Santa Anita Stable Notes Thursday, May 4, 2023

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN
THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2023

PRACTICAL MOVE OUT DUE TO ILLNESS, MANDARIN HERO CLOSE
TRAINING CANCELED THURSDAY AFTER HEAVY RAIN HITS AREA
BLACKER’S BIG WEEKEND INCLUDES 1ST STAKES WIN OF SEASON
SOON TO BE HALL OF FAMER NAKATANI WILL BE HONORED FRIDAY
SANTA ANITA WILL HOST KENTUCKY DERBY WATCH PARTY

DERBY WEEK: SANTA ANITA HORSES, JOCKEYS INVADE CHURCHILL DOWNS
Southern California racing fans will have no shortage of rooting interests this week at Churchill Downs, which hosts the 149th Kentucky Derby on Saturday and the Kentucky Oaks on Friday.
Led by Tim Yakteen and Phil D’Amato, who each entered six horses this week in Louisville, seven different Santa Anita-based trainers and five jockeys will all compete at Churchill Downs. Below is a quick rundown of the participants:
TRAINERS
Tim Yakteen (6): Yakteen entered Practical Move (10-1) and Reincarnate (50-1) in the Kentucky Derby, but Practical Move was scratched Thursday after spiking a fever. Santa Anita Derby runner-up Mandarin Hero is now next-in at #21 on the Also Eligible List. Also on Saturday, Yakteen has Fort Bragg (9-2) and Kangaroo Court (8-1) in the GII Pat Day Mile; Johannes (15-1) in the GII American Turf; and Dillinger (7-2) in a maiden special weight that goes as the 14th and last race on Saturday.
Phil D’Amato (6): On Friday, he has Desert Dawn (20-1) in the GI La Troienne; Comanche Country (10-1) in the GII Edgewood; and Curl Girl (7-2) in a first-level allowance for 3-year-old fillies that goes as race 12; On Saturday, he has Motorious (8-1) in the GII Turf Sprint Stakes and both Hong Kong Harry (7-2) and Earls Rock (10-1) in the GI Turf Classic.
Peter Miller (5): On Thursday, he runs Radical Right (7-2) in the sixth race, a third-level allowance going seven furlongs on dirt. On Friday, And Tell Me Nolies (15-1) goes in the Kentucky Oaks. The on Saturday, Miller will start Perfect Flight (20-1) in the Knicks Go and both C Z Rocket (10-1) and Get Her Number (12-1) in the GI Churchill Downs.
Michael McCarthy (4): While McCarthy is based at Santa Anita, all four starters running at Churchill Downs are part of the regular string he keeps in Kentucky. On Friday, Musical Mischief (10-1) and Swanson Lake (10-1) are entered in a maiden special weight that goes as the 13th and final. On Saturday, Sir Rock (15-1) goes in maiden special weight on dirt and Lugan Knight (20-1) goes in the GII Pat Day Mile.
Doug O’Neill (2): On Saturday, he will start Tall Boy (20-1) in the GII Pat Day Mile and Golden Sombrero (15-1) in the 14th and final a maiden going seven furlongs on dirt.
George Papaprodromou (2): Time to Party (20-1) runs in Thursday’s feature, the Opening Verse Stakes at a mile on turf. On Saturday, Noble Reflection (15-1) is entered in the GII Turf Sprint.
John Shirreffs (1): He will try for a second Kentucky Derby win on Saturday with Skinner, who was a close third in the Santa Anita Derby and is 20-1 on the morning line for the 1 ¼-mile classic.

JOCKEYS
Juan Hernandez (5): Having never ridden at Churchill Downs, he’ll have his first mount in Friday’s 12th race aboard Charlie’s Wish (10-1) for trainer David Fawkes in a first-level allowance going 1 1/16 miles on dirt. On Saturday he’ll ride the opener, a first-level allowance sprint on the main track, aboard Western Ghent (20-1) for trainer D. Wayne Lukas. His other mounts come aboard Noble Drama (30-1) in the Knicks Go; Ocean Atlantique (20-1) in the GI Turf Classic and Skinner (20-1) in the Kentucky Derby.
Ramon Vazquez (4): After riding at Churchill Downs on both Tuesday and Wednesday, he had two mounts booked for Thursday including Georgie W, who was scratched from the fifth race. In the 11th race, a $25,000 claimer going six furlongs on dirt, he rides All Eyes West (8-1) for trainer Robertino Diodoro. Vazquez also rides And Tell Me Nolies (15-1) in the Kentucky Oaks Friday and Practical Move (10-1) in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.
Umberto Rispoli (4): On Friday he rides Desert Dawn (20-1) in the GI La Troienne and Comanche Country (10-1) in the GII Edgewood. On Saturday, he will be aboard Noble Reflection (15-1) in the GII Turf Sprint and Johannes (15-1) in the GII American Turf.
Joe Bravo (1): He has one mount on Thursday aboard Time to Party (20-1) in the Opening Verse Stakes.
Edwin Maldonado (1): He rides Tranche (12-1) Thursday in the Kentucky Juvenile for trainer Luis Mendez.

TRAINING CANCELED THURSDAY DUE TO HEAVY RAIN; NO WORKERS FRIDAY
Both the main track and training track were closed Thursday morning after approximately an inch of rain fell overnight before clearing out around 8 a.m.
According to the Racing Office, Friday’s training will be limited to joggers and gallopers. There will be no timed workouts. Santa Anita has a nine-race program scheduled for Friday, which includes four turf races.
Racing at Santa Anita will continue on Saturday with an 11-race program highlighted by the GIII Senorita for 3-year-old fillies on the hillside turf course and Lazaro Barrera for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs on the main track. Sunday’s card, which includes the Singletary Stakes for 3-year-olds going a mile on turf, will be drawn later Thursday.

BLACKER’S BIG WEEKEND INCLUDES 1ST STAKES WIN OF THE SEASON
Trainer Dan Blacker was a perfect 3-for-3 at Santa Anita last weekend, which included his first stakes win of the year with Queen Ofthe Temple in Sunday’s Santa Barbara Stakes on turf.
In the 1 ½-mile Santa Barbara, Queen Of the Temple ($6.40) stalked the pace under Joe Bravo before uncorking a bid in the stretch to win by a neck over 6-5 favorite Duvet Day. It was the first stakes win for the 5-year-old daughter of Temple City.
Blacker’s other wins came with Issa Court ($3.20) in a $20,000 claimer on Sunday and El Potente ($3.60) in a starter allowance on turf on Sunday.
“It was a great weekend. Just really happy for all the owners,” Blacker said Thursday.
Queen Ofthe Temple exited the Santa Barbara in good order, he added. In her three starts prior to the Santa Barbara, she was third in the GIII Red Carpet last fall at Del Mar and second in both the Jan. 21 Astra Stakes and GIII Santa Ana on March 12, both at Santa Anita.
“She’s a tough filly that has always been knocking on the door. She runs her good race every time, so it was very gratifying to get a stakes win. That will help her as a broodmare,” Blacker said.
Queen Ofthe Temple is owned by Radley Equine, Roger Featherston, Rick Gold and Tony E. Maslowski. Blacker said the next major goal will be getting her a win in a graded stakes. But first up could be a start in the June 18 Possible Perfect going 1 ¼-miles at Santa Anita.
“We’re not really sure what’s next, but the key to her are longer distances,” Blacker said. “We’ll keep her nominated to various races. The Possibly Perfect is the next one that makes sense. But the big thing we want for her is a graded stakes win or Grade I placing.”

FINISH LINES: Recently minted Hall of Fame jockey Corey Nakatani will be honored at Santa Anita with the Corey Nakatani Hall of Fame Purse which is carded as Race 5 on Friday…Santa Anita will host a Kentucky Derby Trackside Watch Party Saturday. For $55, fans will receive a Practical Move Santa Anita Derby Winner T-Shirt, beverage of your choice which includes Mint Juleps, a reserved picnic table seat, admission and parking, program and tip sheet plus a $5 betting voucher… Every Friday at Santa Anita on-track fans will receive free admission and parking plus $3 beers and $5 margaritas…There is a Rainbow 6 Jackpot carryover of $277,762.26 entering Friday’s card…Ticket to this year’s Breeders’ Cup Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita on are now on sale. Tickets can be purchased at BreedersCup.com/tickets…ADMISSION GATES WILL OPEN ON FRIDAY AND KENTUCKY DERBY DAY, SATURDAY AT 7:15 A.M. FIRST LIVE RACE POST ON FRIDAY IS AT 1 P.M. AND ON DERBY DAY, FIRST POST IS 12:30 P.M.