SANTA ANITA STABLE NOTES

By Ed Golden —-

OMAHA BEACH FINALLY LANDS HOME AT SANTA ANITA
ROADSTER RETURNS IN SUNDAY’S AFFIRMED STAKES
PANTSONFIRE COMES BACK IN MARATHON TURF EVENT
SMILING ANGELO IS SET FOR SATURDAY’S THOR’S ECHO
MANDATORY SOLO TICKET JACKPOT MAY HIT $5 MILLION
GRATEFUL MANDELLA REUNITED WITH OMAHA BEACH

Pre-race Kentucky Derby favorite Omaha Beach who missed the May 4 classic due to

an entrapped epiglottis, is back with Richard Mandella at Santa Anita after a recovery of more than a month in the Blue Grass State.

“He arrived here Monday night, we scoped him yesterday and he’s near-perfect,” Mandella said Friday morning. “We’re riding him under the shed row for a couple days and will increase his exercise every few days.

“He won’t be working for a while, we’re not looking for a race yet, but he’s back and ready to get going.”

The Hall of Fame trainer expressed his gratitude to Omaha Beach’s caregivers in Kentucky, specifically Destin Heath, trainer at WinStar Farm, and veterinarian Dr. Rolf Embertson of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington. “Heath cared for him like he was his son,” Mandella said. “He really did a great job.

“Dr. Embertson performed the surgery and checked him every day. It was an amazing effort and a good job by everyone involved.”

ROADSTER HEADS BAFFERT TRIO IN AFFIRMED

Santa Anita Derby winner Roadster makes his first start Sunday in the Grade III Affirmed Stakes since finishing 15th via disqualification in the Kentucky Derby on May 4.

“He didn’t show up in the Derby at all,” Bob Baffert said of the gray son of Quality Road, who will be reunited with Mike Smith in the 1 1/16-mile Affirmed, which is named for the 1978 Triple Crown winner. “Hopefully, this will set him up for a bigger race.”

Roadster is but one of three horses entered in the Affirmed by Baffert, the other two being three-time graded stakes winner Mucho Gusto and California Derby winner Kingly, who was supplemented to the race for $2,000.

The field: Visitant, William Antongeorgi III, 4-1; Always Forgiven, Kent Desormeaux, 12-1; Manhattan Up, Tiago Pereira, 12-1; Kingly, Mario Gutierrez, 5-1; Roadster, Mike Smith, 6-5; and Mucho Gusto, Joe Talamo, 2-1.

Quipped trainer Keith Desormeaux on entering maiden winner Always Forgiven: “We’ve got Roadster right where we want him. If Toronto can beat the Warriors, surely my horse can beat Baffert.”

Trainer Dean Pederson, a staunch Warrior fan, might take umbrage with that comment, when one considers Golden State super star Kevin Durant missed last night’s NBA Finals game with an injury, and Klay Thompson, the game’s greatest step and shoot three-point specialist, was lost during crunch time with an injury in last night’s 114-112 defeat, leaving Steph Curry to carry the scoring load.

“You can only overcome so much,” lamented Pederson.

PANTSONFIRE WARMS UP IN POSSIBLY PERFECT STAKES

Pantsonfire will make her first start in five months in Sunday’s $75,000 Possibly Perfect Stakes for fillies and mares, three and up, at 1 ¼ miles on turf.

A marathon specialist on the grass, the five-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Sir Percy last raced on Jan. 20, winning the Grade III Astra Stakes at a mile and a half on a good course.

“She had a little foot issue and I had to give her some time off,” trainer Richard Baltas said. “I sent her to the farm for about 30 days and then brought her back. Hopefully, she’ll return with the form she had winning the Astra by 5 ¼ lengths.

“Distance should be no issue for her.”

The field: Zaffinah, Norberto Arroyo Jr.; Pantsonfire, Flavien Prat; Confidentially, Evin Roman; Mirth, Martin Garcia; Lynne’s Legacy, Alonso Quinonez; Pulpit Rider, Aaron Gryder; Siberian Irish, Rafael Bejarano; and Lemoona, Mario Gutierrez.

SMILING ANGELO RETURNS IN THOR’S ECHO STAKES

Smiling Angelo returns to the races in Saturday’s $100,000 Thor’s Echo Stakes for three-year-olds and up at six furlongs after an absence of 10 months. Favored in three of his four career starts, the four-year-old Smiling Tiger ridgling weakened to eighth in his most recent outing, a five furlong turf dash at Del Mar last Aug. 25.

“He runs really well fresh, and we’re taking the blinkers off,” said trainer Phil D’Amato. “He acts like a horse that will harness his speed better and carry it a long distance.”

The Thor’s Echo, one in the lucrative Golden State Series: Coil Me Home, Drayden Van Dyke, 2-1; Prodigal Son, Mario Gutierrez, 15-1; Tap the Wire, Evin Roman, 12-1; Smiling Angelo, Joe Talamo, 5-2; Smokey Image, Flavien Prat, 9-2; Desert Law, Rafael Bejarano, 9-5; and Fire When Ready, Abel Cedillo, 12-1.

MANDATORY RAINBOW PICK SIX JACKPOT COULD HIT $5 MILLION

The beat goes on but it will end on closing day, June 23.

With the prospect of a $5 million total pool at stake, Santa Anita will offer fans a mandatory 20 cent Single Ticket Rainbow Pick Six Jackpot payout on Father’s Day, this Sunday, June 16.

Although Sunday’s mandatory payout provision is contingent upon there being no Single Ticket winner on Friday, the popular wager is on schedule to produce a massive pool at week’s end, as $1,161,294 in “live” money will be carried into Friday’s eight-race card.

Sunday’s Jackpot pool is difficult to predict, but this past Sunday’s total pool of $1,353,571 would indicate that a Father’s Day Jackpot of $5 million is within reach.

With Santa Anita’s closing day set for Sunday, June 23, fans will be treated to another mandatory Rainbow Six payout, as all exotic pools must be distributed.

To purchase tickets, or for more information on Santa Anita’s Father’s Day Mandatory Payout and a variety of Father’s Day events and packages, please visit Santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

HALL OF FAME RIDERS HONOR PEERS AT JOCKEYS AND JEANS FUNDRAISER

Fifteen Hall of Fame riders are expected to attend the sixth annual Jockeys and Jeans Fundraiser benefiting the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund at Santa Anita on Saturday, June 22. They will be there to honor the seven permanently disabled riders who attend, mix and mingle with attendees, and sign autographs.

Braulio Baeza, Steve Cauthen, Kent Desormeaux, Victor Espinoza, Pat Day, Earlie Fires, Sandy Hawley, Julie Krone, Chris McCarron, Donald Pierce, Laffit Pincay, Jr., Alex Solis, Mike Smith, Bobby Ussery and Jorge Velasquez are scheduled to be on hand.

There will be a free autograph signing from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the Paddock Gardens area and a free Silent Auction for all on-track fans from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. adjacent to the autograph signing area.

Tickets starting at $65 are on sale at santaanita.com. Walk-up tickets will be available. It includes a Chandelier Room party during the races featuring a buffet and a specialty drink.

Fans can also participate in an on line auction for valuable memorabilia at this website link: https://www.32auctions.com/www32auctionscomJockey.

For more information contact Jockeys and Jeans VP Marketing, Eddie Donnally at (818) 653-3711 edjockeysandjeansy@gmail.com or Alexis Garske, Santa Anita Media Relations at Alexis.Garske@santaanita.com (626) 574-6413

LATEST CONTENT FROM XBTV:

Oliver (Outside) and Seeking Refuge works 4 furlongs. 6-14-19 (O’Neill)

Reedley (Outside) and Victory Element works 4 furlongs. 6-14-19 (Baffert)

Emtech (Outside) and Rapport worked 4 furlongs. 6-14-19 (Callaghan)

Richard Mandella gives an update on Omaha Beach after returning to Santa Anita Park.

Shedrow Stroll: Phil D’Amato’s Turf Sprinter Master Ryan. 6-13-19

Shedrow Stroll: Phil D’Amato’s King Abner. 6-13-19

Shedrow Stroll: Phil D’Amato’s Stakes Winner Lombo. 6-13-19

Shedrow Stroll: Phil D’Amato’s Veteran Kenjisstorm. 6-13-19

Quick Questions: With Trainer Dan Blacker. 6-13-19

Stronach 5: All-Star Ticket for June 14th, 2019

XBTV Friday: What to Watch for at Santa Anita Park on June 14th, 2019

Roadster (Inside) and Kingly worked 4 furlongs. 6-12-19 (Baffert)

Paradise Woods works 4 furlongs. 6-12-19 (Sherriffs)

More Ice works 4 furlongs. 6-12-19 (Hollendorfer)

All Good (Outside) and Mucho Gusto works 5 furlongs.6-9-19 (Baffert)

Gift Box (Outside) in company with Higher Power works 5 furlongs. 6-9-19 (Baffert)

FINISH LINES: Rafael Bejarano has two scheduled mounts today and if he wins with them both, he’ll reach a career milestone of 4,000 victories . . . Abel Cedillo, runaway winner of the riding title at Golden Gate Fields which ended its meet Sunday, makes his debut as a Santa Anita regular aboard 4-1 morning line chance Thanks in today’s eighth race. Cedillo captured 124 races at the Bay Area track to 96 for runner-up Juan Hernandez . . . The ink wasn’t even dry on their “contract” when Agapito Delgadillo parted company with fledgling agent Ryan Glatt and hired Saul Marquez, who retains Ruben Fuentes. Ryan now works with agent Tom Knust . . . Fuentes has been suspended five days (June 23, 29, 30 and July 4 and 5) for causing interference on his mount, Oh Man, in Saturday’s third race, his second offense in 60 days . . . Trainer Ben Cecil, who saddled California-bred Listing to win last Sunday’s Desert Code Stakes against open company, currently is in his native England at Royal Ascot . . . Handicapper and bloodstock agent Larry Zap and Golden Gate track announcer Matt Dinerman and his father, David, will be Tom Quigley’s guests Saturday and Sunday, respectively, 11:50 a.m. in the XBTV studios . . .Desmond Doss, the three-year-old Grazen colt that won last Saturday’s fourth race by nearly two lengths, is named for the United State Army corporal who served as a combat medic with an infantry company in World War II. He was twice awarded the Bronze Star for actions in Guam and the Philippines. Doss further distinguished himself in the Battle of Okinawa by saving 75 men, becoming the only conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War II. His life has been the subject of books, the documentary The Conscientious Objector, and the 2016 film, Hacksaw Ridge. The horse is owned and bred by Nick Alexander and is trained by Phil D’Amato.