ontario Canadian-bred son of Lookin At Lucky has been winless in his last eight starts but won’t be facing the likes of Gun Runner on Saturday. Headquartered at Toronto’s Woodbine, Breaking Lucky is owned by Gunpowder Farms, LLC and West Point Thoroughbreds. He’s 10-1-2-4 on natural dirt and is 21-3-5-5 overall with earnings of $1,122,276.

THE FIELD FOR THE GRADE I AWESOME AGAIN WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 10 of 11 Approximate post time 5 p.m. PT

Win the Space—Joe Talamo—122
Dortmund—Gary Stevens—122
Midnight Storm—Tyler Baze—122
Curlin Rules—Flavien Prat—122
Breaking Lucky—Mike Smith—122
Mubtaahij—Drayden Van Dyke—122
Donworth—Mario Gutierrez—122
Cupid—Rafael Bejarano–126

First post time for an 11-race card Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. Admission gates open at 10:30 a.m.

BOLT D’ORO & ZATTER RENEW RIVALRY IN GRADE I, $300,000 FRONTRUNNER STAKES AT 1 1/16 MILES SATURDAY AT SANTA ANITA; TOP JUVENILES BOTH TRY TWO TURNS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN BREEDERS’ CUP PREP
RACE IS ONE OF FIVE BREEDERS’ CUP ‘WIN & YOU’RE IN’ CHALLENGE RACES

Separated by three quarters of a length last time out, Bolt d’ Oro and Zatter will renew their rivalry as they head Saturday’s Grade I, $300,000 FrontRunner Stakes at Santa Anita.With the top two attempting two turns for the first time, a field of nine 2-year-olds will compete at 1 1/16 miles in preparation for the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 4.

BOLT D’ORO: Trained by Mick Ruis and owned by his Ruis Racing, LLC, he was away slowly in the seven furlong Del Mar Futurity (Grade I) Sept. 4 and garnered a hard-earned victory over Bob Baffert’s Zatter under aggressive handling from Corey Nakatani.A $630,000 Fasig Tipton yearling purchase in August, 2016, Bolt d’Oro, a Kentucky-bred colt by Medaglia d’Oro, was an impressive first-out maiden winner going 6 ½ furlongs as the 4-5 favorite two starts back on Aug. 5.With a pair of local five furlongs works to his credit since his Futurity win, look for Bolt d’Oro to show plenty of early speed on Saturday.Perfect in two starts, he has earnings of $216,000.

ZATTER: A $160,000 Keeneland September (2016) yearling purchase, this colt by Midnight Lute was off at 3-1 in the Del Mar Futurity, following an impressive 1 ½ length first out maiden win going six furlongs on Aug. 20.Game in defeat versus the top selection Sept. 4, he finished second, 4 ¾ lengths in front of Run Away, who came back to win the Barretts Juvenile at Los Alamitos this past Saturday.Owned by Zayat Stables, LLC, Zatter could well be on the early FrontRunner lead as he tries to turn the tables on Bolt d’Oro in what will be his third start.

THE GRADE I FRONTRUNNER STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 11 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

Zatter—Rafael Bejarano—122
Take the One O One—Joe Talamo—122
Ayacara—Kent Desormeaux—122
Bolt d’Oro—Corey Nakatani—122
City Plan—Drayden Van Dyke–122
Texas Wedge—Evin Roman—122
Encumbered—Mario Gutierrez—122
Solomini—Flavien Prat—122
Continental Divide—Victor Espinoza–122

IRISH-BREDS GOODYEARFORROSES & RESPONSIBLEFORLOVE HEADLINE SATURDAY’S GRADE I, $300,000 RODEO DRIVE STAKES AT 1 ¼ MILES OVER THE SANTA ANITA TURF
RACE IS ONE OF FIVE GRADE I ‘WIN & YOU’RE IN’ BREEDERS’ CUP CHALLENGE RACES

A pair of Irish-breds, Goodyearforroses and Responsibleforlove, loom prominent among a competitive field of 10 fillies and mares three and up in Saturday’s Grade I, $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes at a mile and a quarter over the Santa Anita turf.

Trained by Richard Baltas and ridden regularly by Corey Nakatani, 5-year-old Goodyearforroses has been a gem of consistency in five local starts since shipping to Santa Anita from Woodbine in Toronto nearly a year ago.

After an inauspicious American debut four starts back in the Grade II Santa Ana Stakes March 12, Responsibleforlove has been second twice and most recently won a minor turf stakes going 1 3/8 miles on grass Aug. 16 for trainer Neil Drysdale.

GOODYEARFORROSES: Well back early, she flew from off the pace to finish second, beaten three quarters of a length at 5-2 in the Grade II John C. Mabee Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf Sept. 2 and would appear to be the horse to beat as she stretches out a furlong here on Saturday.Owned by Abbondanza Racing and Medallion Racing, she’s got two wins and a second from three starts over the Santa Anita turf and is 18-7-2-2 overall with earnings of $476,495.

RESPONSIBLEFORLOVE: Owned by Team Valor International and Mrs. G.A. Rupert, this 4-year-old filly, who made her first six starts in Italy, served notice she could compete with top distaffers by running a solid second in the Grade III Santa Barbara Stakes at a mile and one half on turf three starts back here on April 30.Subsequently second over the course at a mile and a quarter two races back June 4, she then took her most recent start on Aug. 16.With two seconds from three tries over the Santa Anita lawn, she’s 10-4-3-1 overall with earnings of $134,879.

THE GRADE I RODEO DRIVE STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 11 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

Frenzified—Santiago Gonzalez—122
Goldy Espony—Mike Smith—122
Responsibleforlove—Joe Talamo—122
Majestic Heat—Drayden Van Dyke—122
Avenge—Flavien Prat—124
Amboseli—Victor Espinoza—122
Beau Recall—Rafael Bejarano—118
Decked Out—Kent Desormeaux—124
Kiss Me Now—Martin Garcia–124
Goodyearforroses—Corey Nakatani—122

First post time for an 11-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m.Admission gates open at 10:30 a.m.For additional racing information, please visit santaanita.com.

Cover Photo: Goodyearforroses; Benoit Photo

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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.