Santa Anita Stable Notes Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

6 STAKES NEXT WEEK INCLUDE GII LUKAS, GIII LEWIS, LAS VIRGENES

It’s a big weekend of racing ahead at Santa Anita Park. This upcoming Saturday and Sunday a total of six stakes will be contested led by the GII D. Wayne Lukas, GIII Robert B. Lewis and Las Virgenes. Rounding out next week’s stakes slate are the GIII Thunder Road, Sweet Life and Clockers’ Corner.

The D. Wayne Lukas Stakes, formerly known as the Santa Monica, is for older fillies and mares going seven furlongs. It will be run on Saturday along with the Lewis for the 3-year-olds at one mile, Thunder Road for older horses at one mile on turf and the Sweet Life for 3-year-old fillies at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course. The Las Virgenes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile and Clockers’ Corner for older horses on the hillside turf course go on Sunday.

The D. Wayne Lukas Stakes was renamed this year in honor of the legendary trainer who died in June at the age of 89. Leading the nominations are Splendora and Hope Road, both trained by Bob Baffert. Splendora most recently won the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. Hope Road was favored in the Filly & Mare Sprint and finished third. She came right back in the GIII Bayakoa going a mile and won by 6 ½ lengths on Nov. 30 at Del Mar.

Also nominated to the Lukas are the top three finishers from the GI La Brea on opening day—Usha, Formula Rossa and Simply Joking.

Among those expected for the Lewis are GI American Pharoah winner Intrepido for trainer Jeff Mullins plus promising maiden winners Robusta, trained by Doug O’Neill; and Secured Freedom, who is trained by Tim Yakteen. Baffert’s Desert Gate and Plutarch are also among the nominees.

Entries for Saturday’s card will be taken on Monday.

The Las Virgenes Stakes on Sunday is expected to feature the return of last year’s champion 2-year-old filly, Super Corredora. Also among the nominees are Meaning, who finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies last out for trainer Michael McCarthy.

Next Sunday, there will be an early first post of 11 a.m. After the racing program, fans are invited to remain and watch the NFL championship game at Sirona’s bar on the main floor. There will be ‘Big Game Bingo’ and an array of drink specials to enjoy. Parking and admission are free next Sunday.

WORKS: LAS VIRGENES NOMS SUPER CORREDORA, MEANING ON TAB

Champion Super Corredora and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies fourth-place finisher Meaning were among a sextet of 3-year-old fillies nominated to next weekend’s Las Virgenes Stakes who recorded timed workouts Sunday at Santa Anita. The group also included Cee Drew and Fortunate Truth, both trained by Dan Blacker; Nimah for trainer Bob Baffert and Wild Like the West for trainer Richard Baltas.

Super Corredora worked four furlongs in 48.0 seconds for trainer John Sadler. The Gun Runner filly has been off since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Oct. 31 at Del Mar.

Nimah, who was third in the GII Starlet in December, worked five furlongs in 1:00.6 for Baffert. She is a high-priced daughter of Gun Runner owned by Zedan Racing Stables.

Baffert also worked 3-year-old colts Plutarch and Buetane, who are both nominated to Saturday’s GIII Robert B. Lewis at one mile. Buetane is also entered in this Friday’s GIII Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn. By Tiz the Law, Buetane worked four furlongs in 47.80 seconds. Plutarch, who broke his maiden last out on turf Nov. 30 at Del Mar, worked six furlongs in 1:12.2.

A pair of nominees to Saturday’s GII D. Wayne Lukas for fillies and mares going seven furlongs, Irina’s Charm and Me and Molly McGee, also worked. Irina’s Charm, a recent allowance winner sprinting at Santa Anita, worked five furlongs in 1:01.4 for trainer Phil D’Amato. Me and Molly McGee, trained by Peter Eurton, has been off since finishing seventh in the GI Test at Saratoga in August. The 4-year-old Vekoma filly worked four furlongs in 48.20 seconds.

Working towards potential starts in Saturday’s GIII Thunder Road at one mile on turf were Gas Me Up, El Potente, Genius Jimmy and Lord Bullingdon.

Gas Me Up, winner of the GII Joe Hernandez sprinting on the hillside turf course last out, worked four furlongs in 49.80 seconds for Eurton. El Potente, who was fourth in the Joe Hernandez, worked four furlongs in 47.40 seconds for Blacker.

Genius Jimmy and Lord Bullingdon are both trained by Michael McCarthy. Genius Jimmy, an allowance winner, worked four furlongs in 49.0 seconds. Stakes winner Lord Bullingdon worked five furlongs in 1:00.4.

CORNUCOPIAN EARNS BIG BEYER IN SPLASH COMEBACK

Making his first start since April, Cornucopian served notice Saturday at Santa Anita when overcoming trouble and rolling to a powerful three-length win in a first-level allowance going 6 ½ furlongs.

Cornucupion, who was geared down in the stretch by jockey Juan Hernandez, won in a time of 1:15.58. Daily Racing Form’s Brad Free reported Sunday morning the effort earned a 97 Beyer Speed Figure.

A 4-year-old colt by Into Mischief, Cornucopian was originally slated to return in the GI Malibu on opening day Dec. 28. However, while being saddled for the race, Cornucopian reared and fell to his side. He was subsequently scratched.

Earlier on Saturday’s card, Cornucopian’s Bob Baffert-trained stablemate Potente got off the mark with a debut win versus fellow 3-year-olds going six furlongs. His final time of 1:10.65 earned a 79 Beyer Speed Figure. Also by Into Mischief, Potente was a $2.4 million auction buy as a yearling for owner Speedway Stable.

Westwood, trained by John Shirreffs, received a 93 Beyer for his 2 ¾-length win in Saturday’s GII San Pasqual Stakes under Kazushi Kimura. He won in a time 1:50.52 The San Pasqual was the first stakes win for Westwood, a 4-year-old gelding by Authentic.

Also earning a first stakes win Saturday was Princesa Moche for trainer Doug O’Neill. Princesa Moche gamely prevailed by a neck in the GIII Megahertz for older fillies and mares at one mile on turf. The 6-year-old import from Peru won in a time of 1:36.09, which earned an 84 Beyer.

FINISH LINES: Jockey Kazushi Kimura is now alone atop the jockeys’ standing after winning three more races Saturday. Kimura, a 26-year-old native of Japan, won the GII San Pasqual aboard Westwood ($8.40) for trainer John Shirreffs, the sixth race on promising 3-year-old Potente ($3.20) for trainer Bob Baffert and the ninth race with Counterbalance ($6.40) for trainer Michael McCarthy. Kimura has now ridden 18 winners through the first 17 days of the meet…Sunday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 12:48 p.m. PT with the eighth race from Gulfstream Park…The $1 Sunset Pick 6 starts at 12:19 p.m. with the seventh race from Gulfstream…

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