SANTA ANITA STABLE NOTES

By Ed Golden & Mike Willman—-

Gift Box; Benoit Photo

SADLER MOUNTS A HOLIDAY WEEKEND CHARGE
PRIME ATTRACTION MAKES THE ‘GRADE’ AGAIN
FASIG-TIPTON JUVENILE SALE HERE ON JUNE 5
OMAHA BEACH DUE HOME AT SANTA ANITA SOON
SADLER’S SOLDIERS SALUTE ON MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

John Sadler has his charges standing at attention awaiting the command of “forward

march” for this weekend’s Memorial Day graded stakes bonanza at Santa Anita that features eight graded events worth $2.4 million in prize money.

Leading the trainer’s brigade of blue bloods is Santa Anita Handicap winner Gift Box, poised to capture the Gold Cup at Santa Anita on Monday, Memorial Day, one of three Grade I events worth $1.5 million on the attractive holiday card.

In all, Sadler expects to have 20 horses entered over the three-day weekend.

“He’s doing better than ever,” Sadler said of Gift Box, who will reunite with Joel Rosario. “This should be his best race.”

The Gold Cup is for three-year-olds and up at a mile and a quarter and will have another Sadler runner in longshot Higher Power.

Sadler, third in the trainer standings with nine wins from 33 starts–27 percent–also has Catapult for the Grade I Shoemaker Mile on grass, and Ollie’s Candy for the Grade I Gamely for fillies and mares three and up at 1 1/8 miles on turf, both on Monday.

“Higher Power is a new horse for us,” said Sadler of the Medaglia d’Oro colt previously trained by Michael Stidham. “We’ll have Irad Ortiz on him.

“Catapult is doing great. He’s ready to go and hopefully he can win the photo this time,” alluding to the excruciating nose defeat inflicted by Ohio in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile March 30.

Sadler added, “There’s another good horse coming for the Shoemaker in Delta Prince,” owned by Stronach Stables and bred by the owner’s Eclipse Award-winning Adena Springs.

The Shoemaker is named for the late, great racing veteran, Bill Shoemaker, who was and remains the gold standard among jockeys, 16 years after his death on Oct. 12, 2003.

The Shoemaker is the first Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Race run in the U.S. this year, providing the winner with a fees-paid berth to the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Ollie’s Candy, previously trained by Bill Morey, makes her first start for Sadler in the Gamely. “It’s her first start since last August in a really tough race with Rymska and Vasilika in there,” Sadler said of the four-year-old Candy Ride filly who won her first three starts before finishing second by a neck twice, in the Grade II San Clemente and the Grade I Del Mar Oaks.

Sadler’s run doesn’t stop there.

On Saturday, Horse Greedy returns to the races in the Grade III Daytona Stakes for three-year-olds and up at five furlongs on turf after a seven-month absence. “He was a good horse last year for us,” Sadler said of the six-year-old Horse Greeley gelding. “He ran some good races with some good numbers. He ran a good second going five-eighths on the grass.

Also Saturday, Cistron attempts to prove his front-running, runaway 5 ¼-length romp in the Grade II Kona Gold April 20 was no aberration when he returns in the Grade II Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs. Prior to that, his 13 previous races were on the turf.

“We think seven-eighths is a good distance for him,” Sadler said.

On Sunday, he sends out Ginger Nut in the Grade II Monrovia Stakes for fillies and mares three and up at five furlongs on turf. “She beat three-year-olds at Keeneland (on April 12, rallying from 12th and last going 5 ½ furlongs on turf) but she’ll be in against older in the Monrovia, and it’s a bit early in the year for that, Sadler said, “but she’s got a really nice kick if there’s a good speed duel up front.”

“All our horses have been running really well, so we’re looking forward to this weekend.”

Monday is Dollar Day, with soda and beer on sale for a buck and hot dogs for $2.

PRIME ATTRACTION STAKES HIS CLAIM IN WHITTINGHAM

Prime Attraction makes his 16th straight stakes start in Saturday’s Grade II Charles Whittingham Stakes, all but one a graded event and six of them Grade I’s.

His lone win during a span that began in the Grade II Californian at Santa Anita more than two years ago, on April 22, 2017, came in the Grade III Native Diver on Nov. 25, 2017.

“He’s been pretty good and pretty consistent,” said Jim Cassidy, who trains the six-year-old Unbridled’s Song horse for principal client Deron Pearson, who campaigns as DP Racing. “The horse is doing fine since he came back from Kentucky (where he finished an eventful 12th in the Grade I Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on May 4).

“We’d like to win this race for more reasons than one, since I knew Charlie. He was a good man, and I did win the race in 2016 (with 11-1 shot Si Sage).”

FASIG-TIPTON JUVENILE PROSPECTS ON SITE FOR JUNE 5 SALE

With a sales catalogue that consists of 169 well-bred juveniles, Santa Anita’s first-ever Fasig-Tipton Two-Year-Old in Training Sale, scheduled for Wednesday, June 5, is taking shape as 50 horses are expected in the sale barns by this afternoon, according to Fasig-Tipton’s Michael Machowsky.

“We’ve got 40 here this morning and we expect to have 50 by late this afternoon,” said Machowsky. “We’ve got a terrific setup in close proximity to the seven furlong chute and these horses are all going to the racetrack each morning. We encourage people who are interested to stop by and inspect whoever they’d like.

“Additionally, they can watch them train from the Grandstand, watch them cool out and get to know them. All of our horses are going to the track with Fasig-Tipton saddle towels, which include their individual hip number, so they’re easy to keep track of out there.”

With the sale’s Under Tack Preview set for Monday, June 3, Machowsky noted that x-rays of each horse will be readily available.

“Every horse in the sale will have x-rays on file for review,” he said. “And prospective buyers can submit requests for credit applications online at info@fasigtipton.com, or they can fill out hard copy credit applications that are included in all of our catalogues, which are available in the Racing Office and at our Santa Anita sales location.”

The sale’s Under Tack Preview will take place beginning at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 3. Complete video of each horse’s on-track performance will be available on-site and at the Fasig-Tipton website.

The Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale will be conducted on Wednesday, June 5, beginning at 1 p.m. in Santa Anita’s Seabiscuit Walking Ring.

Vehicular access to the Fasig-Tipton Sales barns is best served by entering Santa Anita’s Gate 5, on its northeastern perimeter. For additional information, please visit fasigtipton.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

SANTA ANITA HOSTS JOCKEY BENEFIT JUNE 22

On June 22, a once a year fundraising event known as Jockeys and Jeans will be held at Santa Anita for the first time.

Started by retired riders for the benefit of their peers who have experienced catastrophic injuries, it will be the sixth annual event which to date has raised more than $1 million for fallen riders, with all proceeds benefitting the Permanent Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF).

The event schedule at Santa Anita: autograph signing from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. near the Paddock starting gate; Silent Auction available to all on-track fans, 11 a.m. throughout the day near the Paddock Starting Gate; and a Chandelier Room Party starting at 12 noon.

Cost to enter is $65.Cost for a guaranteed seat is $100, while a premium ticket guaranteeing seating, a morning barn tour and a signed Justify pennant goes for $200. Tickets include buffet lunch from 12 to 3 p.m.,racing program, wagering tip sheet, specialty silent and live auction items, ceremonial festivities, music and much more.

Those unable to attend may make a donation to the PDJF of $25 via santaanaita.com.

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FINISH LINES: Richard Mandella hopes karma is king when he sends out United in Saturday’s Grade II Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 ¼ miles on turf. Mandella is stabled at Barn 4, the former stomping grounds of the late, great trainer Charlie Whittingham, for whom the race is named. United, a Giant’s Causeway gelding, closed furiously in his last two starts, both at a mile, and will be making his stakes debut Saturday. “It looks like that’s what he wants to do,” Mandella said of the longer distance. Mandella also reports pre-race Kentucky Derby favorite Omaha Beach is “getting better” at WinStar Farm in Lexington after surgery for an entrapped epiglottis that forced him to miss the race, but, ‘We’re waiting on flight arrangements” before he returns to Santa Anita . . . The popular Spring Carnival at Santa Anita offers three days of exciting rides, games and entertainment this Memorial Day weekend, Saturday through Monday, May 27. Fans can enjoy the Red, White & Brew Beer and Sour Festival tomorrow. Purchase your package online and receive your own souvenir acrylic pint glass. For details, please visit santaanita.com/events . . . Adorable Corgis will compete during the annual SoCal Corgi Nationals Sunday at Santa Anita. For more info, visit socalcorgibeachday.com.