Santa Anita Stable Notes Thursday, February 1, 2024

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2024

Three Witches (5), ridden by Leonel Reyes, wins the Princess Rooney Stakes during stakes racing at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida on October 7, 2023. Gonzalo Anteliz, Jr./Eclipse Sportswire/CSM

GII SANTA MONICA: THREE WITCHES, KIRSTENBOSCH BACK AFTER BC
JOCKEY LAPRIDA GETS 1ST WIN AT SANTA ANITA WITH 19-1 LONGSHOT
$74K PICK 6 CARRYOVER AWAITS BETTORS FRIDAY
1/ST RACING TOUR: SIX GRADED STAKES AIR ON CNBC SATURDAY
EARLY FIRST POST SATURDAY OF 12:15 P.M. PT

GII SANTA MONICA: BC VETERANS THREE WITCHES, KIRSTENBOSCH RETURN
Three Witches, who was third at 34-1 in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint here Nov. 4, is set to make her first start for new trainer Michael McCarthy in Saturday’s GII Santa Monica at seven furlongs on dirt.
Previously trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Three Witches was beaten four lengths in the Breeders’ Cup by Goodnight Olive, who would go on to be named 2023’s champion female sprinter. Owner eFive Racing Thoroughbreds subsequently entered Three Witches in the Keeneland November Mixed Sale where she sold for a whopping $1.7 million.
Three Witches was purchased on behalf of owner Yueshang Zhang. She was then sent to McCarthy’s stable at Santa Anita in early December.
“This is the first time I’ve had a horse for him. He’s a new client,” McCarthy said of Zhang. “I was contacted by an associate in Kentucky if I was interested. I jumped at the opportunity.”
Three Witches is the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the Santa Monica. Her five rivals include Kirstenbosch, the 5-2 co-second choice who is also exiting the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Trained by John Sadler, Kirstenbosch had a troubled start at the Breeders’ Cup and checked in fifth.
Three Witches is a 5-year-old mare by top sire Into Mischief. Prior to the Breeders’ Cup, she won the GIII Princess Rooney in October at Gulfstream Park.
Three Witches will have top rider Flavien Prat in the irons Saturday. She has worked six times for her debut with McCarthy.
“She’s trained forwardly since we’ve had her,” the trainer said. “She’s a mare that does everything right. Her works have been very professional. We’re looking for a good effort.”
The Santa Monica is one of four graded stakes on Saturday’s 10-race card at Santa Anita. Also on the slate is the GIII Robert B. Lewis for 3-year-olds at mile on dirt, GIII Thunder Road for older horses at a mile on turf and GIII Megahertz for fillies and mares at a mile on turf.
As for Kirstenbosch, prior to the Breeders’ Cup she won her second graded stakes of the year in the GIII Chillingworth at 6 ½ furlongs here Sept. 29. The 5-year-old Midnight Lute mare banked $337,000 in nine starts last year for owner-breeder Keith Abrahams.
“She had a really good campaign,” Sadler noted.
In the Breeders’ Cup, the chart notes Kirstenbosch was “bumped hard” at the start. She was dead-last after a half mile before rallying to split the field under Hector Berrios, who will again be aboard Saturday.
“That kind of took her out of her game,” Sadler said of the troubled start. “She is kind of a rhythm runner. Hopefully we get a better trip and some pace to run at on Saturday.”
The Santa Monica goes as the ninth race with post time at approximately 4:15 p.m. PT. The field in post position order: Cliquish, Kazushi Kimura (12-1); Kirstenbosch, Hector Berrios (5-2); Three Witches, Flavien Prat (9-5); Rose Maddox, Umberto Rispoli (5-1); Chismosa, Tiago Pereira (6-1); Hot Peppers, Juan Hernandez (5-2).

JOCKEY LAPRIDA GETS 1ST WIN AT SANTA ANITA WITH 19-1 LONGSHOT
Jockey Jeremy Laprida had limited time to celebrate his first-ever win at Santa Anita, which came in Sunday’s $100,000 Clockers’ Corner Stakes with 19-1 longshot Irideo for trainer Marcelo Polanco.
The following day, Laprida flew to Pennsylvania to ride the Tuesday and Wednesday cards at Parx Racing, where he has been based since arriving in the U.S. from Chile in 2020. It’s an ambitious routine he plans to continue in the coming weeks as he tries to solidify his position in the Santa Anita jockey’s colony.
“Santa Anita is the big leagues. It’s my dream to ride here and compete against guys like Joel Rosario, Frankie Dettori and Mike Smith. I can do it,” said Laprida, whose first mount at the Classic Meet was last Friday. “But my wife and daughter are still in Pennsylvania. For now, the plan is to also continue riding at Parx Tuesdays and Wednesdays.”
Laprida, a 28-year-old native of Chile, said he won more than 1,500 races in South America before moving to the U.S. He landed at Parx through his connection with fellow Chilean Claudio Gonzalez, who is a prominent trainer in Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Since his arrival in the U.S., Laprida has won 279 races and more than $9.2 million in earnings.
The move to Santa Anita this winter was partially spurred on by Polanco, who is also from Chile. Two of Laprida’s three mounts at Santa Anita have been for his fellow countrymen.
In the Clockers’ Corner, Irideo was dead last after the opening half mile. He remained stuck behind rivals at the top of the stretch, but then a deft move to the inside by Laprida provided clear running room for his mount. Irideo responded with a late surge to nail Mucho Del Oro by a nose on the wire.
“I studied the race with Marcelo and that was the plan,” said Laprida, who is represented locally by agent Patty Sterling. “Waiting, waiting, find an opening on the rail and let’s go. It was very tight.”
Irideo and Laprida rewarded their backers with a $40.60 win mutuel.
“I’ve known Jeremy for a lot of years,” Polanco said after the race. “He is from Chile, so we all get together most of the time when I go on vacation. I’ve seen his races and he’s very good.”
Laprida hopes the breakthrough stakes win at Santa Anita will lead to increased business at The Great Race Place.
“I’m looking for a better opportunity here, to ride better horses,” he added. “I think this is a good move for me to come to Santa Anita.
Laprida has two mounts booked Saturday at Santa Anita. He rides Take Charge Curly in the seventh race for trainer Phil Oviedo and the 10th race aboard Santos Dios for Polanco.

$74K PICK 6 CARRYOVER AWAITS BETTORS FRIDAY
There is a $74,328.67 carryover for Friday’s $1 Pick Six after there were no winning tickets on Sunday. Friday’s Pick Six kicks off with the third race at approximately 1:32 p.m. PT.
There was just one winning favorite in Sunday’s Pick Six sequence, Girl Of My Dreams ($7) in the ninth and final for trainer Doug O’Neill. The other winning horses in the Pick Six. starting with the fourth race, were Princess Of Time ($16.80), The Bullion Bomber ($8.40), Cornell ($16.80), Irideo ($40.60) and Sweet Hello ($10.20).
There were 15 tickets with five of six winners, each of which paid a $2,123.60 consolation payout.
This is the second Pick Six carryover of the Classic Meet.

1/ST RACING TOUR: SIX GRADED STAKES TO AIR ON CNBC SATURDAY
This year’s 1/ST Racing Tour kicks off Saturday with a combined six graded stakes from Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park, which will be broadcast live on CNBC beginning at 1 p.m. PT.
Highlighting Saturday’s action are the GIII Robert B. Lewis from Santa Anita and GIII Holy Bull from Gulfstream. Both serve as potential preps to the 150th Kentucky Derby on May 7. The Holy Bull features the return of Fierceness, last year’s champion 2-year-old male and winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile for trainer Todd Pletcher.
In addition to airing on CNBC, all six graded stakes will also be streamed live on Peacock.
Here is the full slate with post times: GIII Swale Stakes from Gulfstream (1:11 p.m.); GIII Forward Gal from Gulfstream (1:41 p.m.); GIII Megahertz from Santa Anita (1:54 p.m.); GIII Kitten’s Joy from Gulfstream (2:11 p.m.); GIII Robert B. Lewis (2:26 p.m.) and GIII Holy Bull from Gulfstream (2:50 p.m.).

FINISH LINES: First post Saturday is 12:15 p.m. PT…Trainers Jonathan Thomas, Craig Dollase and Bob Hess Jr. all won their first races of the Classic Meet Sunday… Sunday’s $1 Coast-To-Coast Pick 5 paid a hefty $102,972.60 to a single winning ticket…Nominations close Thursday for next weekend’s GIII Palos Verdes at six furlongs on dirt and Sweet Life Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the hillside turf course …Two-year-olds are now allowed on the grounds…Jockey Brandon Boulanger is available to ride at Santa Anita. He is represented by agent Ken Huth… Every Friday during the Classic Meet on-track fans receive free parking and admission plus $3 beers and $5 margaritas.

SANTA ANITA STATISTICS
(Current Through Sunday, January 28, 2024 Inclusive)
Jockey Mts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% ITM% Money Won

Juan Hernandez 96 22 20 16 23% 60% $1,606,680
Antonio Fresu 88 19 12 14 22% 51% $1,193,762
Flavien Prat 75 18 18 10 24% 61% $1,453,442
Lanfranco Dettori 65 12 11 11 18% 52% $710,060
Umberto Rispoli 51 11 6 14 22% 61% $873,440
Tiago Pereira 43 8 5 2 19% 35% $466,500
Armando Ayuso 45 8 5 2 18% 33% $237,520
Geovanni Franco 51 7 5 11 14% 45% $347,102
Edwin Maldonado 28 7 5 3 25% 54% $387,006
Hector Berrios 39 6 9 4 15% 49% $413,320

Trainer Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% ITM% Money Won
Mark Glatt 35 14 6 5 40% 71% $643,272
Philip D’Amato 61 12 12 6 20% 49% $1,081,020
Doug O’Neill 52 10 10 5 19% 48% $582,700
Bob Baffert 36 9 10 3 25% 61% $869,000
Steve Knapp 45 9 3 6 20% 40% $361,740
Richard Mandella 17 7 2 2 41% 65% $493,240
Steven Miyadi 18 5 6 1 28% 67% $283,440
Michael McCarthy 33 5 2 8 15% 45% $348,140
Jorge Periban 10 5 0 1 50% 60% $97,980
Peter Eurton 31 4 8 6 13% 58% $281,680

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