Santa Anita Stable Notes Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN
THURSDAY, FEB. 27, 2025
>br> Bob Baffert; Benoit Photo
BAFFERT TALKS BARNES, OTHER CONTENDERS ON BIG ‘CAP DAY
GII SAN FELIPE PART OF 1/ST RACING TOUR ON CNBC, PEACOCK
HORSE RACING NATION SETS THIS WEEKEND’S MORNING LINES
PATRICE WOLFSON, CO-OWNER OF AFFIRMED, DIES AT AGE 87

BAFFERT TALKS BARNES, OTHER CONTENDERS ON BIG’ CAP DAY
Trainer Bob Baffert has won the GII San Felipe Stakes for 3-year-olds a record nine times and is a four-time winner of the historic GI Santa Anita Handicap for older horses. On Saturday, the Hall of Famer will have multiple chances to add to both totals on Big ‘Cap Day at Santa Anita.
In the 1 1/16-mile DK Horse San Felipe, Baffert will saddle the trio of morning line favorite Barnes (1-1), second-choice Rodriguez (9-5) and the maiden Mellencamp (6-1), who drew the rail. In the 1 ¼ Big ‘Cap presented by Yaamava’ Resort & Casino, Baffert has Mirahmadi (6-1) and New King (8-1)
Barnes is a highly regarded prospect who has been the individual favorite in the last two Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools, including two weeks ago when he closed at 6-1. Most recently, Barnes improved to 2-for-2 with a dazzling win in the GII San Vicente going seven furlongs on Jan. 4 at Santa Anita.
“He’s done everything right,” Baffert said Thursday morning.
Barnes will face a new challenge Saturday. The San Felipe will be his first time racing around two turns, a critical test for any horse with Kentucky Derby aspirations.
“It’s always a question mark,” Baffert said of the added distance. “I think he can do it, but you don’t really know until they do. We’ll find out a lot about him this weekend.
Barnes is owned by Zedan Racing, who purchased the Into Mischief colt for $3.2 million as a yearling. He will break from post three under jockey Juan Hernandez. Directly outside of Barnes is Rodriguez, who will have Flavien Prat aboard. To his inside is Journalism (7-2), another highly regarded prospect who makes his 3-year-old debut for trainer Michael McCarthy.
“Pace makes the race. We’ll see how fast they go,” Baffert said. “The break will be so key. Rodriguez is very fast also.”
Rodriguez, by Authentic, went gate-to-wire to graduate when stretched out to a mile in his second start on Jan. 4 at Santa Anita. He returned in the GIII Robert B. Lewis going a mile on Feb. 1 and finished second to stablemate Citizen Bull, last year’s 2-year-old male champion.
Baffert said he initially planned to run Rodriguez last weekend at Oaklan Park in the GII Rebel but decided against largely due to weather concerns.
“There was a cold spell out there and I just decided to keep him home. He’s improving, Baffert said.
Mellencamp has yet to win in four starts. Most recently, the Constitution colt finished second behind the promising Baeza, who is expected to return in the GI Santa Anita Derby April 5.
“He ran a good race against Baeza. That’s a nice horse,” Baffert said. “He needs to run and we’re giving him a chance.”
Mellencamp, like Rodriguez, is owned by an extensive partnership group led by SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables.
The San Felipe goes as the eighth race on an 11-race card. Post time is approximately 3:30 p.m. PT. The field in post position order: Mellencamp, Mike Smith (6-1); Journalism, Umberto Rispoli (7-2); Barnes, Juan Hernandez (1-1); Rodriguez, Flavien Prat (9-5); Smooth Cruisein, Ricky Gonzalez (30-1); Berlin Wall, Tiago Pereira (30-1).
In the Big ‘Cap, the top two choices on the morning line are eastern invaders Locked (3-2) and Hit Show (5-2). Mirahmadi, who will have Hernandez aboard, enters following a dominant front-running allowance win going a mile Jan. 4 at Santa Anita.
“He’s a good horse, but he’s one dimensional and unfortunately there are a few more horses in there that are one dimensional,” Baffert said. “I suppose that could help my horse New King, but those horses coming in from out of state look pretty tough.”
New King is a 4-year-old Into Mischief colt. He most recently won a 1 1/16-mile allowance on Feb. 2 at Santa Anita.
The Santa Anita Handicap goes as the 10th race with post time at approximately 4:30 p.m. The field in post position order: Express Train, Hector Berrios (10-1); New King, Mike Smith (8-1); Hit Show, Flavien Prat (5-2); J B Strikes Back, Antonio Fresu (30-1); Mirahmadi, Juan Hernandez (6-1); Katonah, Tiago Pereira (8-1); Locked, Jose Ortiz (3-2); Midnight Mammoth, Armando Ayuso (30-1); Tarantino, Edwin Maldonado (12-1).

GII SAN FELIPE PART OF 1/ST RACING TOUR ON CNBC, PEACOCK
NBC Sports will present live coverage of Saturday’s GII DK Horse San Felipe Stakes from Santa Anita, the GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth from Gulfstream Park and four other races from the sister tracks. All the action will be aired on CNBC and streamed on Peacock beginning at 2 p.m. PT.
The San Felipe for 3-year-olds serves as the final major prep for the GI Santa Antia Derby on April 5 and also awards qualifying points to this year’s Kentucky Derby. The additional stakes that will be shown live are the GIII Honey Fox and GII Mac Diarmida, both from Gulfstream Park.
Britney Eurton will serve as host alongside analyst and Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey, analyst Randy Moss and reporters Michelle Yu from Santa Anita and Matt Bernier at Gulfstream.

HORSE RACING NATION SETS MORNING LINES FOR THIS WEEKEND’S CARDS
With Santa Anita morning-line maker Jeff Siegel out ill this week, Horse Racing Nation was enlisted to set the opening odds for both Saturday’s 11-race card featuring the GI Santa Anita Handicap along with Sunday’s 11-race card highlighted by the GIII Fasig-Tipton Santa Ysabel for 3-year-old fillies. Siegel did the Morning Line for Friday.
Horse Racing Nation recently has begun providing Morning Lines for several tracks around the country. Founded in 2009 and based in Louisville, Ky., Horse Racing Nation is one of the leading web sites for horse racing news and handicapping information. Its co-founder and CEO is Mark Midland, who previously held executive positions with Churchill Downs’ Inc., Harrah’s and Youbet.com after beginning his career at Santa Anita.
In Saturday’s GII Buena Vista for fillies and mares at a mile on turf, Alpha Bella, trained by John Sadler, is pegged as the 2-1 morning line favorite in a field of seven. In the GII San Felipe, Barnes is the even-money program choice for trainer Bob Baffert. El Potente, trained by Dan Blacker, is the 2-1 favorite in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile and in the GI Santa Anita Handicap, eastern invader Locked is tabbed as the 3-2 favorite for trainer Todd Pletcher.
“We look forward to Jeff’s return and are thoughts are with him as he recovers,” said Amy Zimmerman, Santa Anita Senior Vice President and Executive Producer. “We are thankful that Horse Racing Nation could respond quickly to this last-minute request for assistance.”

PATRICE WOLFSON, CO-OWNER OF LEGENDARY AFFIRMED, DIES AT AGE 87
Patrice Jacobs Wolfson, who along with late husband Louis Wolfson bred and owned legendary 1978 Triple Crown winner Affirmed, died Tuesday at age 87 at her home in Bal Harbour, Fla. Wolfson’s death was first reported by Blood-Horse on Wednesday.
As the only daughter of Hall of Fame trainer Hirsch Jacobs, Wolfson was raised around racing. The first horse she owned, Basil Lee, was a gift from her father on her 21st birthday. She also owned Hail to Reason, the 1960 2-year-old male champion, prior to being married.
In 1972, Patrice wedded Louis Wolfson, who was the owner of Harbor View Farm in Ocala, Fla. Louis Wolfson died in 2007. It was under the Harbor View Farm banner the Wolfson’s bred and campaigned Affirmed.
Affirmed, who was trained by Lazaro Bareera, spent the first half of his 3-year-old season based at Santa Anita. He won both the GII San Felipe Handicap and GI Santa Anita Derby prior to sweeping the Triple Crown in three memorable matchups with eastern-based archrival Alydar.
As a 4-year-old, Affirmed returned to Santa Anita where he uncorked a dazzling performance when winning the1979 GI Santa Anita Handicap. With regular rider Laffit Pincay Jr. aboard, Affirmed blazed 1 ¼ miles in 1:58 3/5 to set a new Santa Anita record.
Affirmed was retired with a record of 29: 22-5-1 and $2,393,818 in earnings. He was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1980.
The Wolfsons also bred and raced two-time champion female turf horse Flawlessly (1992-93), a daughter of Affirmed, and champion 2-year-old fillies Outstandingly (1984) and It’s in the Air (1978).

FINISH LINES: This week’s racing action kicks off Friday with a nine-race card starting at 12:30 p.m. PT. Admission and parking is free with on-track patrons also receiving $3 beers and $5 margaritas…Friday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 1:07 p.m. PT with the seventh race from Gulfstream Park…Sunday’s feature is the GIII Fasig-Tipton Santa Ysabel, a major prep for the GII Santa Anita Oaks on April 5. It goes as the sixth race at approximately 2:30 p.m. PT…This past Sunday, there were two winning tickets in the $2 Pick Six with each returning a cool $98,895.60. Friday’s Pick Six starts with the fourth race at approximately 2 p.m.