SANTA ANITA STABLE NOTES SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2018

By Ed Golden —-

AX MAN
Zoe Metz Photography

• BAFFERT SEEKS 10TH SAN VICENTE WIN SATURDAY
• CHAMPION UNIQUE BELLA READY FOR SANTA MARIA
• MILE ACE BOWIES HERO IS SET FOR THUNDER ROAD

PROMISING AX MAN HEADS SAN VICENTE FOR BAFFERT

Ax Man is one of three possible starters for Bob Baffert in next Saturday’s San Vicente Stakes, a race the Hall of Fame trainer has won a record nine times, starting with Silver Charm in 1997 and culminating with Lord Nelson in 2015.

Baffert also plans to run Nero, and possibly Zulfikhar, in the Grade II, $200,000 race for three-year-olds at seven furlongs.

Ax Man, a son of 2010 Santa Anita Handicap winner Misremembered, who was owned by Baffert’s wife, Jill, won his debut race on Jan. 1 under Drayden Van Dyke for owner/breeder Hal Earnhardt and his wife, Patti, by 9 ½ lengths.

“He broke his maiden impressively and beat the Bob Lewis winner (Lombo, who was third in the race),” Baffert pointed out. “Ax Man is lightly raced and ran really fast first time out (covering six furlongs in 1:09.40).

“He’s training really well and is a half-brother to champion Indian Blessing. They’re out of the same mare (Shameful).”

Ax Man breezed five furlongs Sunday morning with Van Dyke aboard in 1:00.60.
Nero broke his maiden by a nose Jan. 13 after losing his first start by the same margin. Victor Espinoza, who rode the son of Pioneerof the Nile in his winning performance, rides back in the San Vicente, which also is expected to attract maiden winner Kanthaka for Jerry Hollendorfer. Surging Flavien Prat, who won two races Saturday to tie Rafael Bejarano for second in the Winter Meet standings at 18 victories each, rides Kanthaka.

UNIQUE BELLA READY FOR SANTA MARIA CLOSEUP

Eclipse Champion Female Sprinter of 2017 Unique Bella has been firing bullets for next Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes at 1 1/16 miles since winning the Grade I La Brea Stakes last Dec. 26, a victory that no doubt caught the eye of Eclipse Award voters, enabling the gray daughter of Tapit to clinch honors.
“We think the La Brea
must have had a lot to do with it,” said Jerry Hollendorfer, who trains Unique Bella for the Don Alberto Stable. “She’s coming up to the Santa Maria really well.”

Unique Bella has had two bullet works since winning the La Brea, going five furlongs in the identical time of 59 flat on Jan. 15 and again on Jan. 21. Mike Smith, who has ridden her in all of her eight career starts, winning six, once again will be aboard.

Also set for the Santa Maria is Reddam Racing’s La Canada winner Mopotism for trainer Doug O’Neill. Mario Gutierrez rides.

BOWIES HERO DRILLS FOR THUNDER ROAD

Bowies Hero, winner of five races at one mile from seven career starts at the distance, seeks to embellish that mark next Saturday in the Grade III, $100,000 Thunder Road Stakes for four-year-olds and up at a mile on grass.

The son of 2005 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Artie Schiller worked five furlongs on Santa Anita’s training track Sunday in 1:01.

“He had a nice five-eighths and galloped out very, very well,” said Phil D’Amato, who trains the four-year-old colt for Agave Racing Stable. With Kent Desormeaux committed to ride Blackjackcat for Mark Glatt in the Thunder Road, D’Amato has engaged Corey Nakatani on Bowies Hero. The trainer was undecided on whether Peewee Reese would go in the race.

Multiple graded stakes winner Om, also a contender for the Thunder Road, worked four furlong Sunday on the main track under Flavien Prat in 49.40 for trainer Dan Hendricks.

FINISH LINES: Agent Vic Lipton, back from being seriously ill, reunites with Edwin Maldonado soon at Santa Anita where they have enjoyed considerable success. The affable Maldonado has been riding at Oaklawn Park . . . Santa Anita will be dark for live racing Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday but will be open Wednesday for simulcast wagering with free admission and free parking. Admission gates open at 10 a.m. . . . Super Bowl hunch? Baby Gronk worked three furlongs today for Bill Spawr in 37.20.

SANTA ANITA STATISTICS

(Current Through Saturday, Feb. 3)
Jockey Mts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% ITM% Money Won

Evin Roman 138 23 21 17 17% 44% $773,094
Flavien Prat 105 18 19 10 17% 45% $1,016,583
Rafael Bejarano 96 18 10 20 19% 50% $754,743
Kent Desormeaux 90 17 13 12 19% 47% $1,050,373
Tyler Baze 117 13 20 15 11% 41% $893,799
Joseph Talamo 95 12 10 11 13% 35% $598,863
Drayden Van Dyke 78 12 8 7 15% 35% $797,318
Tiago Pereira 84 9 11 6 11% 31% $412,585
Mario Gutierrez 58 8 5 9 14% 38% $547,167
Geovanni Franco 56 7 8 11 13% 46% $265,615
Mike Smith 37 6 6 5 16% 46% $762,373
Santiago Gonzalez 54 6 5 7 11% 33% $206,677
Tyler Conner 48 6 2 8 13% 33% $208,880

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

Peter Miller 60 14 15 6 23% 58% $746,999
Bob Baffert 45 11 6 4 24% 47% $628,699
Richard Baltas 71 10 11 10 14% 44% $593,671
Jerry Hollendorfer 58 9 5 9 16% 40% $490,051
William E. Morey 17 9 0 4 53% 76% $341,023
Doug O’Neill 64 8 8 10 13% 41% $571,657
Vladimir Cerin 34 8 8 3 24% 56% $220,555
Mark Glatt 41 7 7 4 17% 44% $319,905
John Sadler 51 7 6 7 14% 39% $593,840
Philip D’Amato 55 5 7 11 9% 42% $443,448
James Cassidy 32 5 2 5 16% 38% $216,985
Michael McCarthy 20 5 1 1 25% 35% $298,275

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.