SANTA ANITA STABLE NOTES

By Ed Golden —-

IRONY IN PLAY FOR PRAT IN SHOEMAKER
MEMORIAL DAY IS ONE OF APPRECIATION
DISTANCE SHOULD HELP LITTLE BIRD FLY
AUTHENTIC DRILLS SIX FURLONGS FOR SA DERBY
WHERE THERE’S A (WAR OF) WILL, THERE’S A PRAT

Racing takes strange twists and turns on occasion, to wit: tomorrow, when America celebrates Memorial Day, Flavien Prat rides War of Will for trainer Mark Casse in the Grade I Shoemaker Mile.

As fate has it, War of Will is the horse that was interfered with in the Kentucky Derby last May 4 when ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, resulting in the disqualification of Maximum Security from first, moving Prat and his mount, Country House, from second to first, awarding the 27-year-old Frenchman his first victory in the Run for the Roses.

War of Will finished eighth in the Derby but was promoted to seventh.

“Casse called me and asked if we’d be open to ride in the Shoemaker,” explained Prat’s agent of six years, Derek Lawson. “When the smoke cleared and we were available, I called back and said, ‘You got us.’”

Meanwhile, this morning, both jockey and agent were still basking in the victory glow of Saturday’s Charles Whittingham Stakes, in which Prat guided favored United to a nose triumph in arguably one of the most exciting renewals of the race named for the late, great Hall of Fame trainer.

“It was a race Charlie Whittingham would have appreciated,” Lawson said. “When you watch the head bob on the slow-motion replay, it looks like United got his head down just at the right time.

“But Flavien actually thought he got beat. Then when he came back and saw the numbers flashing (on the tote board due to the inquiry) and saw his number (five) was first, he knew he won.”

In the first five days of the recently revived meet at Santa Anita, Prat has 15 wins and 60 overall, 16 ahead of runner-up Abel Cedillo.

The Whittingham was Prat’s third stakes win this meet, giving him 74 in his career at Santa Anita, fourth among active riders behind three Hall of Fame members, Kent Desormeaux, Victor Espinoza and Mike Smith.

Amazingly, Bill Shoemaker, for whom tomorrow’s headliner is named, is the career leader in stakes wins at Santa Anita with 260. He is followed by Laffit Pincay Jr. (253), Chris McCarron (242), Gary Stevens (212), Eddie Delahoussaye (159) and Alex Solis (151), each retired and each enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

The Shoemaker is the first Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In’ Challenge Race in the United States this year, which entitles the nominated winner automatic entry into the 2020 TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland on Nov. 7.

The field for the Shoemaker Mile, race nine of 11 with a 12:30 p.m. first post time: Without Parole, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 4-1; True Valour, Jose Valdivia, Jr., 20-1; Next Shares, John Velazquez, 12-1; Voodoo Song, Mike Smith, 12-1; War of Will, Flavien Prat, 4-1; Blitzkrieg, Drayden Van Dyke, 20-1; Majestic Eagle, Jorge Velez, 20-1; Raging Bull, Joel Rosario, 7-2; March to the Arch, Victor Espinoza, 6-1; Neptune’s Storm, Umberto Rispoli, 15-1; and River Boyne, Abel Cedillo, 4-1.

FORMER MARINE KNUST GRATEFUL ON MEMORIAL DAY

Memorial Day holds far greater significance for Tom Knust than it does for most Americans.

His credo has been family, country and racing, serving each with faith and fervor. He joined the Marines in 1967, served in the Vietnam War, had a bullet enter and exit his helmet and brain, and was one of only two survivors in his squad of nine men.

He was paralyzed for eight months and now, at age 72, still walks with a pronounced limp.

But his spirit remains that of an unimpaired sprinter as he performs his duties as a jockeys’ agent, currently representing top echelon journeyman Abel Cedillo and Evin Roman, the Eclipse Award-winning rider as outstanding apprentice of 2017.

“On Memorial Day we honor the men and women who gave their lives fighting in wars for our freedom,” Knust said. “I feel very lucky I survived being shot in Vietnam and ultimately had a chance to have a family, see my kids grow up and enjoy my grandkids.

“I think of those whose relatives died fighting to preserve our country and our freedom.

I’m blessed that I was able to have a good life.”

LITTLE BIRD WEDDED WITH HONEYMOON DISTANCE

Richard Baltas hopes additional distance will favor Little Bird in next Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Honeymoon Stakes for three-year-old fillies at a mile and an eighth on turf.

On form and running style, the Irish-bred daughter of Free Eagle, owned by a partnership that includes Baltas, looks like she will appreciate the distance of the Honeymoon.

She rallied from 13th and last to finish ninth, beaten only four lengths, in the restricted China Doll at one mile on March 7 behind California-bred Warren’s Showtime, a multiple stakes winner.

“Yes, the extra distance should help her,” Baltas said of Little Bird. “She doesn’t have a lot of speed; she’s one of those Euros that wants to make one run.”

Little Bird worked five furlongs on the training track yesterday in 1:05.

FINISH LINES: Authentic, Bob Baffert’s early favorite for the Grade I Santa Anita Derby on June 6, worked six furlongs this morning with Drayden Van Dyke up in 1:12 flat and “galloped out strong,” according to XBTV’s Millie Ball. Shooters Shoot, also likely for the Derby on June 6, worked six furlongs Saturday in 1:13 for Peter Eurton, while the trainer’s Eclipse Award winner as champion two-year-old male of 2019 Storm the Court went four furlongs in 48.60. Eurton does not expect the bay son of Court Vision to race until Del Mar…Baffert worked a pair of three-year-old fillies in company this morning, unbeaten Gamine and Gingham, who was second two starts back in the Grade II Las Virgenes on Feb. 2, were both clocked a half mile in 48.80…RECOMMENDED VIEWING: Santa Anita’s Memorial Day pre-race handicapping seminar. Hosted by Tom Quigley, his guest will again be the inimitable Voice of Santa Anita, Frank Mirahmadi, who provides players with an unscripted stream of consciousness that is both entertaining and informative. “Game time” is from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.

LATEST CONTENT FROM XBTV:

WORKOUTS:

Authentic (Baffert) 5-24-20

Midcourt (Shirreffs) 5-24-20

McKale (Baffert) 5-24-20

Ce Ce (McCarthy) 5-24-20

Storm the Court (inside) and Absolute Unit (Eurton) 5-23-20

Thousand Words (Baffert) 5-23-20

Higher Power (Outside) (Sadler) 5-22-20

Toinette (Drysdale) 5-22-20

Honor A. P. (Outside) and Mobou (Shirreffs) 5-22-20

War of Will (Casse) 5-21-20

March to the Arch (Casse) 5-21-20

Raging Bull (Brown) 5-21-20

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The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The company’s consumer facing brand 1/ST (pronounced “First”) powers The Stronach Group’s forward-thinking 1/ST Racing, 1/ST Technology, 1/ST Live and 1/ST Properties businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST Horse Care mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST Racing drives the best-in-class horse racing operations at the company’s premier racetracks and training centers including: Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields and San Luis Rey (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, and Gulfstream Park West (Florida); and Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course – home of the legendary Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST Technology is horse racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX, Betmix, Monarch and XBTV brands. 1/ST Live blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality by delivering uniquely curated events such as InfieldFest and Pegasus LIV Stretch Village. 1/ST Properties is responsible for the development of the company’s live, work and play communities surrounding its racing venues including, The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST Horse Care represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred racing on and off the track. For more information please visit www.1st.com.