Santa Anita Stable Notes Sunday, March 24, 2024

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN
SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 2024

EARLY LOOK AT GI SANTA ANITA DERBY PROSPECTS
PRAT, RISPOLI WIN KENTUCKY DERBY PREPS SATURDAY
TOP-RATED ‘PETROS & MONEY’ SHOW COMING TO SANTA ANITA
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR TURF WRITER ART WILSON WEDNESDAY

EARLY LOOK AT GI SANTA ANITA DERBY PROSPECTS
It’s less than two weeks until the 87th running of the GI, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 6.
A potential steppingstone to the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby will be part of a stakes-laden card at The Great Race Place. Supporting stakes that day include the GII Santa Anita Oaks, an official prep for the Kentucky Oaks May 3; the GIII Monrovia for older fillies and mares on the hillside turf course and a pair of stakes for California-bred or sired horses.
As the Santa Anita Derby approaches, the potential field is starting to take shape. Bob Baffert, who has won a record nine Santa Anita Derbies, is expected to have at least two starters and potentially three.
As first reported by Daily Racing Form’s Steve Andersen on Friday, Baffert plans to run Zedan Racing’s unbeaten colt Maymun. By Frosted, Maymun dominated in his 6 ½-furlong debut here when winning by 7 ½ lengths Jan. 20. He returned in a one-mile allowance Feb. 11 and edged stablemate Imagination by a neck to stay perfect. That effort was flattered when Imagination, who is also a candidate for the Santa Anita Derby, came back to win the GII San Felipe at 1 1/16 miles here March 3.
Other potential starters for Baffert include Wine Me Up, Coach Prime and Wynstock. Wine Me Up was beaten just a head by Imagination in the San Felipe. The Vino Rosso colt is owned by Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman.
Coach Prime, also owned by Zedan Racing, has been working steadily but has not raced since finishing third in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 16. Wynstock won the Los Alamitos Futurity but came back to finish last in the GIII Southwest Feb. 3 at Oaklawn Park. By Solomini, Wynstock is campaigned by Los Alamitos owner Ed Allred and executive Jack Liebau.
The likely main rival to Baffert’s contingent is Stronghold for trainer Phil D’Amato. By Ghostzapper, Stronghold exits a sharp 2 ½-length win in the GIII Sunland Derby Feb. 18. He earned 25 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the victory, which puts him 16th on the leaderboard currently.
D’Amato this week said there’s a small possibility Stronghold could ship to Keeneland for the GI Blue Grass Stakes, also on April 6, but staying home was most likely.
“I think that win going two turns at Sunland, the light bulb came on,” D’Amato added of Stronghold, who is owned by Eric M. Waller and Sharon Waller. “Since then, he’s acted more professionally in his drills. He worked sensational last Monday.”
Trained John Sadler plans to run Tapalo, most recently second in the El Camino Real Derby on synthetic Feb. 10 at Golden Gate. The Tapiture ridgling is owned by Hronis Racing. Sadler added it was “unlikely” Scatfiy returns in the Santa Anita Derby after running himself into trouble and being eased across the wire in the San Felipe.
Trainer Doug O’Neill said E.J. Won the Cup, who won the Turf Paradise Derby March 14 for owner Superfecta King Stable, is possible to go in the Santa Anita Derby.
“He’d be a major longshot, but we’re considering it,” O’Neill said Saturday of the Omaha Beach colt.
McVay, who was third in the San Felipe, is possible for trainer John Shirreffs. The Constitution colt has 19 Derby points and ranks 25th on the leaderboard for owner C R K Stable.
Also pointed to the Santa Anita Derby is recent maiden winner Tessuto for trainer George Papaprodromou. A ridgling by Munnings, graduated by 2 ½ lengths in a one-mile maiden heat here Feb. 25. He is owned by Kretz Racing.
The Santa Anita Derby offers eligible horses a total of 200 qualifying points towards the Kentucky Derby paid on a scale of 100-50-25-15-10 to the top-five finishers.
Nominations for the Santa Anita Derby will be released this Friday.

PRAT, RISPOLI EACH WIN KENTUCKY DERBY PREPS SATURDAY
Santa Anita-based jockeys Flavien Prat and Umberto Rispoli each won prep races for the Kentucky Derby Saturday.
Prat scored with Catching Freedom for trainer Brad Cox in the GII, $1 million Louisiana Derby going 1 3/16 miles at Fair Grounds. Prat and Catching Freedom were last of 11 into the second turn before uncorking an impressive late rally to win by a length.
Rispoli had a particularly good day riding on synthetic at Turfway Park. In the Rushaway Stakes for 3-year-olds, the 35-year-old native of Italy collected his 2,000th win worldwide when guiding Trikari to a neck victory for trainer Graham Motion. Four races later, Rispoli and Santa Anita-based favorite Endlessly dominated in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks, which provided 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the Michael McCarthy trainee.
Owned by Amerman Racing, Endlessly has qualified to run in the Kentucky Derby. However, the Oscar Performance colt has never raced on dirt. After the Jeff Ruby, McCarthy said Endlessly would likely bypass the Derby and instead run on the undercard in the GII American Turf for 3-year-olds.
Both Prat and Rispoli returned from Kentucky Saturday night and are set to ride Sunday’s program at Santa Anita. Prat has six mounts on an eight-race card here and Rispoli is set for four rides.

TOP RATED ‘PETROS & MONEY’ BROADCASTS FRIDAY FROM SANTA ANITA
“Petros & Money,” the top-rated sports talk radio show in Los Angeles, will be broadcast live from Santa Anita Park Friday. Streamed by millions and aired on AM 570 KLAC every weekday from 3 to 7 p.m., “Petros & Money” hosts Petros Papadakis and Matt “Money” Smith will operate from Santa Anita’s Grandstand apron, adjacent to the Finish Line.
Papadakis is a former football captain and tailback at USC. In addition to co-hosting “Petros and Money,” he also currently serves as a Fox Sports college football analyst and is co-host of The Challenge, seen Sunday evenings after Football Night in America.
Smith, formerly of KROQ’s popular “Kevin and Bean Show,” has quickly become one of the most respected sports personalities in the country. Matt is a host for NFL Network and is the radio the play-by play announcer for the Los Angeles Chargers. Petros & Money have long supported horse racing in Southern California and will no doubt spend considerable time Friday discussing and interviewing the principals in the Grade I, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, April 6.
Produced by Tim Cates, Petros & Money has been a staple of Southern California sports radio since January 2007. The show provides listeners with an irreverent but wholly credible take on the world of sports and much more.
Fans are reminded that in addition to Petros & Money, admission and parking are free at Santa Anita on Friday. On-track fans also receive $3 beers and $5 margaritas.
Santa Anita will also offer “A Petros & Money VIP Trackside Experience” available for $35, which will provide exclusive finish line seating next to the live Petros & Money broadcast. There is also access to a Los Caballeros Taco Bar, Paddock Tours throughout the day and a free Santa Anita bucket hat in addition to a full afternoon of live racing and wagering.
For more information and to purchase tickets please visit www.santaanita.com/PMS.

MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR TURF WRITER ART WILSON SET FOR WEDNESDAY
A memorial service for longtime Southern California turf writer Art Wilson, who died Feb. 18 at age 71, will be held Wednesday in Glendora.
Wilson had battled a form of blood cancer for more than 10 years before succumbing to heart failure at St. Mary’s Hospital in Apple Valley, where he resided. He had covered Santa Anita as a journalist since the mid-1980s. His work was published by the Southern California News Group, which operates a consortium of newspapers includes the Los Angeles Daily News, Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Long Beach Independent and others.
A service in Wilson’s honor will be held at Oakdale Memorial Park in Glendale starting at 11 a.m. Wednesday. A reception will follow at Glendora Continental Restaurant.

FINISH LINES: Trainer Bob Baffert unveiled a promising 3-year-old filly Saturday. In Theory, a daughter of Mendelssohn for Speedway Stable, went gate-to-wire and scored by two lengths in a six-furlong maiden race. The winning time was 1:11.59… Kyle Frey won two races Saturday to move into a tied for seventh in the jockey’s standing with 15 wins at the Classic Meet. He scored with Mr. Suds ($12.80) in the fourth race for trainer Steve Knapp and Gypsy Tears ($6.80) for trainer Val Brinkerhoff in the fifth….Saturday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 returned $1,710.10 for 59 winning tickets…Next weekend’s stakes are the GIII Wilshire on Saturday for older fillies and mares on turf and GIII American Stakes on Sunday for older horses at a mile on turf…Live racing resumes Friday at Santa Anita with 1 p.m. first post…Every Friday at the Classic Meet, on-track fans receive free parking and admission plus $3 beers and $5 margaritas.

SANTA ANITA STATISTICS
(Current Through Saturday, March 23, 2024 Inclusive)
Jockey Mts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% ITM% Money Won
Juan Hernandez 211 50 43 34 24% 60% $3,349,828
Flavien Prat 154 42 35 16 27% 60% $3,144,514
Antonio Fresu 221 40 36 30 18% 48% $2,522,312
Lanfranco Dettori 151 28 24 28 19% 53% $1,979,400
Hector Berrios 103 21 24 16 20% 59% $1,411,640
Umberto Rispoli 123 20 16 27 16% 51% $1,435,122
Kyle Frey 142 15 14 24 11% 37% $813,322
Tiago Pereira 113 15 13 17 13% 40% $935,222
Edwin Maldonado 89 15 10 15 17% 45% $905,600
Kazushi Kimura 140 13 21 19 9% 38% $945,464

Trainer Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% ITM% Money Won
Doug O’Neill 136 27 22 17 20% 49% $1,455,690
Mark Glatt 91 25 18 11 27% 59% $1,243,924
Bob Baffert 75 23 20 7 31% 67% $2,359,620
Philip D’Amato 125 22 22 11 18% 44% $1,770,160
Steve Knapp 104 20 14 17 19% 49% $760,100
John Sadler 91 18 18 15 20% 56% $1,323,426
Richard Mandella 47 14 7 4 30% 53% $1,020,440
Peter Eurton 75 12 16 10 16% 51% $786,200
Michael McCarthy 76 12 10 15 16% 49% $1,029,520
Jeff Mullins 70 11 8 16 16% 50% $602,860

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 Stronach Group’s 1/ST business (pronounced “First”) is North America’s preeminent Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering company and includes the 1/ST RACING & GAMING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY and 1/ST EXPERIENCE 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 & GAMING drives the best-in-class racing operations and gaming offerings at the company’s premier racetracks and training centers including: Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, Gulfstream Park West and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); the Maryland Jockey Club at Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course – home of the legendary Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is the operating group for 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, TSG Global Wagering Solutions (GWS) and XBTV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST EXPERIENCE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality through innovative content development, elevated national and local venue management and hospitality, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and procurement development. 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. The Stronach Group’s TSG Properties is responsible for the development of the company’s live, play and work communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). For more information, visit www.1st.com or follow @1ST_racing on Twitter or @1stracing on Instagram and Facebook.

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