Santa Anita Stable Notes Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN
SUNDAY, DEC. 22, 2024

WORKS: KENTUCKY DERBY WINNER MYSTIK DAN GOES 3F IN 37.4
On a busy training session at Santa Anita Sunday morning, Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan was clocked going three furlongs in 37.4 seconds ahead of his much-anticipated start in the Grade I Malibu Stakes Thursday, opening day of Santa Anita’s 90th anniversary season.
Mystik Dan, who hit the track at about 7:45 a.m. PT, was backed up to the seven-eighths pole before breaking into a gallop. He sped things up near the quarter pole, where he found company from a pair of horses to his inside, then continued to accelerate through the lane. Video of the move is available at Xbtv.com.
Mystik Dan, who hasn’t started since June when finishing eighth in the Belmont Stakes, is the 5-2 morning line favorite in the seven-furlong Malibu. He will break from post six under Brian Hernandez Jr. in a field of eight 3-year-olds.
Also working for the Malibu was Raging Torrent for Doug O’Neill. Installed at 9-2 on the morning line, Raging Torrent worked four furlongs in 48.20 seconds.
Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Straight No Chaser returned to the work tab with a three furlong move in 35.80. It was the second-fastest of 25 works at the distance. Trained by Dan Blacker, Straight No Chaser won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint by a half length on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
Working for trainer Bob Baffert was promising 2-year-old colt Barnes, a debut winner at Churchill Downs Nov. 27. The son of Into Mischief worked six furlongs from the gate in 1:12.80.
Continuing to work towards his comeback was Grade II-winning sprinter Spirit of Makena. Sidelined since Sept. 23, Spirit of Makena worked four furlongs in 48.80 seconds for trainer George Papaprodromou. It was his third work on the comeback trail. Prior to the layoff, Spirit of Makena won last year’s GII Triple Bend and GIII San Carlos at Santa Anita.
Grade I Pacific Classic winner Mixto worked four furlongs in 48.40 seconds for O’Neill. Mixto most recently was third in the GIII Native Diver at Del Mar Nov. 23.
In all, there were 230 timed workouts between the main track and training track Sunday.

GI LA BREA: BUDDING STAR ACCURACY GETS INITIAL STAKES TEST
After blowing away lesser rivals in her previous two starts, rising star Accuracy will get the acid test on Thursday when she makes her stakes debut in the GI, $300,000 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs.
Trained by Michael McCarthy for New York-based owner Mike Repole, Accuracy has won her previous two starts by combined 22 ¼ lengths. Both efforts were at a mile or farther and around two turns. She now cuts back to an extended sprint distance while also tackling a whole other caliber of competition.
Accuracy will have regular rider Umberto Rispoli in the irons. Installed as the 5-1 third choice on the morning line, she will break from post two in what is a stacked 11-horse field.
“She’s had two very good races back-to-back,” McCarthy said Saturday morning. “Cutting back to seven-eighths is maybe a little bit of a question mark. She’s also drawn inside with speed all around here. Hopefully she’ll bounce away from there and Umberto does what he sees fit.”
By Arrogate, Accuracy was a $275,000 auction buy as a yearling. After running decently in her first two starts at Del Mar this summer, both third-place finishes, she has blossomed into potentially something special.
On Oct. 20 at Santa Anita, Accuracy aired by 15 lengths when beating maidens going 1 1/16 miles. The breakout performance earned a lofty 107 Beyer Speed Figure, which is among the highest posted this year. Accuracy followed that effort with another 7 ¼-length demolition job in a one-mile allowance at Del Mar Nov. 29.
Soon after the allowance win, the decision was made to target the La Brea.
“It’s a Grade I. Straight 3-year-olds It’s something where you have to give her a shot,” McCarthy said.
In addition to Accuracy, McCarthy will also saddle Sandy Bottom in the La Brea. On Nov. 15 at Del Mar, Sandy Bottom returned from a nearly 13-month layoff in a six-furlong classified allowance at Del Mar. She won by a nose, edging Grade I winner Tamara, who also returns in the La Brea.
“I was expecting that,” McCarthy said of Sandy Bottom’s comeback effort. “I’ve always expected a lot of her.”
Prior to the layoff as a 2-year-old, Sandy Bottom won her debut sprinting at Del Mar in September and returned a month later to win the Anoakia Stakes going six furlongs at Santa Anita.
Sandy Bottom is 20-1 on the morning line in the La Brea. The daughter of Omaha Beach, a $145,000 auction buy as a yearling, is owned by James M. Daniell and Donna Daniell. She will break from post eight under Luis Saez.
“It seems like she bounced out of her comeback really well,” McCarthy said. “The seven-eighths will be a little bit of a question mark with her as well. But she’s got a favorable post position and we’ll leave it up to Luis tactically. She’s a very fast filly in her own right.”
The La Brea goes as the as the 10th race on a blockbuster 11-race program on opening day. First post is 11 a.m. PT with the La Brea set to go at approximately 3:30 p.m.
The field in post position order: Splendora, Joel Rosario (12-1); Accuracy, Umberto Rispoli (5-1); Kinza, John Velazquez (8-1); Sugar Fish, Tyler Baze (10-1); Ultimate Authority, Frankie Dettori (20-1); Kopion, Kazushi Kimura (12-1); One Magic Philly, Flavien Prat (4-1); Sandy Bottom, Luis Saez (20-1); Hope Road, Juan Hernandez (3-1); Tamara, Mike Smith (8-1); Cavalieri, Antonio Fresu (10-1).

MAIDEN WATCH: MLB ALL-STARS BUEHLER, BREGMAN PARTNER ON COLT
The first two days of Santa Anita’s Classic Meet, which opens Thursday, includes a pair of straight maiden races on the main track that have several promising prospects entered.
On opening day, the second race is for 2-year-old maidens going six furlongs. A pair of colts trained by Bob Baffert, Madaket Road (3-5) and first-time starter San Saba (2-1) loom large. Madaket Road, by Quality Road, makes his second start after finishing second to the well-regarded Bullard in his debut going seven furlongs at Del Mar Nov. 17. Madaket Road drew the rail and will have Juan Hernandez aboard. San Saba, a $725,000 son of Justify, will break from the outside under John Velazquez in a seven-horse field.
Among those set to take on Madaket Road and San Saba are a pair of first-time starters for trainer Mark Glatt. Father Ted, a son of Practical Joke, has lured the services of top rider Flavien Prat for his unveiling. Father Ted is the 10-1 third choice on the morning line. Glatt’s other starter is Kokosan (15-1), a son of Unified, who will have Luis Saez aboard.
On Friday, a field of seven maidens, all 3-year-olds, will sprint six furlongs in the fourth race. The 3-5 favorite is March of Time, also trained by Baffert. March of Time debuted last December at Los Alamitos and finished second to Scatify, who would go on to be graded-stakes placed. That day he raced for owners Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith of Coolmore.
A year later, March of Time returns under new ownership. The colt by Justify is now campaigned by Major League Baseball All-Stars Walker Buehler and Alex Bregman and Baffert’s wife, Natalie J. Baffert.
March of Time has been working since early August for his comeback. He will break from post three under Juan Hernandez, who was also aboard for March of Time’s debut.
March of Time will be joined in the starting gate by stablemate Collmus, who makes his debut. By Gun Runner, Collmus was a $2.2 million auction buy earlier this year. Listed as the 4-1 second choice on the morning line, Collmus will have Kazushi Kimura in the irons.
Workout videos of many of these maiden runners can be viewed at Xbtv.com.
Post time for Thursday’s second race is approximately 11:30 a.m. PT. Post time for Friday’s fourth race is 1:30 p.m.

FINISH LINES: First post time on Thursday is 11 a.m. PT for an 11-race card. On Friday, first post is at 12 p.m. for a nine-race card. On Saturday, first post is at 11:30 a.m. for a 10-race card… Opening day general admission tickets can be purchased for $10 at Santaanita.com. Walk-up general admission will be $20. Members of Santa Anita’s 1/ST Rewards program can buy opening day tickets with their loyalty card for just $5 at the Infield Admission Gate…Admission gates open at 9 a.m. on opening day.

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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