Santa Anita Stable Notes Sunday, April 28, 2024

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN
SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 2024

STRONGHOLD AND FRESU DRAW POST 18 FOR 150th KENTUCKY DERBY
Grade I Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold will start from post 18 in this Saturday’s 150th Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs.
There were 22 horses entered for the 1 ¼-mile classic, which includes two also-eligibles. A maximum of 20 runners will go to post for the first leg of the Triple Crown.
“It’s not the worst,” trainer Phil D’Amato said of the outside draw. “He gets away from there pretty well, so I think we can get a good spot.”
On Sunday at Churchill Downs, Stronghold had his final Derby work when going five furlongs in company in 59.80 seconds. Jockey Joe Talamo was aboard for the drill.
Set to pilot Stronghold in the Derby is regular rider Antonio Fresu. This is the first-ever Kentucky Derby mount for Fresu, a 32-year-old native of Sardinia, Italy. It was just 12 months ago Fresu shifted his tack to Southern California from Dubai.
“I’m honored to ride in the Kentucky Derby,” Fresu said earlier this week. “When you come here, you dream of it. You say, ‘maybe one day.’ It’s a great opportunity. Thanks to Phil and the owners, the Wallers, for giving me the opportunity.”
Stronghold, who is 20-1 on the morning line, races as a homebred for Eric and Sharon Waller. He is by Ghostzapper out of the Jimmy Creed mare Spectator.
Stronghold and Fresu enter the Derby on a two-race win streak. Prior to a neck victory in the Santa Anita Derby, they teamed to win the GIII Sunland Derby in New Mexico.
Fresu has never ridden at Churchill Downs. He is set to fly to Kentucky on Monday morning. Agent Tom Knust has two rides booked for Fresu on Thursday, both on turf, and three on Derby Day.
“I’ll be there all week and have a few rides to get a feel for it,” Fresu said.
Post time for the Kentucky Derby is set for 3:57 p.m. At Santa Anita, fans can come and enjoy “The Biggest Derby Party West of Kentucky.” The high-end Chandelier Room will have a party featuring live music and food. Patrons can also enjoy a buffet at the Frontrunner restaurant overlooking the track, a barbecue on the track apron and much more.
Also available are Stronghold T-Shirts. They can be purchased for $20 or by wagering $50 through either 1/ST Bet, Xpressbet or 1/St Rewards card.
First post Saturday at Santa Anita will be 12:30 p.m.

THE CHOSEN VRON ENJOYS AN EASY SUNDAY AFTER 16th STAKES WIN.
Following breakfast and a leisurely walk around the shedrow Sunday, The Chosen Vron was outside Barn 46 at about 8:30 a.m. basking in the sunshine on a glorious spring morning at Santa Anita.
It was a well-deserved day off for the brilliant California-bred, who collected his 16th stakes win under regular rider Hector Berrios when winning Saturday’s GIII, Kona Gold Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs on dirt.
Trained and co-owned by Eric Kruljac, The Chosen Vron had to dig in late to fend off a challenge from Happy Jack by three-quarters of a length. The victory pushed The Chosen Vron’s earnings to $1,359,678 from a record of 22: 17-1-2. His co-owners are Sondereker Racing, Robert S. Fetkin and Richard Thornburgh.
“This horse is special,” said John Sondereker of Sondereker Racing. “I never thought that I could have a horse like this. Nobody thinks that they will have a horse that wins 17 out of 22 races. It just doesn’t sound possible.
“He is the kindest horse I have ever been around on the backside,” Sondereker continued. “Totally calm. I mean he is like a little ol’ quarter horse. He doesn’t act like a Thoroughbred at all. He’s very tame and very calm. Nothing seems to shake him at all. That is probably why he’s such a good horse.”
The Chosen Vron was not expected to run in the GIII, Kona Gold. But after a bullet four-furlong work in 46.60 seconds last Saturday, the connections ponied up a $2,000 supplemental entry fee to compete. The plan had been to wait for the six-furlong Thor’s Echo for California-breds May 25. Whether The Chosen Vron wheels back in the Thor’s Echo remains to be determined.
“We are in no hurry,” Sondereker said. ”We give him as much time as he needs because he deserves it. He is a great champion, and we are blessed to be a part of it.”

MUTH, TAMARA AMONG 187 WORKERS SUNDAY AT SANTA ANITA
Grade I winners Muth and Tamara were among 187 workers on a busy Sunday morning at Santa Anita.
Muth, winner of the GI Arkansas Derby March 30, worked six furlongs in 1:12.40 for trainer Bob Baffert. The Good Magic colt, who also won last year’s GI American Pharoah at Santa Anita, is a candidate for the Preakness Stakes March 18 at Pimlico.
Tamara, who is on the comeback trail for trainer Richard Mandella, worked three furlongs in 37.0 seconds. It was her fifth work this month. The 3-year-old filly by Bolt d’Oro out of Hall of Famer Beholder has been sidelined since an off-the-board finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 3 at Santa Anita.
Earlier this week, Mandella said it would likely be “six weeks or so” before she returns to the races. A homebred for Spendthrift Farm, Tamara emerged from the Breeders’ Cup with a small fracture to the splint bone in her left hind leg. The injury did not require surgery.
Working towards potential starts in Saturday’s GII Charles Whittingham at 1 ¼ miles on turf were Grade I winners Gold Phoenix and Rockemperor. Gold Phoenix worked five furlongs on the synthetic training track in 59.20 seconds for trainer Phil D’Amato.
Rockemperor worked five furlongs on the main track in 1:02.20. Rockemperor has spent four-plus seasons with New York-based trainer Chad Brown. He was nominated for the Whittingham with D’Amato as the listed trainer. Most recently, the 8-year-old Holy Roman Empire gelding returned from a four-month layoff and was fourth in a $100,000 handicap going 1 1/8 miles on synthetic at Gulfstream Park.
Trainer Doug O’Neill worked multiple stakes winners. The group included Anarchist, who had his first drill of the year when clocked going two furlongs in 24.0 seconds. The 5-year-old Distorted Humor horse hasn’t started since he won the GII Pat O’Brien on Aug. 26 at Del Mar.
Also working for O’Neill were Two Rivers Over (4f, 50.0) and E J Won the Cup (5f, 59.20).

FINISH LINES: Just two winning favorites in Saturday’s $1 Pick Six spurred a payout of $28,834.50 for three winning tickets. The consolation payout for five winners was $249.90. The winners in Saturday’s Pick 6 were #5 Top Gun Tommy ($3.60), #7 Legislator ($17.40), #5 American Cat ($10.40), #7 Uncorked ($12.80), #9 Aschcroft ($15) and #4 Sunset Glory ($5.80)…Jockeys Kyle Frey and Umberto Rispoli rank one-two in the Hollywood Meet jockey’s standings after each won three races Saturday. Frey, whose seven wins lead the stand, scored with Gold Foot ($23.80) in the opener for trainer Sean McCarthy, the third with Sneaker ($10) for trainer George Papaprodromou and the eighth with American Cat ($10.40) for trainer Lorenzo Campusano. Rispoli, who has six wins at the meet, tallied with favorite Top Gun Tommy ($3.60) in the sixth for Papaprodromou, the seventh with Legislator ($17.40) for trainer Peter Miller and the 11th with favorite Sunset Glory ($5.80) for trainer Michael McCarthy…Live racing resumes Friday with first post at 1 p.m.

SANTA ANITA STATISTICS
(Current Through Saturday, April 27, 2024 Inclusive)
Jockey Mts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% ITM% Money Won

Kyle Frey 24 7 5 4 29% 67% $226,640
Umberto Rispoli 26 6 6 5 23% 65% $280,660
Antonio Fresu 38 5 9 7 13% 55% $308,620
Edwin Maldonado 29 4 2 5 14% 38% $160,940
Hector Berrios 13 4 1 0 31% 38% $179,280
Mike Smith 12 3 5 1 25% 75% $262,660
Lanfranco Dettori 16 3 5 0 19% 50% $219,360
Juan Hernandez 24 3 3 7 13% 54% $169,800
Geovanni Franco 18 3 1 3 17% 39% $132,740
Kazushi Kimura 14 3 0 4 21% 50% $180,500

Trainer Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% ITM% Money Won
Mark Glatt 22 4 8 4 18% 73% $221,280
Jeff Mullins 9 4 1 0 44% 56% $140,280
Peter Eurton 12 3 2 1 25% 50% $148,500
George Papaprodromou 10 3 1 1 30% 50% $85,980
Bob Baffert 8 3 0 3 38% 75% $149,120
Librado Barocio 11 3 0 1 27% 36% $121,920
Richard Baltas 6 3 0 0 50% 50% $96,400
Doug O’Neill 24 2 4 2 8% 33% $130,120
Philip D’Amato 20 2 2 5 10% 45% $201,040
Peter Miller 10 2 2 3 20% 70% $86,080

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