SANTA ANITA STAKES PREVIEWS

By Mike Willman —-

MARGOT’S BOY, INDIAN PEAK & SACRED RIDER ALL PROMINENT IN SATURDAY’S $150,000 SNOW CHIEF STAKES AT 1 1/8 MILES ON TURF

ARCADIA, Calif. (June 17, 2020)—A trifecta of homebreds, the Alfred Pais-owned Margot’s Boy, Dr. and Mrs. William T. Gray’s Indian Peak and Mr. and Mrs. Larry D. Williams’ Sacred Rider all figure prominently in Saturday’s $150,000 Snow Chief Stakes at Santa Anita. Named for the 1986 Santa Anita Derby and Preakness Stakes winner, the Snow Chief has attracted a field of seven California-bred or sired sophomores going a mile and one eighth on turf.

Sponsored by the CTBA, the Snow Chief is part of the lucrative Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired horses.

MARGOT’S BOY

Owner: Alfred Pais

Trainer: Craig Lewis

A chestnut gelding by the red hot sire Clubhouse Ride, Margot’s Boy has won his last three starts, all in gate to wire fashion and all at one mile on turf, the most recent a three quarter length open first condition allowance here on May 23. With Drayden Van Dyke back aboard in what will be his fifth start, Margot’s Boy will be tackling a pair of well-seasoned home-breds in Sacred Rider and Indian Peak as he tries to stretch his speed an extra furlong.

INDIAN PEAK

Owner: Dr. and Mrs. William T. Gray

Trainer: Quinn Howey

Second, beaten three quarters of a length by Margot’s Boy in a one mile turf allowance here on May 23, this Comic Strip colt, who was ridden for the first time by Abel Cedillo, will get the first time services of Mike Smith in what will be his 10th career start. Based at Golden Gate Fields and a winner of three races, while twice second and once third, Indian Peak, who is out of the Roar mare Ms. Booty, will renew acquaintances with Sacred Rider, as Indian Peak has gotten the better of things in three out of their four meetings to date.

SACRED RIDER

Owner: Mr. and Mrs. Larry D. Williams

Trainer: Steve Specht

By the late Lucky Pulpit, this gelding is out of the multiple stakes winning Lady Railrider, who banked nearly $610,000 and was also trained by Specht. Most recently second, beaten a neck as the 6-5 favorite in a one mile turf allowance on May 30 at his home base of Golden Gate Fields, Sacred Rider will be ridden for the second time by Abel Cedillo, who rode him to a close second place finish here five starts back in the Cal Cup Derby on Jan. 18. With both of his lifetime wins coming on turf, he’ll be making his 14th career start and his sixth of 2020.

THE $150,000 SNOW CHIEF WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 10 of 12 Approximate post time 5 p.m. PT

Sacred Rider—Abel Cedillo—122
Margot’s Boy—Drayden Van Dyke—122
Canyon Crest—Umberto Rispoli—122
Descartes—Mario Gutierrez—120
California Kook—Flavien Prat—117
Bam Bam Again—Tiago Pereira—120
Indian Peak—Mike Smith—122
First post time for a 12-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

GLATT’S TALENTED COLLUSION ILLUSION HEADS SATURDAY’S GRADE III, $100,000 LAZARO BARRERA STAKES AT 6 ½ FURLONGS

ARCADIA, Calif. (June 17, 2020)—Fresh off a huge allowance score going six furlongs, trainer Mark Glatt’s talented Collusion Illusion will stretch out a half-furlong and make his second start off an extended vacation as he heads Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Lazaro Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita. The Barrera, named for the late Hall of Fame trainer, has attracted a field of five sophomores going 6 ½ furlongs.

Bob Baffert’s speedy Ragtime Blues, a winner of his last two starts, will get the first time services of Mike Smith and also figures prominently in what will be his fourth career start.

COLLUSION ILLUSION

Owner: Dan Agnew, Rodney Orr, Jerry Schneider & John Xitco

Trainer: Mark Glatt

An impressive winner of the Grade II Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar in his second start on July 21, this Florida-bred colt by Twirling Candy was then eased in the Grade I, 1 1/16 mile American Pharoah Stakes here on Sept. 27 and didn’t resurface until May 17, whereupon he was a dazzling three length allowance winner from off the pace going six furlongs. With Flavien Prat engaged to ride him back, Collusion Illusion looms large in the Barrera.

RAGTIME BLUES

Owner: SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stable, LLC, Stonestreet Stables, LLC, Frederick Hertrich, III, John D. Fielding & Golconda Stables

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Second in his 5 ½ furlong debut at Los Alamitos on Sept. 21, this colt by Union Rags made his next start on April 24 at Oaklawn Park, as he led throughout and broke his maiden by a head going six furlongs. Ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., here on May 25, Ragtime Blues was the 4-5 favorite in a six furlong allowance, a race he again went gate to wire in, winning by 2 ¼ lengths. With Smith taking over in his fourth start, he’ll try to stretch his speed another sixteenth of a mile and will hope to hold the top choice off in deep stretch.

THE GRADE III LAZARO BARRERA STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 12 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

Collusion Illusion—Flavien Prat—124
Ragtime Blues—Mike Smith—122
Phantom Boss—Tiago Pereira—124
Alcools—Abel Cedillo—122
Howbeit—Umberto Rispoli—120
First post time for a 12-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

ABOUT THE STRONACH GROUP

The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The company’s consumer facing brand 1/ST (pronounced “First”) powers The Stronach Group’s forward-thinking 1/ST Racing, 1/ST Technology, 1/ST Live and 1/ST Properties businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST Horse Care mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST Racing drives the best-in-class horse racing operations at the company’s premier racetracks and training centers including: Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields and San Luis Rey (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, and Gulfstream Park West (Florida); and Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course – home of the legendary Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST Technology is horse racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX, Betmix, Monarch and XBTV brands. 1/ST Live blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality by delivering uniquely curated events such as InfieldFest and Pegasus LIV Stretch Village. 1/ST Properties is responsible for the development of the company’s live, work and play communities surrounding its racing venues including, The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST Horse Care represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred racing on and off the track. For more information please visit www.1st.com.