Santa Anita Stable Notes Thursday, March 28, 2024

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN
THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2024
Better Than Gold; Benoit
GIII LEWIS ALSO-RANS RETURN IN TURF ALLOWANCE FRIDAY
DUBAI WORLD CUP: BIG CAP WINNER NEWGATE 8-1 FOR BAFFERT
RACING CANCELED THIS WEEKEND; CARD ADDED NEXT THURSDAY
TOP-RATED ‘PETROS & MONEY’ SHOW AT SANTA ANITA FRIDAY

GIII LEWIS ALSO-RANS RETURN IN 3-YEAR-OLD ALLOWANCE FRIDAY
A pair of 3-year-olds who briefly tested the Triple Crown trail, Moonlit Sonata and Better Than Gold, return Friday on turf in a 1 1/8-mile allowance/optional claimer for 3-year-olds.
Moonlit Sonata, trained by Tim Yakteen, and Better Than Gold for trainer Gary Mandella made little impact when trying the GIII Robert B. Lewis at a mile here Feb. 3. Moonlit Sonata, dispatched at 73-1, was near the rear of the field throughout and checked in fifth, 14 ¼ lengths back of winner Nysos. Better Than Gold, let go at 17-1, beat just one horse to the wire to finish sixth by 14 ¾ lengths.
Better Than Gold, who will have Hall of Famer Mike Smith in the irons for his turf debut, is installed as the 4-1 second choice in a nine-horse field on Jon White’s morning line. Moonlit Sonata, who will also try turf for the first time, is 8-1.
The lukewarm 3-1 favorite is Formidable Man for trainer Michael McCarthy. A $275,000 auction purchase by City of Light, He most recently was second in a one-mile turf allowance here Feb. 24. The winner of that race, Twirling Point, returned to finish third in last Saturday’s Rushaway Stakes on synthetic at Turfway Park.
As for Better Than Gold, Mandella expects the son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist to improve with age and added distance. Out of the Afleet Alex mare Sweet Tess, he was purchased by owner Columbine Stable for $290,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Prior to the Lewis, Better Than Gold graduated going a mile on dirt at Del Mar Dec. 2 against what has proven to be a quality group. The runner-up, Imagination, most recently won the GII San Felipe here March 3 for Bob Baffert. He is possible for next weekend’s GI Santa Anita Derby. The third-place finisher, Tapalo, most recently finished second in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Feb. 10 The Tapiture ridgling is also expected to go in the Santa Anita Derby.
Moonlit Sonata is a Malibu Moon colt purchased for $75,000 as a yearling. Owned by Soma Racing LLC, he graduated on debut going 6 ½ furlongs on dirt at Del Mar in November and was fifth in the GII San Vicente prior to his try in the Lewis.
Better Than Gold and Moonlit Sonata go in the eighth and final race Friday. Post time is set for 4:39 p.m.PT. The field in post position order: Gold Foot, Kyle Frey (15-1); Bandwagon, Jeremy Laprida (6-1); Better Than Gold, Mike Smith (4-1); Mighty Kai, Luis Contreras (15-1); Uncle Truly, Kazushi Kimura (5-1); El Rey Rey, Armando Ayuso (5-1); Rastaman Vibe, Hector Berrios (6-1); Moonlit Sonata, Geovanni Franco (8-1); Formidable Man, Umberto Rispoli (3-1).

DUBAI WORLD CUP: BIG CAP WINNER NEWGATE 8-1 FOR BAFFERT
Newgate, winner of the GI Santa Anita Handicap here March 3, will break from post five under Frankie Dettori in Saturday’s GI, $12 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse.
Trained by Bob Baffert, Newgate is 8-1 on the morning line in a field of 12. The 5-2 favorite is Japan-based Ushba Tesoro, who won the race last year. He finished fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic here last November and most recently was second in the GI Saudi Cup in Riyadh Feb. 24.
Earlier on the Dubai World Cup card, Baffert will also run Hopkins in the GI, $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen at six furlongs on dirt. Hopkins, who will have Luis Saez in the irons, is the 6-1 third choice in a wide-open field of 14.
Also, trainer Doug O’Neill and jockey Edwin Maldonado will team with Santa Anita-based Two Rivers Over in the GII, $1 million Godolphin Mile on dirt. Two Rivers Over is 11-1 on the morning line.
A 4-year-old gelding by Tamarkuz, Two Rivers Over most recently was fourth in the GII San Pasqual at 1 1/8 miles for owners Todd Cady and Ty Leatherman. Prior to the San Pasqual, Two Rivers Over won the Zia Park Derby in November.
The Dubai World Cup program will be broadcast live on FS2 from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. PT. Post time for the Godolphin Mile with Two Rivers Over is 5:05 a.m. The Golden Shaheen goes at 7:25 a.m. with the Dubai World Cup closing the curtain at 9:35 a.m.
While there is no live racing Saturday at Santa Anita, the track will open at 7:30 a.m. with simulcast wagering available starting at 8 a.m. PT.

LIVE RACING CANCELED THIS WEEKEND; CARD ADDED NEXT THURSDAY
With heavy rain forecast for this weekend, Santa Anita has canceled live racing on Saturday and Sunday. A makeup card will be added next Thursday, April 4, with entries to be taken on Saturday. According to the National Weather Service, rain is expected to arrive in the area Friday evening and remain throughout the weekend.
Thursday’s makeup card will include both the GIII Wilshire Stakes on turf, which was scheduled for Saturday, and the GIII American Stakes on turf that was set to be run this Sunday. In addition to Thursday’s card, Santa Anita plans to run extra races Friday through Sunday. All races in the condition book for this weekend will be offered back next week.
Next Thursday’s card will start a four-day race week at Santa Anita, which is highlighted by the GI Santa Anita Derby card on Saturday, April 6. In addition to the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby, which is a major prep for the Kentucky Derby, the card will also include the GII, $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks, a major prep for the Kentucky Oaks; GIII, $200,000 Monrovia Stakes on the hillside turf course; and a pair of California-bred stakes, the $150,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for 3-year-olds and $150,000 Evening Jewel for 3-year-old fillies, both at six furlongs on dirt.
As a result of the cancellations, no Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 wagers will be offered this weekend. 1/ST Racing was scheduled to seed Saturday’s Coast-to-Coast pool with an additional $100,000. That will now take place with the Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 on Sunday, April 7.
Next weekend’s Santa Anita Derby card will be drawn on Wednesday.

TOP RATED ‘PETROS & MONEY’ BROADCASTS FRIDAY FROM SANTA ANITA
“Petros & Money,” the top-rated sports talk radio show in Los Angeles, will be broadcast live from Santa Anita Park Friday. Streamed by millions and aired on AM 570 KLAC every weekday from 3 to 7 p.m., “Petros & Money” hosts Petros Papadakis and Matt “Money” Smith will operate from Santa Anita’s Grandstand apron, adjacent to the Finish Line.
Papadakis is a former football captain and tailback at USC. In addition to co-hosting “Petros and Money,” he also currently serves as a Fox Sports college football analyst and is co-host of The Challenge, seen Sunday evenings after Football Night in America.
Smith, formerly of KROQ’s popular “Kevin and Bean Show,” has quickly become one of the most respected sports personalities in the country. Matt is a host for NFL Network and is the radio the play-by play announcer for the Los Angeles Chargers. Petros & Money have long supported horse racing in Southern California and will no doubt spend considerable time Friday discussing and interviewing the principals in the Grade I, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, April 6.
Produced by Tim Cates, Petros & Money has been a staple of Southern California sports radio since January 2007. The show provides listeners with an irreverent but wholly credible take on the world of sports and much more.
Fans are reminded that in addition to Petros & Money, admission and parking are free at Santa Anita on Friday. On-track fans also receive $3 beers and $5 margaritas.
Santa Anita will also offer “A Petros & Money VIP Trackside Experience” available for $35, which will provide exclusive finish line seating next to the live Petros & Money broadcast. There is also access to a Los Caballeros Taco Bar, Paddock Tours throughout the day and a free Santa Anita bucket hat in addition to a full afternoon of live racing and wagering.
For more information and to purchase tickets please visit www.santaanita.com/PMS.

FINISH LINES: Trainer George Papaprodromou is warming up at the Classic Meet. Papaprodromou won with three of six starters last weekend, which included a pair of wins on Sunday. Mobe Town ($2.80) won Sunday’s fourth race and Cathkin Peak ($6) came right back to score in the fifth. Papaprodromou has one horse entered Friday, When Heroes Fly, who is the 5-2 morning line favorite in the sixth race …Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux won his first race of the Classic Meet Sunday with favorite Ashcroft ($4) in the sixth race for trainer Bob Hess Jr…Trainer Doug O’Neill continues to hold a slim lead in the trainer’s standings. Entering this week’s action, O’Neill has 28 wins at the stand, which is three more than runner-up Mark Glatt (25)…First post Friday is 1 p.m. Every Friday at the Classic Meet on-track fans receive free parking and admission plus $3 beers and $5 margaritas.

SANTA ANITA STATISTICS
(Current Through Sunday, March 24, 2024 Inclusive)
Jockey Mts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% ITM% Money Won
Juan Hernandez 216 50 45 36 23% 61% $3,403,608
Flavien Prat 160 42 37 16 26% 59% $3,175,008
Antonio Fresu 229 40 37 30 17% 47% $2,542,540
Lanfranco Dettori 151 28 24 28 19% 53% $1,979,400
Hector Berrios 105 22 24 17 21% 60% $1,460,120
Umberto Rispoli 127 21 16 28 17% 51% $1,490,342
Kyle Frey 145 15 16 24 10% 38% $831,422
Tiago Pereira 113 15 13 17 13% 40% $935,222
Edwin Maldonado 90 15 11 15 17% 46% $923,020
Kazushi Kimura 144 14 21 20 10% 38% $994,924

Trainer Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Win% ITM% Money Won
Doug O’Neill 138 28 23 17 20% 49% $1,513,310
Mark Glatt 92 25 18 11 27% 59% $1,245,666
Bob Baffert 78 23 21 8 29% 67% $2,384,560
Philip D’Amato 127 22 22 11 17% 43% $1,776,042
Steve Knapp 104 20 14 17 19% 49% $760,100
John Sadler 92 18 18 15 20% 55% $1,323,926
Richard Mandella 47 14 7 4 30% 53% $1,020,440
Peter Eurton 76 12 16 10 16% 50% $791,426
Michael McCarthy 78 12 10 16 15% 49% $1,041,220
Jeff Mullins 70 11 8 16 16% 50% $602,860

About The Stronach Group
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 Stronach Group’s 1/ST business (pronounced “First”) is North America’s preeminent Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering company and includes the 1/ST RACING & GAMING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY and 1/ST EXPERIENCE 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 & GAMING drives the best-in-class racing operations and gaming offerings at the company’s premier racetracks and training centers including: Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, Gulfstream Park West and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); the Maryland Jockey Club at Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course – home of the legendary Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is the operating group for 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, TSG Global Wagering Solutions (GWS) and XBTV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST EXPERIENCE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality through innovative content development, elevated national and local venue management and hospitality, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and procurement development. 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. The Stronach Group’s TSG Properties is responsible for the development of the company’s live, play and work communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). For more information, visit www.1st.com or follow @1ST_racing on Twitter or @1stracing on Instagram and Facebook.

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