Santa Anita Stable Notes Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN
SUNDAY, FEB. 16, 2025

Journalism and jockey Umberto Rispoli win the Grade II, $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity, Saturday, December 14, 2024 at Los Alamitos Race Course, Cypress CA.
© BENOIT PHOTO

WORKS: JOURNALISM, BULLARD, MADAKET ROAD AMONG 229 ON TAB

Grade II winning 3-year-old Journalism and fellow sophomores Bullard and Madaket Road, who were both entered Sunday in next weekend’s GII Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park, were among 229 horses to record timed workouts Sunday at Santa Anita.

Journalism and Bullard are both trained by Michael McCarthy. Journalism, who won the GII Los Alamitos Futurity in December, worked five furlongs in 1:00.80. The Curlin colt is expected to make his seasonal bow in the GII San Felipe March 1 going 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita. Grade III winner Bullard, most recently third in the GII San Vicente going seven furlongs Jan. 4 at Santa Anita, went five furlongs in 1:00.60. The Gun Runner colt was among 14 entered in the Rebel.

Madaket Road was joined on the work tab by 3-year-old stablemate Romanesque for trainer Bob Baffert. By Quality Road, Madaket Road worked six furlongs in a bullet 1:12.0. He exits a third in the GIII Robert B. Lewis Feb. 1 at Santa Anita. Romanesque, who was second to stablemate Barnes in the San Vicente, drilled five furlongs from the gate in 1:00.20.

McCarthy also worked Look Forward, winner of the Fasig-Tipton Santa Ynez for 3-year-old fillies Jan. 5, and Grade I winner Formidable Man. Look Forward drilled five furlongs in 59.40 seconds, which was the second-fastest of 74 works at the distance. Formidable Man, most recently 12th in last month’s GI Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park, drilled four furlongs in 49.80 seconds.

Trainer Doug O’Neill worked graded stakes winners J B Strikes Back, Katonah and Raging Torrent. J B Strikes Back and Katonah are both targeting the GI Santa Anita Handicap on March 1. Katonah, winner of the GII San Pasqual Jan. 25, went five furlongs in 1:02.0. J B Strikes Back, who won the GII Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes Dec. 26, was timed going five furlongs in 1:03.20. Grade I Malibu winner Raging Torrent worked five furlongs in 1:00.0.

Trainer Jonathan Thomas worked graded winners Will Then and Mrs. Astor. Will Then, who’s been off since Nov. 30 when winning the GIII Jimmy Durante at Del Mar, drilled four furlongs in 49.60 seconds. Mrs. Astor went four furlongs in 51.20 seconds. In her two most recent starts, Mrs. Astor won the GIII Robert J. Frankel in December at Santa Anita and GIII Red Carpet at Del Mar in November. She is a candidate for the GIII Santa Ana Stakes going 1 ¼ miles March 15 at Santa Anita.

El Potente, who earned his first stakes win in the GIII Thunder Road Feb. 1, returned to the tab with a four-furlong work in 49.0 seconds for trainer Dan Blacker.

CITIZEN BULL, BARNES CO-FAVORITES IN KY. DERBY FUTURE WAGER

Eight 3-year-olds based at Santa Anita—six trained by Bob Baffert and two by Michael McCarthy—are among the 39 individual horses listed in this weekend’s Kentucky Derby Future Wager. Wagering on the Derby future pool is available on-track at Santa Anita or through online platforms that include Xpressbet.com and 1stbet.com.

As of Sunday morning, Citizen Bull, last year’s 2-year-old champion, and Barnes were the individual co-favorites at 8-1. Both are trained by Baffert. On the morning line, Citizen Bull was pegged as the 6-1 favorite with Barnes installed at 8-1.

Citizen Bull and Barnes have each made successful starts to their sophomore seasons. Barnes won the GII San Vicente going seven furlongs Jan. 4 at Santa Anita and Citizen Bull took down Santa Anita’s GIII Robert B. Lewis at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 1.

Barnes, an Into Mischief colt owned by Zedan Racing Stables, is likely to return in the GII San Felipe March 1 at Santa Anita after not being entered in this Saturday’s GII Rebel at Oaklawn Park. The San Felipe would be Barnes’ first time racing around two turns. Citizen Bull, also by Into Mischief, is likely to await the GI Santa Anita Derby going 1 1/8 miles April 5.

McCarthy’s 3-year-olds in the Derby pool are Journalism and Legitimate. Journalism, winner of the GII Los Alamitos Futurity in December, was 21-1 while Legitimate was 99-1. Journalism, by Curlin, is likely to make his seasonal debut in the San Felipe. Legitimate, by Authentic, served notice Jan. 26 when romping by 12 lengths in a one-mile maiden race at Santa Anita that was taken off the turf and moved to the main track.

The remaining Baffert 3-year-olds in the pool, including odds as of Sunday morning, are Rodriguez (35-1), Getaway Car (72-1), Gaming (80-1) and San Saba (99-1).

Getaway Car, second in the Los Alamitos Futurity last out, is entered in Sunday’s Sunland Park Derby going 1 1/16 miles. The Curlin colt is the 9-5 morning line favorite.

Wagering on this weekend’s Kentucky Derby Future pool closes Sunday at 3 p.m. PT.

SATURDAY’S PICK 6 POOL SCOOPED FOR $46K WITH $64 TICKET

The lone winning ticket in Saturday’s Pick Six returned $46,775.60 and was purchased for just $64 through an online wagering platform, according to Santa Anita’s pari-mutuel department.

The astute handicapper navigated a sequence that had two favorites and a pair of winners with double-digit payouts. The consolation payout was $445.40 for 45 tickets that had 5-of-6 winners.

The winning horses in Saturday’s Pick Six starting with the fifth race were #2 Distant Fleet ($8.80), #5 Tiznow Mama ($40.80), #7 Roll On Big Joe ($6), #8 Jungle Peace ($5.80), #4 Lonesome Slew ($3) and #6 Bro Bro ($11.20).

Sunday’s Pick Six starts with the fifth race at 2:35 p.m. PT. The sequence includes the featured Baffle Stakes, which goes as the ninth race at approximately 4:35 p.m. PT. The Baffle is for 3-year-olds going about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course. A competitive field of seven is led by 5-2 program favorite Scipio. Flavien Prat rides Scipio for trainer Richard Baltas.

FINISH LINES: Santa Anita will host a special Presidents’ Day card Monday with 10 races starting at 12:30 p.m. PT. On-track patrons will be treated to $1 beers and sodas and $2 hot dogs….Roll On Big Joe ($6) earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure for his win in Saturday’s GIII Palos Verdes Stakes. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli for trainer Bob Hess Jr., Roll On Big Joe completed six furlongs in a swift 1:08.60 to earn his first stakes win…Roll On Big Joe was one of three winners for Rispoli Saturday. He also won the opener aboard Over the Ocean ($5) for trainer Jonathan Thomas and the eighth race with Jungle Peace ($5.80) for trainer Phil D’Amato…There is a Super High 5 carryover of $16,072.95 for Sunday’s 10th race. Post time is set for 5:05 p.m. PT…Sunday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 12:49 p.m. PT with the eighth race from Gulfstream Park.

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