FAMILAR FOES SQUARE-OFF IN WIDE OPEN GRADE II, $200,000 SAN GABRIEL STAKES

By Mike Willman —-

Ring Weekend; Keeneland File Photo

RING WEEKEND, TWENTYTWENTYVISION, FLAMBOYANT & A RED TIE DAY ALL PROMINENT IN WIDE OPEN GRADE II, $200,000 SAN GABRIEL STAKES AT 1 1/8 MILES ON TURF SATURDAY

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 4, 2017)—With strong resumes in abundance, Ring Weekend, Twentytwentyvision, Flamboyant and A Red Tie Day all figure prominently in Santa Anita’s Grade II, $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf this Saturday. The San Gabriel, to be run for the 70th time, has attracted a field of 12 older horses.

RING WEEKEND: This highly accomplished 6-year-old gelding by Tapit comes off a game head victory going 1 1/16 miles on grass in Del Mar’s Grade II Seabiscuit Handicap. A winner of the Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile (turf) at Santa Anita in March, 2015, he’s two for three at the San Gabriel distance and brings an overall mark of 20-7-4-2. Trained by H. Graham Motion and owned by St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds, he’s the leading money earner in the field with $1,448,744.

TWENTYTWENTYVISION: Although he has yet to win his first graded stakes, this 6-year-old gelding by Pollard’s Vision has been gem of consistency for trainer Richard Mandella, he’s never been worse than third in 14 career starts. Freshened since running third, beaten three quarters of a length by A Red Tie Day at even money here in the restricted one mile turf Lure Stakes Oct. 30, Twentytwentyvision kept good company in six starts last year and looms dangerous at the distance. With a win and a second from two tries at 1 1/8 miles on turf, he’s 14-5-3-6 overall. Owned and bred by Ellen and Peter O. Johnson, he has earnings of $400,518.

FLAMBOYANT: The defending champ in the San Gabriel, this French-bred 6-year-old gelding followed his San Gabriel triumph by winning the Grade II San Marcos Stakes here on Feb. 6, and was subsequently sent to Dubai, where he finished a close fifth in the $6 million Dubai Turf Stakes at 1 1/8 miles. Although winless since the San Marcos, Flamboyant has ample class and a late running style that may prove effective on Saturday. Trained by Paddy Gallagher, he’s owned by David Bienstock and CHRB Chairman, Charles Winner. Flamboyant brings an overall mark of 24-5-3-6 and earnings of $753,058.

A RED TIE DAY: Trained by Richard Baltas, he was fifth, beaten 2 ½ lengths by Ring Weekend in the Grade II Seabiscuit Handicap Nov. 26. This 7-year-old gelding by Indygo Shiner took the restricted one mile turf Lure Stakes two starts back here on Oct. 30 by a half length and will get the services for the first time of comebacking Corey Nakatani, who has been active in the mornings at the Baltas barn. Owned by Bloom Racing, LLC, A Red Tie Day has four wins from seven starts over the Santa Anita turf and posted three wins from nine starts last year. Although close on three occasions last year, he has yet to win a graded stakes, but earned a career-best 102 Beyer Speed figure in his most recent start. A Red Tie Day is 19-5-0-4 overall with earnings of $255,308.

THE GRADE II SAN GABRIEL STAKES IN POST POSITION ORDER WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS
Race 9 of 9 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PST

1. Blue Tone—Kent Desormeaux—120
2. Point Piper—Mario Gutierrez—122
3. Flamboyant—Flavien Prat—122
4. Syntax—Joe Talamo—120
5. Itsinthepost—Tyler Baze—120
6. Conquest Daddyo—Luis Contreras—120
7. A Red Tie Day—Corey Nakatani—120
8. Quick Casablanca—Gonzalo Ulloa—122
9. Twentytwentyvision—Mike Smith—120
10. Perfectly Majestic—Victor Espinoza—120
11. Ring Weekend—Drayden Van Dyke—125
12. Some in Tieme—Tiago Pereira—122

First post time on Saturday for a nine-race card is at 12:30 p.m. For scratches, changes and complete morning line information, please visit santanita.com.

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Santa Anita Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is North America’s premier supplier of virtual online horseracing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.