SANTA ANITA STABLE NOTES

By Ed Golden —-

BONDE FILLY TACKLES ‘LUXURY BUS’ IN LA WOMAN STAKES
BAFFERT HAPPY WITH COLLECTED’S DRILL FOR BC CLASSIC
BARRETTS FALL YEARLING SALE HELD AT FAIRPLEX OCT. 17
PRINCESS KAREN AMONG SIX ENTERED AGAINST UNIQUE BELLA

Jeff Bonde understandably has misgivings about taking on Unique Bella in Sunday’s Grade III LA Woman Stakes, but what’s a trainer to do?

“Our filly’s training great, but we’ve got a very formidable opponent,” Bonde said.

Bonde sends out Princess Karen, winner of the restricted Beverly Lewis at Los Alamitos on Sept. 9. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Stay Thirsty was beaten 12 ¼ lengths by Unique Bella in the Grade III Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita last January.

“Unique Bella,” Bonde said, “is what you call a luxury bus.”

Winner of four of her five career starts, the last four in a row by a combined margin of nearly 29 lengths, Unique Bella makes her first start in the 6 ½ furlong race for fillies and mares three and older after recovering from shin issues following her victory in the Santa Ysabel Stakes last March 4.

The LA Woman, race five of nine: Sturdy One, Norberto Arroyo Jr., 20-1; Cuddle Alert, Edwin Maldonado, 15-1; Bad Ju Ju, Drayden Van Dyke, 6-1; Princess Karen, Kent Desormeaux, 8-1; Unique Bella, Mike Smith, 1-5; Dis Smart Cat, Gary Stevens, 20-1; and Lunar Empress, Flavien Part, 15-1.

COLLECTED, MOR SPIRIT BREEZE FOR BREEDERS’ CUP

Collected, who led Horse of the World Arrogate on a merry chase in winning the Pacific Classic on Aug. 19, worked six furlongs Saturday morning for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 4 in 1:12.80 under jockey Martin Garcia.

“I’m very happy with it,’ trainer Bob Baffert said. “It was very nice. He needed it.”

Collected is one of four Baffert trainees being considered for the Classic, along with Arrogate, West Coast and Awesome Again Stakes “Win and You’re In” victor Mubtaahij.

Baffert also sent Metropolitan Handicap winner Mor Spirit (Dirt Mile) six furlongs from the gate with Hot Sean, each clocked in a bullet 1:12.40. Garcia was aboard Mor Spirit.

Accelerate (Dirt Mile) went six furlongs for John Sadler in 1:14.20.

JOHN MORRIS GOLF CLASSIC BENEFITS PERMANENTLY DISABLED JOCKEYS’ FUND

The sixth annual John Morris Golf Classic, originally staged in Lexington, Ky., will be held for the first time at Santa Anita Golf Course in Arcadia on Tuesday, Oct. 10. Proceeds will benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys’ Fund (PDJF), Easter Seals Cardinal Hill and Project Walk (Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Center). One hundred percent of the charity proceeds will go to benefit these three charities.

Tournament registration is at 10:30 a.m., with an 18-hole shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. Fees also include cart, lunch, refreshments, prizes and there will be a reception (that includes a silent auction) immediately following the tournament. Prices are $175 per player or $600 per team. All fees must be paid by Oct. 10 in order to participate. For more info, visit http://www.santaanita.com/events/johnmorrisgolfclassic/, or call (626) 574-RACE.

FINISH LINES: Attention horsemen—The Barretts Fall Yearling and Horses of All Ages Sale will be conducted Tuesday, Oct. 17 at Fairplex Park. “Game time” is 11 a.m. . . . There will be holiday racing this Monday when Santa Anita offers another of its popular Dollar Days. Beer, soda and hot dogs will be on sale for a buck apiece. First post time is 12:30 p.m. Admission gates open at 10:30 a.m. Santa Anita will be dark Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Live racing resumes 1 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 13 . . . Mario Gutierrez is at Belmont Park today, riding maiden Bahamian for Reddam Racing and trainer Simon Callaghan in the Grade I Champagne for two-year-olds at a mile, and Reddam’s Smarty Jones winner Pavel for Doug O’Neill in the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup at a mile and a quarter. On Sunday, Gutierrez rides She’s a Warrior for Peter Eurton in the Grade III Ballerina Stakes at Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver, Canada . . .Tiago Pereira has been suspended three days (Oct. 13, 14 and 15) for causing interference on The Street Fighter in Thursday’s fourth race, resulting in the disqualification of his horse from second to fifth, but agent Patty Sterling said she is going to appeal the ban . . .Agent James Giannoni reports jockey Giovanni Franco will resume riding Oct. 19 after recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee at USCMedicalCenter. Franco initially hurt the knee in Kentucky but suffered a recurrence at Del Mar two months ago.

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.