Santa Anita Stable Notes Sunday, March 23, 2025

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2025

WORKS: BAFFERT 3-YEAR-OLDS, VODKA WITH A TWIST ON TAB

Barnes, Rodriguez, Gaming and champion Citizen Bull all worked for trainer Bob Baffert Sunday at Santa Anita. Also on the tab was Vodka With a Twist, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up who is preparing to make her 3-year-old debut in the GII Fasig- Tipton Santa Anita Oaks April 5.

Barnes and Rodriguez worked in company. Barnes was credited with a five-furlong drill in 1:00.0 while Rodriguez was clocked for six furlongs in 1:13.20. Gaming fired a bullet when drilling four furlongs in 46.80 seconds. Citizen Bull worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds, which was the third-fastest of 67 moves at the distance.

The works by the four Baffert colts coincided with entry day for this Saturday’s GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn. None in the quartet will be headed to Hot Springs, as Baffert entered only standout debut winner Cornucopian in the 1 1/8-mile prep for the Kentucky Derby.

Vodka With a Twist drilled five furlongs in 1:02.40 for trainer Phil D’Amato. It was her ninth work since Jan. 29. By Thousand Words, Vodka With a Twist hasn’t started since finishing third in the GII Starlet at Los Alamitos Dec. 7.

Returning to the work tab was Grade II winner Mi Hermano Ramon for trainer Mark Glatt. The 5-year-old Creative Cause gelding, who finished fifth in the GI Fank E. Kilroe Mile March 1 at Santa Anita, drilled four furlongs in 48.60 seconds.

Working for trainer Richard Baltas was Scipio, winner of the Baffle Stakes for 3-year-olds sprinting about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course Feb. 16. The Caravaggio colt worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 He is slated to make his next start in the GII Appalachian Stakes going a mile on turf at Keeneland on April 5.

REYLU GUTIERREZ

BENOIT PHOTO

JOCKEY REYLU GUTIERREZ RELOCATES TO SANTA ANITA

The newest addition to the Santa Anita jockey colony is Reylu Gutierrez, a 28-year-old native of Rochester, N.Y. who’s won 699 races since launching his career at the end of 2017.

On Saturday, Gutierrez won for the third time in 10 mounts at the Classic Meet when scoring in the ninth race aboard Runamileinmyshoes ($14.40) for trainer Jeff Mullins. Gutierrez is hoping the move to Santa Anita will jumpstart what’s been a relatively slow start to 2025.

Entering Sunday, Gutierrez has had just 88 mounts this year with nine wins.

“I took a couple of weeks off in January to have a procedure done after a spill, but this has definitely been the slowest start of my career,” Gutierrez said. “It will get better soon. We had a very successful meet last year at Del Mar and I think it left a good taste in people’s mouths. The reception here so far has been excellent.”

Gutierrez won 13 races at Del Mar last summer to rank seventh in the jockey’s standings. Representing Gutierrez is agent Jose Santos Jr., son of Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Jose Santos.

“Reylu seems to fit the style of racing in California very well,” Santos said. “We’re very excited to get working on our goal of establishing Reylu as a top rider on the California circuit. It’s a very talented group of riders and it won’t be easy, but we’re committed to giving it our all to reach that goal.”

Gutierrez has two mounts on Sunday. He’ll be aboard Tallis (15-1) in the first race and Toppers at Seaside (30-1) in the sixth race. Both horses are trained by Bob Hess, Jr. who on Friday reached 1,500 North American training victories.

GIII SAN CARLOS, GIII WILSHIRE HIGHLIGHT NEXT WEEK’S ACTION

The stakes action next week at Santa Anita includes both the GIII San Carlos and GIII Wilshire on Saturday and the Sensational Star Stakes on Sunday.

The San Carlos at seven furlongs attracted 13 nominees including Grade I winner Speed Boat Beach, Fort Bragg and Pilot Commander for trainer Bob Baffert and Grade II winner Spirit of Makena for trainer George Papaprodromou. Both Speed Boat Beach and Spirit of Makena missed the entire 2024 season. Papaprodromou earlier this week said Spirit of Makena, winner of both the GII Triple Bend and San Carlos in 2023, is on schedule to make a second appearance in the San Carlos.

The Wilshire for older fillies and mares at a mile on turf also has 13 nominees. The group includes Tirupati, Rashmi and Uncorked, who all exit the GII Buena Vista on March 1. Tirupati and Rashmi are both trained by Jonathan Thomas for owner Augustin Stable. Tirupati was second by a head behind winner Liguria in the Buena Vista and Rashmi was a neck back in third as the even-money favorite.

The Sensational Star is for older California-breds sprinting about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course. Among the 12 nominees is Kings River Knight, who would be making his first start in 10 months for trainer John Sadler. Prior to the layoff, Kings River Knight was a six-time stakes winner on turf against statebreds.

The fields for the San Carlos and Wilshire will be set on Monday. The Sensational Star will be drawn on Tuesday.

MARTIN VALENZUELA, JR. & HECTOR I. BERRIOS CELEBRATE MILESTONES

BENOIT PHOTO

FINISH LINES: Jockey Hector I. Berrios won three races Saturday, giving him 501 victories in North America. The 38-year-old native of Chile won the third race aboard Yogi Boy ($6.80) for trainer Mike Puype, the fourth race on Mr. Disrespectful ($4.40) for trainer Martin Valenzuela Jr. and the GIII San Luis Rey with Atitlan ($20.20) for trainer John Shirreffs. Mr. Disrespectful’s victory was also the 100th career win for Valenzuela…Sunday’s feature, the China Doll Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf, goes as the third race at approximately 2:04 p.m. PT. Morning line favorite Casalu was scratched Sunday morning…Sunday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 1:20 p.m. PT with the eighth race from Gulfstream Park.

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