Santa Anita Stable Notes Sunday, February 28, 2021

By Ed Golden —-

LIFE IS GOOD FOR BAFFERT AFTER BREEZE
CAL-BRED STEPS UP IN SAN FELIPE STAKES
BIG ’CAP HIGHLIGHTS BIG RACES SATURDAY
GOLD LOOMS AT END OF RAINBOW PICK SIX
UNDEFEATED MAXFIELD TO SHIP IN FOR BIG ’CAP
RISPOLI’S SMOOTH LIKE STRAIT FOR KILROE MILE

BAFFERT HAPPY, SAN FELIPE AWAITS LIFE IS GOOD

Life Is Good worked six furlongs this morning in 1:12.20 for Saturday’s Grade II San Felipe Stakes, a major steppingstone to the Grade I Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 3.

“He went well,” Bob Baffert said after the 9 a.m. drill. “I’m happy; we’re all set.”

Presently, Baffert has five Triple Crown candidates: Life Is Good and Medina Spirit, who go in the San Felipe; San Vicente winner Concert Tour and runner-up Freedom Fighter, set for the Rebel Stakes and the Gotham, respectively; and Spielberg, an impressive second albeit by 4 ¼ lengths behind champion Essential Quality in Saturday’s Southwest Stakes.

Baffert, a two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer, seeks to add to his record seven San Felipe victories.

His previous winners were Prime Timber (1999), Point Given (2001), Preachinatthebar (2004), Pioneerof the Nile (2009), Dortmund (2015), Mastery (2017) and Authentic last year.

IT COULD BE MILLER TIME IN SALTY SAN FELIPE STAKES

California-bred None Above the Law could face monster stakes winners who have won against open company when he runs in Saturday’s San Felipe Stakes.

A son of Karakonite owned and bred by Kirk and Judy Robison, None Above the Law was second last out in the California Cup Derby at a mile and one-sixteenth on Jan. 16, prompting the pace and taking the lead into the stretch before finishing a length and a half behind victorious Big Fish.

“He showed he can get a distance but the race didn’t work out the way we planned,” said Peter Miller, who trains the gray gelding. “We wanted to lay back and make one run, but he kind of made an early run at the five-eighths pole and got a little tired.

“But he’s doing well, and obviously the water will be a lot deeper in the San Felipe.”

The San Felipe offers 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the winner, 20 to the runner-up, 10 to the third horse and five to the fourth.

Miller, a threat to be leading trainer at any meet in which he participates (he’s currently tied for third at Santa Anita with 16 victories, two behind leader Doug O’Neill), also has three horses nominated to Saturday’s Grade II San Carlos Stakes for four-year-olds and up at seven furlongs, C Z Rocket, Major Cabbie and Shashashakemeup.

“We’re going to run two of the three,” he said. “We’re not sure which two.”

Entries for Big ’Cap Day will be taken this Wednesday.

RAINBOW JACKPOT POOL COULD HIT $6 MILLION

Providing there is no Single Ticket winner today or this Friday, there will be a mandatory payout in Santa Anita’s popular 20-cent Single Ticket Rainbow Pick Six Jackpot on Big ’Cap Day this Saturday, March 6, and track officials project the total pool could reach $6 million.

There was no single ticket winner yesterday, resulting in a carryover of $509,265 into today’s nine-race card. Approximate post time for Sunday’s fourth race which begins the Rainbow Six is 2:06 p.m. Pacific Time.

With a carryover from Friday of $460,345, there was $213,688 in new money wagered Saturday creating a total Jackpot pool of $674,033.

Although there was no single ticket winner, there were 34 consolation tickets with six winners, each worth $3,399.25.

BIG ’CAP DAY OVERNIGHT PURSES BOOSTED BY $15,000

Santa Anita Park and Del Mar Thoroughbred Club have joined forces to create the $1 Million Wild West Bonus providing $1 million in additional money to winning connections of any horse that sweeps three of Southern California’s most prestigious Grade I races, the $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap on Saturday, the $300,000 Hollywood Gold Cup (at Santa Anita) on May 31 and the $750,000 TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 21.

Including the $1 million bonus, any horse sweeping these three races would bank a total of $1,870,000.

All three races are run at the North American classic distance of a mile and a quarter.

Santa Anita has also increased the purse of Saturday’s China Doll Stakes from $75,000 to $100,000. Additionally, Santa Anita will raise purses on all overnight races on Big ‘Cap Day by $15,000 per race in an effort to ensure big fields and reward owners and trainers who continue to support Santa Anita on its most significant programs.

For additional information on the $1 Million Wild West Bonus, call Santa Anita’s Racing Office at 626 574-6352.

FINISH LINES: Santa Anita Director of Racing Chris Merz reports Brendan Walsh’s undefeated Maxfield will ship west from New Orleans for the Big ’Cap with regular rider Florent Geroux…Top agent Scotty McClellan confirms Umberto Rispoli will ride Smooth Like Strait over Hit The Road in Saturday’s Grade I Kilroe Mile, while Dan Blacker has chosen Geroux to pilot Hit The Road…Storm the Court, champion two-year-old male of 2019, worked four furlongs this morning in 47.60 for Peter Eurton, who has the four-year-old Court Vision colt ticketed for Saturday’s Grade II San Carlos Stakes at seven furlongs. John Velazquez rides. There were 181 recorded works on Sunday, 23 on the training track . . . Santa Anita is dark Monday through Thursday, with live racing resuming 12:30 p.m. Friday, March 5.

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WORKOUTS:

The Great One (Outside) and I Will Not (O’Neill) 2-27-21

Roman Centurian (Callaghan) 2-27-21

Strongconstitution (O’Neill) 2-27-21

Anaconda (Outside) and United (Mandella) 2-27-21

Macedonian Ruler (Drysdale) 2-27-21

Harvest Moon (Callaghan) 2-27-21

Independence Hall (Inside) and Brown Storm (McCarthy) 2-26-21

Loud Mouth (Knapp) 2-26-21

Amuse (Mandella) 2-26-21

Whisper Not (Baltas) 2-26-21

Bombard (Outside) and Golden (Mandella) 2-26-21

Cezanne (Outside) and Himiko (Baffert) 2-25-21

Love and Peace (Drysdale) 2-25-21

Bob and Jackie (Outside) and Special Mission (Baltas) 2-25-21

Pro Bono (Outside) and Shazier (Vaccarezza) 2-25-21

Caerulean (Cecil) 2-25-21

Speech (McCarthy) 2-25-21

Claro Que Si (Hess, Jr.) 2-25-21

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