Santa Anita Stable Notes Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

SUNDAY, SEPT 28, 2025

Nevada Beach (orange cap) Benoit Photo

NEVADA BEACH, FULL SERRANO BOTH BREEDERS’ CUP BOUND
JOHANNES BACK TO BC MILE AFTER BOUNCE-BACK WIN SATURDAY
CARRYOVERS: $47K IN $1 SUNSET 6, $15K IN SUPER HIGH 5
7 STAKES INCLUDING 3 BC QUALIFIERS ON TAP NEXT WEEK
RISPOLI WINS 3 SATURDAY INCLUDING 2 GRADED STAKES

NEVADA BEACH, FULL SERRANO BOTH BREEDERS’ CUP BOUND

Nevada Beach and Full Serrano, the one-two finishers in Saturday’s GI Goodwood Stakes, were both doing well Sunday morning and will target the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

Nevada Beach, a 3-year-old making just his fourth start, prevailed by 1 ½ lengths over Full Serrano in the 1 1/8-mile Goodwood following a prolonged battle between the pair on the front end. With the win under Hall of Famer Mike Smith, Nevada Beach—a 3-year-old who was making just his fourth start—earned a fees-paid berth in the$7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at 1 ¼ miles.

“Unless I see something I don’t like between now and then, as of now we’ll definitely run in the Breeders’ Cup,” trainer Bob Baffert said of the winner. “He’ll like the distance. He was just getting going there at the end.”

Trainer John Sadler said Full Serrano will “probably” try and defend his title in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile rather than try the added distance of the Classic.

“(Full Serrano) ran a good. We’re not hanging our heads,” Sadler said. “The other horse ran a big race and beat him.”

Nevada Beach’s winning time of 1:48.43 returned a career best 101 Beyer Speed Figure, Daily Racing Form’s Brad Free reported. In his previous start Nevada Beach rolled to a 4 ¼-length win in the Los Alamitos Derby, also at 1 1/8 miles on June 8. That followed a debut win going a mile on April 15 and second-place effort to stablemate Gaming in the Affirmed Stakes on June 8, both at Santa Anita.

By Omaha Beach out of multiple stakes winner Morrow Cove, by Yes It’s True, Nevada Beach was purchased by owners Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman for $260,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September yearling sale.

JOHANNES BACK TO BC MILE AFTER BOUNCE-BACK WIN SATURDAY

Johannes exited his win in Saturday’s GII City of Hope Mile in good order and will now get another crack at the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Trainer Tim Yakteen Sunday morning reported Johannes “came back in excellent shape” after winning the City of Hope for the second year in a row. The 5-year-old horse by Nyquist prevailed by 1 ¼ lengths under Umberto Rispoli in a time of 1:34.13. The effort earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure, Daily Racing Form reported.

“I thought he ran tremendous,” Yakteen said. It was a great prep for the Breeders’ Cup.”

The City of Hope Mile was just the second start for Johannes since finishing second in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar. In his return to action on Aug. 2 at Saratoga, Johannes tried the GI Fourstardave. He was rank early that day with Rispoli aboard and never a factor in a ninth-place finish.

The City of Hope win upped Johannes’s record to 15: 9-1-1 with $1,278,359 in earnings for owner-breeder CUYATHY LLC. He is now a perfect 8-for-8 over the Santa Anita turf course.

TWO-DAY CARRYOVER OF $47K IN $1 SUNSET 6; 15K IN SUPER HIGH 5

There is a two-day carryover of $47,057 in Sunday’s $1 Sunset Pick Six plus a $15,361 carryover in the Super High 5 in Santa Anita’s 10th and final race.

Sunday’s Sunset Pick Six starts at 1:35 p.m. PT with the eighth race from Gulfstream Park. The Super High 5 in race 10 at Santa Anita is set for 5:38 p.m.

The Sunset Pick Six is a new wager at the Santa Anita Autum Meet that combines the final three races from Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park. It features a player-friendly 15 percent takeout rate and is open to retail players only. It has no consolation payout, which means the entire net pool carries over to the next race day.

The winning horses in Saturday’s Sunset Six at Santa Anita starting with the eighth race were #1 Reef Runner ($13), #5 Nevada Beach ($19) and #4 Innovative ($27.40). At Gulfstream, the winning horses starting with the ninth race were #8 Lennilu ($5.80), #1 Pet Mat ($10.80) and #7 Bert’s Knoty Girl ($10.60).

The Super High 5 carryover was helped triggered when a pair of longshots ran one-two in Saturday’s 10th and final race. The winner was Innovative ($27.40) with Lee’s Baby Girl at 26-1 finishing second. They were followed by Warming (9-2), Favor to You (14-1) and even-money favorite Casalu.

First post Sunday at Santa Anita is 1 p.m. PT.

7 STAKES INCLUDING 3 BC QUALIFIERS ON TAP NEXT WEEK

It will be another high-profile weekend of top stakes action at Santa Anita next week as seven stakes are scheduled including three that provide automatic berths to the Breeders’ Cup.

On Saturday, Santa Anita will host the GI American Pharoah for 2-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles; GII Oak Leaf for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles; GII Rodeo Drive for fillies and mares going 1 ¼ miles; GIII Chillingworth for fillies and mares at 6 ½ furlongs; and Speakeasy Stakes for 2-year-olds at five furlongs on turf.

The American Pharoah provides the winner with a fees-paid berth to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Oct. 31 at Del Mar. A total of 15 2-year-olds were nominated. Trainer Bob Baffert’s nominees include Brant and Desert Gate, the one-two finishers in the GI Del Mar Futurity; Buetane, who was second in the GI Hopeful at Saratoga on Sept. 1; Balboar, who was fifth in the Futurity; and promising debut winner Kristofferson.

Trainer Doug O’Neill nominated Civil Liberty, third in the Del Mar Futurity; Brigante, sixth in the Futurity; and both Thirsty Rebel and Saul Elliot, who last time out ran second and third, respectively, in the 5 ½-furlong I’m Smokin Stakes for statebreds..

Trainer Jeff Mullins nominated Intrepido, who was a sharp maiden winner when stretched out to a mile for his second start on Aug. 23 at Del Mar.

The lone nominee from out of state is Oscar’s Hope for trainer Tom Amoss. The Twirling Candy colt most recently romped to a 5 ¾-length maiden win going six furlongs at Saratoga on Sept. 1.

The Oak Leaf is a “Win and You’re In” for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Nominees include Baffert-trained Bottle of Rouge and Explora, the one-two finishers in the GI Del Mar Debutante; and La Wally, who was third in the Debutante for trainer Mark Glatt.

The Rodeo Drive offers the winner a fees-paid berth to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at 1 3/8 miles.

On Sunday, Santa Anita will host the GIII Zuma Beach for 2-year-olds at one mile on turf and the GIII Surfer Girl for 2-year-old fillies at one mile on turf.

Entries will be taken on Monday for Saturday’s card, while Sunday’s card will be set on Tuesday.

FINISH LINES: Jockey Umberto Rispoli bagged three wins including a pair of graded stakes on Saturday’s 10-race card. Rispoli, who has already banked a career-best $10,884,006 in purse earnings this year, won the GII City of Hope Mile with Johannes ($2.40), GII John Henry Turf Championship aboard Gold Phoenix ($5) and the third race on Cashed ($2.80) for trainer Doug O’Neill…Grade I winner Tamara worked four furlongs in 47.20 seconds Sunday for trainer Richard Mandella. Sidelined since last November, Tamara is nominated to return in this Saturday’s GIII Chillingworth going seven furlongs…Sunday’s $2 Pick Six at Santa Anita starts at 2:06 p.m. with the fifth race…The $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 begins at 1:07 p.m. with the seventh race from Gulfstream Park.

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