Santa Anita Stable Notes Monday, Oct. 13, 2025

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

WELL-PEDIGREED EISENHOWER SANTA ANITA’S NEWEST LEAD PONY

The newest lead pony at Santa Anita is a former racehorse whose name some may recognize, particularly pedigree aficionados. Starting his new vocation this weekend with Santa Anita outrider Edgar Alferez was Eisenhower, a full brother to Grade I-winning millionaire and current Claiborne Farm stallion Annapolis who didn’t quite live up to his bloodlines as a racer.

Eisenhower is by War Front out of My Miss Sophia, a graded stakes winner who also was notably second in the 2014 Kentucky Oaks. After being retired from racing, My Miss Sophia was purchased at auction while in foal to Annapolis for $4 million by Perry and Ramona Bass. In 2020, the Bass’s bred My Miss Sophia back to War Front, a mating that would produce Eisenhower.

Eisenhower was sent to Santa Anita and Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella to start his racing career. He would go winless in four starts with his last race coming in August 2024 at Del Mar.

The wheels were set in motion for Eisenhower to become a lead pony last year at Del Mar. Alferez said his father, fellow outrider Enrique Alferez, was speaking with Mandella one morning when it was mentioned Eisenhower was going to be donated to CARMA, a charitable organization that provides funding for the rehabilitation, retraining and/or retirement for California-based Thoroughbreds.

“And out of the blue, Mandella asked my father, would you like the horse?” said Edgar Alferez, who has been an outrider at Santa Anita for eight years. “So they told me to look at him and when I did, I was more than excited. Then they started telling us about the bloodlines and I was just like, ‘wow.’”

Alferez quickly agreed to take Eisenhower.

“It’s great when a horse can find a second career,” Mandella said. “But especially to be an outrider’s pony. That’s a big honor for a horse.”

Eisenhower was then brought to Alferez’s property in Mira Loma to start training for his new endeavor.

“For like three months I just let him chill out. Then I started saddling him and putting him in the round pen,” Alferez said. “After that, next to my house is the Santa Ana River. So we just started taking him down to the river bottom and along the trails, just to try and get him a little more docile and relaxed. Eventually he could handle anything. He would cross roads with cars going by and everything. It was all about an eight-month process.”

Eisenhower made his return to the racetrack in April as Alferez’s pony. But only during morning training. It wasn’t until this past Friday’s card that Eisenhower made his afternoon debut leading horses to the starting gate before races.

“It took him awhile to get the hang of things, but once he did he’s been pretty straightforward,” Alferez said.

Alferez added the key to a good lead pony is “being sharp and smart.

“He’s pretty sharp for sure. He’s always aware of what’s going on, just very observant.”

As for Eisenhower’s more well-known sibling, Annapolis this year stood his second season at Claiborne Farm in central Kentucky. His first babies will be hitting the track in 2027.

WORKS: TAMARA, KOPION AMONG BREEDERS’ CUP HOPEFULS ON TAB

Tamara and Kopion each worked Monday at Santa Anita for trainer Richard Mandella ahead of expected starts at the Breeders’ Cup. Other Breeders’ Cup candidates on the tab included Explora, Bottle of Rouge, Formidable Man and Desert Gate.

Monday’s works came ahead of a projected multiple-day rainstorm that’s expected to arrive at Santa Anita later this evening.

Tamara’s work was her first since winning the GIII Chillingworth off a long layoff on Oct. 4 at Santa Anita. The 4-year-old filly by Bolt d’Oro out of Hall of Famer Beholder drilled three furlongs on the main track in 37.40 seconds.

Kopion was clocked going three furlongs on the synthetic training track in 39.80 seconds. Mandella said Kopion, who wears glue-on shoes, is “barefoot for a few days and I just wanted to do something with her before the rain comes. It wasn’t really a work.”

Tamara and Kopion are both owned by Spendthrift Farm. Tamara is ticketed for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint going seven furlongs on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. As for Kopion, there’s a slight chance she takes on males going six furlongs in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Otherwise, she’d join Tamara in the Filly & Mare Sprint.

“We’re just taking everything in, but at the moment I would say it’s more than likely they both run in the Filly & Mare (Sprint),” Mandella said.

In either of the two races, Kopion would be cutting back in distance. The 4-year-old daughter of Omaha Beach most recently was second in the GI Clement L. Hirsch going 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 2 at Del Mar.

Explora, Bottle of Rouge and Desert Gate are all trained by Bob Baffert. Explora and Bottle of Rouge are both targeting the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Explora, by Blame, worked for the first time since winning the GII Oak Leaf Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles when stretched-out around two turns for the first time. She was timed going four furlongs in 48.80 seconds.

Bottle of Rouge worked five furlongs in 1:00.40. The Vino Rosso filly most recently beat Explora when winning the GI Del Mar Debutante going seven furlongs on Sept. 6.

Desert Gate worked for the first time since finishing second in the GI American Pharoah for 2-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on Oct. 4. The American Pharoah was his first time racing around two turns. Also by Omaha Beach, Desert Gate worked four furlongs in 50.60 seconds. In the days after the American Pharoah, Baffert said Desert Gate remained a candidate to run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Multiple Grade I winner Formidable Man, trained by Michael McCarthy, is targeting the Breeders’ Cup Mile. The 4-year-old City of Light colt worked four furlongs on the main track in 1:02.60. In five starts this year, Formidable Man has won the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita and both the GII Eddie Read and GII Del Mar Mile at Del Mar.

SNEAKER, GRAND SLAM SMILE DOING WELL AFTER SUNDAY’S BATTLE

Sneaker and Grand Slam Smile, who were separated by just a head when running one-two in Sunday’s California Distaff Handicap, were both reported to be doing well Monday morning by their respective trainers.

Sneaker, trained by George Papaprodromou, got up just in time under Umberto Rispoli to edge Grand Slam Smile for her first stakes win. A 4-year-old filly by Oscar Performance, Sneaker improved to 17: 4-4-3 with $290,948 in earnings for owner R L Stables.

“All’s good,” Papaprodromou said Monday morning.

Grand Slam Smile, the even-money favorite, was seeking a repeat victory in the California Distaff for statebred fillies and mares at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course. Last year, Grand Slam Smile won the California Distaff by one length when conditioned by now retired trainer Steve Specht.

On Sunday, Grand Slam Smile had the lead in deep stretch under William Antongeorgi III but could not fend off a late charge from Sneaker.

“She ran dynamite like she always does,” trainer Sean McCarthy said. “She ran her heart out. Unfortunately, we just got caught in the last jump or two.”

Grand Slam Smile, a 4-year-old filly by Smiling Tiger, moved to 15: 8-6-1 with $696,120 in earnings for owners-breeders Larry D. Williams and Marianne Williams.

FINISH LINES: After starting with a $47,317 carryover, Sunday’s $2 Pick Six paid a cool $139,155.60 for two winning tickets The winning horses starting with the fifth race were #2 Feel The Magic ($3), #4 Arrakis ($8.20), #7 Crossana ($11.20), #10 Margot’s Boy ($9.60), #4 Shared Future ($9) and #9 Migo ($50.40)…In Sunday’s $1 Sunset Pick Six, which started with a $93,586 carryover, there was one winning ticket that paid $215,338…After Monday’s special holiday card, live racing resumes Friday at Santa Anita with a nine-race program starting at 1 p.m. PT…Next week’s stakes action includes the Lure Stakes at one mile on turf on Saturday and the Anoakia Stakes for 2-year-old fillies going six furlongs on Sunday.

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