SANTA ANITA: CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH DAY PREVIEWS

By Mike Willman —-

KMN RACING’S SMUGGLER’S RUN HEADS SATURDAY’S $150,000 SNOW CHIEF STAKES FOR 3-YEAR-OLDS AT 1 1/8 MILES ON TURF

ARCADIA, Calif. (May 25, 2022)—KMN Racing’s homebred Smuggler’s Run, fresh off a sprint stakes victory on dirt, will transition to turf and stretch out to a mile and one eighth as he heads a field of six sophomores in Saturday’s $150,000 Snow Chief Stakes at Santa Anita.

The Snow Chief is one of five statebred stakes on California Gold Rush Day that are part of the lucrative CTBA-sponsored Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired horses.

An impressive 2 ¾ length winner of the Echo Eddie Stakes going 6 ½ furlongs here on April 9, Smuggler’s Run, a 3-year-old gelding by Straight Fire out of the Kitten’s Joy mare Maddie’s Odyssey, will be making his first start for John Sadler, as he’d been with trainer Richard Baltas for his last four starts, three of them turf sprints.

A first-out Cal-bred maiden winner going six furlongs for trainer Ruben Alvarado Jan. 1, Smuggler’s Run is the leading money earner in the field with $190,040 and has an overall mark of 5-3-1-0.

A one mile turf allowance winner versus Cal-breds here on April 17, the Jeff Mullins-trained Bally’s Charm was third at the same allowance condition going a mile and one eighth on turf and is well positioned for a big effort on Saturday.

Owned and bred by Red Baron’s Barn, LLC and Vaya Con Suerte, Bally’s Charm, who has been ridden exclusively by Jessica Pyfer, has raced exclusively around two turns on turf and has two wins from five starts with earnings of $101,340.

Based at Golden Gate Fields, Mr. and Mrs. Larry D. Williams’ homebred Royal ’n Rando rallied for a gutty nose victory going a flat mile on turf in the Silky Sullivan Stakes at Golden Gate and has won four out of his last six starts under the direction of veteran trainer Steve Specht.

A gelding by Tamarando out of the Grand Slam mare Royal Grand Slam, Royal ’n Rando has an overall mark of 11-4-2-1 with earnings of $106,568 and will be handled for the 12th consecutive time by jockey Frank Alvarado.

Third, beaten 1 ¼ lengths by Royal ’Rando as the 3-5 favorite in the Silky Sullivan, Reddam Racing’s homebred Worse Read Sanchez was third, beaten three quarters of a length as the even money favorite by Bally’s Charm in a one mile turf allowance here on April 17.

Trained by Doug O’Neill, Worse Read Sanchez, who is by Square Eddie out of the Tapit mare Walkingonadream, has an overall mark of 8-1-1-2 with earnings of $81,380 and will be reunited with Mario Gutierrez on Saturday.

THE $150,000 SNOW CHIEF STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 5 of 9 Approximate post time 3 p.m. PT

Royal ’n Rando—Frank Alvarado—124
So I’m Told—Ryan Curatolo—120
Vincero Grande—Juan Hernandez—117
Bally’s Charm—Jessica Pyfer—122
Worse Read Sanchez—Mario Gutierrez—120
Smuggler’s Run—Joe Bravo—120

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 1 p

KRIKORIAN’S HOMEBRED BIG SWITCH HEADS SATURDAY’S $150,000 MELAIR STAKES FOR 3-YEAR-OLD FILLIES AT 1 1/16 MILES

RACE IS PART OF LUCRATIVE CTBA-SPONSORED GOLDEN STATE SERIES

ARCADIA, Calif. (May 25, 2022)—George Krikorian’s homebred Big Switch, a statebred stakes winner at two, heads a field of six sophomore fillies going a mile and one sixteenth in Saturday’s $150,000 Melair Stakes at Santa Anita.

The Melair is one of five statebred stakes on California Gold Rush Day that are part of the lucrative CTBA-sponsored Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired horses.

A California-bred stakes winner in her second start, Big Switch, who will also be stretching out for the first time, rates a huge chance in what will be her fifth career start for John Sadler. By hot sire Mr. Big out of the Malibu Moon mare Two Faced Moon, Big Switch has been idle since running fifth, beaten 3 ¼ lengths in an open allowance at 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf on Feb. 25.

A filly of considerable promise, Big Switch tried the deep waters of the Grade II Santa Ynez Stakes following her win in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies three starts back on Nov. 5 at Del Mar, finishing fourth, at odds of 8-5.

With two wins from four tries, Big Switch has banked $155,544.

Nick Alexander’s homebred Rose Maddox, who has been in the money in seven out of her eight starts, comes off a second place finish as the 2-5 favorite in an open first condition allowance going six furlongs on synthetic Tapeta May 14 at Golden Gate Fields. Unbeaten in her lone start over the Santa Anita main track, a six furlong allowance versus statebreds three starts back on April 1, Rose Maddox will try two turns on dirt for the second time.

Trained by Steve Miyadi, Rose Maddox will be reunited with Kyle Frey, who guided her to consecutive wins here on April 15 (mile turf allowance) and on April 1 in the aforementioned six furlong main track allowance.

With an overall mark of 8-3-3-1 and earnings of $149,440, Rose Maddox will be making her second stakes appearance.

THE $150,000 MELAIR STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Rose Maddox—Kyle Frey–122
Big Switch—Juan Hernandez—120
Everlys Girl—Umberto Rispoli—120
Roman Empress—Ryan Curatolo—120
It’s Simple—Mario Gutierrez—120
Youteyourhonor—Tyler Baze–122

ALEXANDER’S HOMEBRED ALICE MARBLE HEADS SATURDAY’S $100,000 FRAN’S VALENTINE STAKES AS CAL-BRED DISTAFFERS GO ONE MILE ON TURF

RACE IS PART OF LUCRATIVE CTBA-SPONSORED GOLDEN STATE SERIES

ARCADIA, Calif. (May 25, 2022)—A gem of consistency sprinting, Nick Alexander’s homebred Alice Marble heads a field of seven fillies and mares three and up going one mile on turf in Saturday’s $100,000 Fran’s Valentine Stakes at Santa Anita.

The Fran’s Valentine is one of five statebred stakes on California Gold Rush Day that are part of the lucrative CTBA-sponsored Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired horses.

Fresh off three outstanding turf sprints, Alice Marble was most recently second, beaten a half length in the Grade II Monrovia Stakes going 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf on April 9. A winner of the restricted Wishing Well Stakes two starts back on Feb. 26, she’ll be ridden for the first time by Juan Hernandez.

A 5-year-old mare by Grazen out of the More Than Ready mare Unsung Heroine, Alice Marble will likely be on the lead or close to it in what will be her 11th career start. With four wins, two seconds and a third place finish, she has earnings of $261,180 as she seeks her second added money win.

Although she’ll be making only her second stakes appearance, Next Wave Racing’s Sassyserb comes off a sharp head victory in an open second condition allowance at a one mile on turf April 30 at Golden Gate Fields and she’s won four out of her nine starts, dating back to August of 2019 at a mile on grass.

A 5-year-old mare by Circumference out of the Rock Hard Ten mare Incredible Ten, Sassyserb, who will be ridden back by Joe Bravo, had been trained by Richard Baltas but is now trained by George Papaprodromou. With an overall mark of 18-4-4-3, she has earnings of $219,395.

Most recently second, beaten 2 ½ lengths going a mile and one eighth on turf here in an open first condition allowance, Self Isolation posted sharp gate to wire wins at one mile on grass two and three starts back versus statebreds. On April 1, she took a first condition allowance over well regarded Vivacious Vanessa and three starts back on Feb. 21, she was thoroughly dominant in breaking her maiden by 7 ½ lengths.

Owned and bred by Paul Reddam and trained by Doug O’Neill, Self Isolation appears very much on the improve as she makes her first stakes appearance. With an overall mark of 9-2-2-2, she has earnings of $130,800.

THE $100,000 FRAN’S VALENTINE STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 9 Approximate post time 5 p.m. PT

Flying to the Line—Ryan Curatolo—122
Super Game—Drayden Van Dyke—122
Fi Fi Pharoah—Kyle Frey—126
Sassyverb—Joe Bravo–124
Alice Marble—Juan Hernandez–122
Self Isolation—Mario Gutierrez—122
Pulpit Rider—Tyler Baze–126

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 1 p.m.

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