Santa Anita Stable Notes Friday, June 2, 2023

BY VICTOR RYAN —-


STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN
FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 2023

THE ALYS LOOK, 3RD IN KENTUCKY OAKS, COMES WEST FOR GII SUMMERTIME
Three days after running a good third in the May 5 Kentucky Oaks, The Alys Look found herself in a new home with a new trainer. No longer was she a part of the powerhouse Brad Cox stable.
Instead, in the aftermath of the Kentucky Oaks, owners Ike and Dawn Thrash transferred The Alys Look and seven other horses from Cox to relative newcomer Christopher Davis. On Saturday, the 34-year-old Davis will saddle his first starter at Santa Anita when The Alys Look goes in the GII Summertime Oaks at 1 1/16 miles. She is the 5-2 favorite on the morning line.
“These are the opportunities you work for,” said Davis, who hails from a racing background. His mother is the longtime Chicagoland trainer Liane P. Davis and father is racetrack veteran Herschel Davis.
The Alys Look, who was 30-1 when beaten just 2 ¾ lengths by Pretty Mischievous in the Kentucky Oaks, will break from the rail under Hall of Famer Mike Smith on Saturday.
“Brad did a fantastic job with her. She’s very sound, a big rangy two-turn horse,” Davis said. “She’s extremely classy, nothing seems to faze her. She has handled shipping cross country just fine.”
The Alys Look arrived at Santa Anita a week ago Wednesday, May 24. She has not had a work locally. Her last drill was May 19 at Keeneland when going four furlongs in 48.80 seconds. Instead of a timed workout at Santa Anita, Davis has given The Alys Look a series of mile and one half gallops to prepare.
“Obviously she ran hard going a mile-and-an-eighth in the Kentucky Oaks,” Davis said.
“She’s a big filly, but not a heavy filly. I liked what I saw with her last work. She’s fit. I just wanted to get her fresh as possible so she isn’t dull. It seems like she handled the surface and track here just fine.”
By Connect, The Alys Look is proving to be a consistent filly for the Thrashes. Prior to the Kentucky Oaks, she won the Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds Jan. 21 and was third in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks March 25. She has not missed the board since earning her diploma at Fair Grounds Dec. 1.
“Se seems to always run her race,” Davis said.
The decision to ship West for the Summertime was based on a number of factors, he added.
“There really aren’t any Grade II’s back east until later in the summer. We’d like to win a graded stakes with her and timing wise this set up good for our plan,” Davis said. “We also wanted to dodge some of the heavy heads out there that are going to the Grade I Acorn at Belmont Park.”
Davis said his history with the Thrashes dates back to his time as an assistant for trainer Michael Stidham. They approached him “a few months ago” asking how many horses he had and if he’d be willing to take more.
“I said absolutely,” Davis said.
After starting with two horses in October 2016, Davis now has about 30 under his care at his Keeneland base. In addition to The Alys Look, the Thrashes also sent him four 2-year-olds and three other horses.
“It’s been a grind,” Davis said of his young training career. “This is a very competitive business to get started in, especially when you are a little younger. You just have to work hard and eventually get lucky. Hope for an opportunity. Kind of like this one, where somebody takes a chance on you.”
Davis’s last stint as an assistant was at Santa Anita with trainer Phil D’Amato, who he said played a key a role in giving him his start.
“Phil asked me if I want to go out on my own. He said he had a guy with a couple of horses to get me started if I wanted to go back to the Midwest,” Davis said. “I thought about it for a while, figured it would be a good fit, so I jumped at it.”
Davis’s first win came Nov. 27 2016 at Fair Grounds with the Irish-bred Uncork the York. He now has 146 wins to his credit. Davis’s lone graded stakes triumph came in the 2021 GIII Modesty Stakes at Arlington Park with Naval Laughter.
“Hopefully we’ll get another one Saturday,” Davis said. “I think she stacks up well, at least numbers wise. You never know until they actually run against each other obviously.”
The Summertime goes as the eighth race on Saturday’s nine-race card. Post time is scheduled for 4:44 p.m. The field in post position order: The Alys Look, Mike Smith (5-2); Window Shopping, Hector Berrios (5-1); And Tell Me Nolies, Ramon Vazquez (4-1); Lily Poo, Umberto Rispoli (8-1); Doinitthehardway, Juan Hernandez (3-1); Ancient Peace, Tiago Pereira (8-1); Anywho, Joe Bravo (3-1).

MANDELLA SEEKS A STAKES DOUBLE IN AFFIRMED, GII SUMMERTIME
Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella has been limited to one stakes win at Santa Anita dating back to Dec. 26. He’ll try and double that total this weekend with Window Shopping in the GII Summertime Oaks on Saturday and Geaux Rocket Ride in Sunday’s 1 1/16-mile Affirmed for 3-year-olds.
Window Shopping is listed as the 4-1 fourth choice on the morning line for the Summertime. She will be ridden for a second-straight time by Hector Berrios.
Most recently, Window Shopping was a troubled third in the GII Santa Anita Oaks won by Faiza April 8. She broke slow in the 1 1/16 miles Oaks and had just one horse beaten through the opening half mile. Near the three-eighths pole, Window Shopping was bumped by stablemate Venganza and had to “check hard,” according to the chart notes.
She finished willingly to take the show.
“It was significant I thought,” Mandella said of the trouble. “My other filly came out on her.”
By Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Window Shopping has returned to work five times since the Oaks, which includes a pair of six-furlong drills.
“I’m anxious to see how she does,” said Mandella, whose lone stakes win this season at Santa Anita was in the GIII Senorita with Teena Ella, a daughter of Hall of Famer Beholder.
Window Shopping was a $700,000 auction purchase as a yearling. She is campaigned by Perry and Ramona Bass. Prior to the Oaks, Window Shopping aired by 16 ½ lengths in a one-mile maiden race that was taken off the turf here March 17.
Pin Oak Stud’s Geaux Rocket Ride will be making his first start since being scratched from the GI Santa Anita Derby April 8 due to illness. A $350,000 auction purchase as a yearling, the Candy Ride colt won his debut here by 5 ½ lengths when going six furlongs Jan. 29. Stretched to 1 1/16 miles for the GII San Felipe here March 4, he was second beaten 2 ½ lengths by eventual Santa Anita Derby winner Practical Move.
On the morning of the Santa Anita Derby, Geaux Rocket Ride’s temperature spiked to 103.2, Mandella reported. It was more than three weeks before he returned to the work tab. Since May 1, Geaux Rocket Ride has five works including a seven-furlong move in 1:26.40 on May 26. On Friday, he was timed going two furlongs in 24.00 seconds.
“He had to miss some time when he got sick, but he’s been doing great,” Mandella said.
“I think he’s ready. It’s nice to have him back.”
Geaux Rocket Ride will start from the outside post in a six-horse field set for the Affirmed. Jockey Ramon Vazquez will be aboard for the first time.
The Affirmed goes as the eighth race on Sunday’s nine-race card. Post time is scheduled for 4:44 p.m. The field in post position order: Ze’bul, Abel Cedillo (10-1); Skinner, Mike Smith (9-5); Del Mar Jerry, Kent Desormeaux (6-1); Mr Fisk, Juan Hernandez (5-1); Hard to Figure, Tiago Pereira (5-1); Geaux Rocket Ride, Ramon Vazquez (8-5).

TAIBA WORKS ANOTHER STIFF SEVEN FURLONGS FOR NEXT WEEK’S GI MET MILE
Multiple Grade I winner Taiba had his second-straight seven-furlong workout Friday in preparation for the Grade I Metropolitan Handicap a week from Saturday at Belmont Park.
Taiba completed his workout in 1:27.40. Last Saturday, Taiba worked seven furlongs in 1:25.60.
A 4-year-old colt by Gun Runner, Taiba has not started since a disappointing eighth-place finish as the favorite in the GI Saudi Cup Feb. 25 in Riyadh. Prior to that effort he won the GI Malibu going seven furlongs here Dec. 26.
Taiba has a record of 4-1-1 in eight starts with $2,356,200 in earnings for owner Zedan Racing Stables.
There were 93 timed workouts combined between the main track and training track on what was another overcast morning at Santa Anita.

FINISH LINES: Closing day of the Santa Anita Hollywood Meet is June 18…The Santa Anita Infield will host a Family Fun Zone on Saturdays and Sundays through the remainder of the meet. Attractions include inflatable jumpers, arts and crafts, face painting, pony ride, carnival games and more…Jose Arias and Dennis Decauwer, both enshrined in the National Handicapping Championship Hall of Fame, will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guests Saturday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:50…Every Friday on-track fans will receive free parking and admission plus $3 beers and $5 margaritas.