Santa Anita Stable Notes Thursday, May 16, 2024

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN
THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2024

HERNANDEZ RIDES AT SANTA ANITA SATURDAY AFTER MUTH SCRATCH
3-YEAR-OLD FILLIES SQUARE OFF IN FRIDAY ALLOWANCE
$5 MILLION 1/ST GRAND 3 PICK ‘EM CHALLENGE STARTS SATURDAY
JOCKEY’S RACE IS TIGHT ENTERING WEEK 5 OF HOLLYWOOD MEET

HERNANDEZ RIDES AT SANTA ANITA SATURDAY AFTER MUTH SCRATCH
The scratch of Muth from Saturday’s Preakness Stakes has resulted in a change in plans for jockey Juan Hernandez.
Rather than traveling to Pimlico later this week, where he had four mounts booked on Preakness day, Hernandez will instead remain at Santa Anita Saturday and ride its 10-race card.
Muth, the morning line favorite for the Preakness, was scratched early Wednesday morning by trainer Bob Baffert due to an elevated temperature. Following the withdrawal, agent Craig O’Bryan quickly pivoted and booked Hernandez on six mounts Saturday at Santa Anita.
For Hernandez, this is the second year in a row that his first scheduled mount in a classic was scratched the week of the race. Last year, he was booked to ride Skinner in the Kentucky Derby for trainer John Shirreffs. Like Muth, Skinner was scratched after spiking a temperature.
At Pimlico, in addition to Muth, Hernandez was scheduled to ride Lucky Jeremy (10-1) in the James W. Murphy Stakes for trainer Mike Maker, Ascendancy (20-1) in the GIII Gallorette Stakes for trainer O.J. Jauregui and Mirahmadi (7-5) in a first-level allowance for Baffert.
A 32-year-old native of Veracruz, Mexico, Hernandez is a five-time leading rider at Santa Anita. His mounts Saturday at Santa Anita include three maidens for Baffert and Getthemoney, a leading contender in the featured Mizdirection Stakes for trainer Brian Koriner.
At the 46-day Classic Meet that ended April 7, Hernandez collected his fifth Santa Anita riding title. This past Sunday at Santa Anita, he rode three winners on a nine-race card to move into second place in the jockey’s standings at the Hollywood meet, which ends June 16. He now has 12 wins at the stand, which is one fewer than leading rider Kyle Frey.

3-YEAR-OLD FILLIES SQUARE OFF FRIDAY IN ONE-MILE ALLOWANCE ON DIRT
The fifth race Friday is a one-mile allowance/optional claimer for 3-year-old fillies that includes promising prospects for trainers Mark Glatt and Bob Baffert.
Glatt will saddle Jane Austen (9-5), a $750,000 daughter of Tapit who won her debut going seven furlongs here April 21. Baffert entered both In Theory (2-1), who stretches out to two turns in her third start, and Grazia (3-1). The other two starters in the field, stakes winner Sakura Blossom (5-1) and stakes-placed Pink Whitney (5-1), are entered for the $150,000 optional claiming tag.
Jane Austen, owned by Muir Hut Stables, was let go as the 5-1 third choice for her debut. Bet down to 4-5 favoritism was fellow first-time starter Quick Brown Fox, a daughter of Triple Crown winner Justify and the first foal out of Grade I winner Bast.
With Antonio Fresu up, Jane Austen tracked pacesetting Quick Brown Fox before wearing down that rival in the stretch and scoring by a neck. The winning time was 1:23.90, which earned Jane Austen a field-high 80 Beyer Speed Figure.
In Theory, an $800,000 daughter of Mendelssohn for Speedway Stables, won her debut going six furlongs by three lengths March 23 at Santa Anita. She returned in a 6 ½-furlong allowance April 21 and was a troubled third after stumbling at the break.
Grazia, a $350,000 daughter of Uncle Mo, won her debut sprinting last November at Del Mar but has shown little in two subsequent starts. After her winning unveiling, Grazia went straight to the 1 1/16-mile GII Starlet on Dec. 9 and was a well-beaten sixth at 9-5. She then got a four-month break before returning April 12 in a first-level allowance at Oaklawn Park going 6 ½ furlongs. Sent off the 6-5 favorite, Grazia finished fourth beaten 11 ¾ lengths.
Sakura Blossom, trained by Leonard Powell, most recently edged Pink Whitney by a nose in the one-mile Arizona Oaks at Turf Paradise March 14. Pink Whitney, trained by Doug O’Neill, returned in the GIII Providencia at 1 1/8 miles on turf here April 20 and was an even fourth at 17-1.
Post time for Friday’s fifth race is 3:07 p.m. PT. The field in post position order: Sakura Blossom, Hector Berrios (5-1); Jane Austen, Antonio Fresu (9-5); In Theory, Umberto Rispoli (2-1); Pink Whitney, Edwin Maldonado (5-1); Grazia, Kyle Frey (3-1).

$5 MILLION 1/ST GRAND 3 PICK ‘EM CHALLENGE STARTS SATURDAY
The first-ever $5 Million 1/ST Grand 3 Pick ‘Em Challenge starts with Saturday’s 149th Preakness Stakes from Pimlico. The free-to-play contest tasks participants with selecting the top-four finishers in exact order for the Preakness, California Crown Sept. 28 at Santa Anita and the Pegasus World Cup Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park.
The 1/ST Grand 3 Pick ‘Em Challenge is part of 1/ST’s $25 million racing and incentive series connecting 1/ST’s premier events in Maryland, California and Florida. The Preakness, California Crown and Pegasus World Cup will feature more than $12.5 million in elevated purses and $7.5 million in other incentives.
In the Pick ‘Em Challenge, if there are no perfect entries then a $100,000 cash prize will be paid to the entry with the most overall points.
Aidan Butler, President of 1/ST said, “The 1/ST Grand 3 Pick ‘Em Challenge is a great opportunity for new fans and seasoned pros to take a shot at a huge payday, coupled with amazing racing and entertainment experiences across the three events. This is intended to drive excitement for the next eight months.”
Saturday’s Preakness will be broadcast live on NBC and Peacock from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. PT. Post time for the Preakness is set for 4:01 p.m.
For full contest and entry rules, please visit www.1st.com/contest or www.preakness.com/contest.

FINISH LINES: Entering the fifth week of the Hollywood Meet, a half-dozen jockeys remain squarely in the mix to take home the riding title. On Sunday, Kyle Frey rode his meet-high 13th winner in the fifth race aboard Proof He Rides ($8.40) for trainer Sean McCarthy. Also on Sunday, Juan Hernandez bagged a trio of wins. He is now one win behind Frey in second place. Antonio Fresu, Edwin Maldonado, Umberto Rispoli and Hector Berrios are all next with 10 wins each…Sunday’s $1 Pick 6 paid $4,129.40 for 21 winning tickets…9-year-old Flavius, who won for the third-straight time in Sunday’s third race for trainer Richard Baltas, was claimed for $25,000 by Bob Hess Jr. Flavius, a multiple stakes winner in his younger days when trained by Chad Brown, is 27: 7-5-3 with $850,584 in earnings… On Preakness Day Saturday, Santa Anita will open for simulcast wagering at 7:15 a.m. Patrons can enter through the East Gate. First post from Pimlico is 7:30 a.m…First post Saturday at Santa Anita is 1 p.m. for a 10-race card …Per former Stable Notes author Ed Golden, Mets’ lefthanded pitcher David Peterson, son of the late trainer Doug Peterson who conditioned the great Seattle Slew in his 4-year-old season, had a rehab start at Double A Birmingham Tuesday after offseason left hip surgery. Peterson struck out eight and gave up five hits in 5 1/3 innings…Live racing resumes Friday with an eight-race card starting at 1 p.m. Every Friday during the Hollywood Meet, on-track patrons will receive free parking and admission plus $3 beers and $5 margaritas.