Santa Anita Stable Notes

By Ed Golden —-

D’AMATO IS LOADED FOR CLOSING DAY STAKES
GLATT HOPES TO HIT THE MARK TWICE SUNDAY
PRAT AND O’NEILL SITTING PRETTY IN STANDINGS

D’AMATO HAS THREE EACH IN SAN JUAN AND MELAIR

Phil D’Amato goes for the trifecta Sunday, sending out three horses each in two of the four stakes races on closing day, Acclimate, Red King and Ya Gotta Wanna in the San Juan Capistrano, and Dr Wysong, Ruby Bradley and Violette Szabo in the Melair.

The first trio will attempt to successfully negotiate the daunting distance of about 1 ¾ miles on turf, while the latter threesome vies in the $200,000 Melair for three-year-old California-bred fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

Acclimate, Red King and Ya Gotta Wanna face class tests in the San Juan, although the distance could be right in their wheelhouse.

“Acclimate always gallops out really well,” D’Amato said of the five-year-old gelded son of Acclamation, who makes his stakes debut in his 14th start. “His pedigree shows he should favor going long—the longer the better.”

Red King, a five-year-old full horse by noted turf sire English Channel, was claimed from a winning effort for $35,000 on Feb. 8, won an overnight race at first asking on April 27, then was an encouraging fourth in the Grade III All American at Golden Gate Fields on May 27.

“He seems like an honest horse, very steady,” D’Amato said. “He gallops out really well in all of his races and acts like he’ll appreciate a longer distance.”

Ya Gotta Wanna was sixth in the Grade II Charles Whittingham on May 25 but beaten only a length and a half. The five-year-old gelded son of Proud Citizen has competed in five graded stakes in his last eight starts.

“He’s the class of the three,” D’Amato said. “He’s run in graded stakes several times and I definitely think he’s going to like a route of ground.”

One of the remarkable slices of history in Santa Anita’s storied past is this: the late, great trainer Charlie Whittingham won the San Juan Capistrano 14 times! Talk about records that will never be broken.

The San Juan, race eight: Mongolian Groom, Mario Gutierrez, 7-2; Ground Attack, Tiago Pereira, 20-1; Ya Gotta Wanna, Norberto Arroyo Jr., 3-1; Acclimate, Martin Garcia, 8-1; Original Intent, Ruben Fuentes, 30-1; Causeforcommotion, Geovanni Franco, 2-1; Red King, Aaron Gryder, 8-1; and Oscar Dominguez, Flavien Prat, 7-2.

The Melair, race six: Sneaking Out, Drayden Van Dyke, 4-5; Don’t Sell, Mario Gutierrez, 3-1; Violette Szabo, Norberto Arroyo Jr., 10-1; Sedamar, Martin Garcia, 6-1; Tiz a Master, Heriberto Figueroa, 9-2; and Ruby Bradley, Aaron Gryder, 12-1.

GLATT SET FOR AMERICAN STAKES AND SIREN LURE

If Mark Glatt had his druthers, he wouldn’t have Eddie Haskell in the one hole for Sunday’s $75,000 Siren Lure Stakes for three-year-olds and up at five furlongs on turf, but that said, the six-year-old Square Eddie gelding is coming off perhaps his most impressive victory yet, a 1 ¾-length triumph in the Grade III Daytona Stakes on May 25.

It marked the seventh victory from 10 starts at five furlongs on grass for Eddie Haskell, owned by Philip Wood and Jim Hailey. Overall, the bay has an 8-2-5 record from 20 starts with earnings of $453,107.

Glatt also has Sharp Samurai set for Sunday’s Grade III American Stakes, a one-mile grass test that attracted seven entrants. A five-year-old gelded son of First Samurai, Sharp Samurai is coming off a creditable fourth in the Grade I Shoemaker Mile on May 27, his first start in more than seven months.

He won the Grade II City of Hope Mile by a nose before that last Oct. 6. The bay has a career record of eight wins and two seconds from 15 starts, with earnings of $765,270.

The American, race five: supplemental nominee Tartini, Iggy Puglisi, 30-1; Sharp Samurai, Victor Espinoza, 2-1; Snazzy Dresser, Edwin Maldonado, 12-1; supplementalnominee Law Abidin Citizen, Tiago Pereira, 5-1; Bombard, Flavien Prat, 4-1; supplementalnominee River Boyne, Kent Desormeaux, 8-5; and Majestic Eagle, Rafael Bejarano, 8-1.

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Quick Questions: With Trainer Dan Blacker.

Grade 1 winner Paradise Woods works 5 furlongs. 6-19-19 (Sherriffs)

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

FINISH LINES: With two racing days remaining, Flavien Prat and Doug O’Neill seem comfortably in front of their rivals in the competition for leading jockey and trainer at the spring portion of Santa Anita’s current meet that concludes Sunday. Prat leads runner-up Joe Talamo, 29-23, while O’Neill holds a 23-18 advantage over runners-up Richard Baltas and surging Mark Glatt . .. Victor Espinoza won three races from three mounts yesterday, giving him 16 from 58 rides at the meet, 28 percent. “It feels like old times,” said the 47-year-old Hall of Fame member. “It was a good day. We’ll have to keep it going for a couple more days at Santa Anita and then look forward to Del Mar.” . . . Trivia question: What was the real first name of Minnie Minoso, for whom the four-year-old California-bred gelding in today’s fifth race is named? (Answer below). Also in that race is a three-year-old Grazen gelding Clem Labine, named for the old Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher . . . Southern California racing rarities: Bad Beat, who debuts for trainer Adam Kitchingman in today’s first race, was bred in Minnesota, while 9-5 morning line favorite Bobs Blues Man was bred in Illinois . . . Agent Dudley Osborne now represents apprentice Jose Leon and journeyman Jose Verenzuela . . . Agent Matt Nakatani reports Mario Gutierrez will ride Stephen Foster winner Pavel for Doug O’Neill in the Grade II, $700,000 Suburban Handicap on July 6 . . . Trivia answer: Orestes. The horse was named by co-owner Rich Fontana. Orestes (Minnie) Minoso was a Cuban-born outfielder/third baseman who made his Major League debut with the Cleveland Indians in 1949, later playing with the White Sox, Senators and Cardinals, compiling a lifetime batting average of .298, finishing his career in 1980. A seven-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner as an outfielder, he died in March of 2015 at