Santa Anita Stable Notes Sunday, March 9, 2025

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

KIMURA SET TO RETURN FROM INJURY ON MARCH 21 AT SANTA ANITA

Jockey Kazushi Kimura is slated to return to action March 21, more than two months after suffering a lower leg injury while in the starting gate.

Agent Brian Beach Sunday morning said Kimura will begin getting on horses during morning training towards the end of next week. His return coincides with the new condition book that runs through the end of the Classic Meet on April 6.

“He’s a really hard worker and has been diligent in his physical therapy,” Beach said. “He’s doing everything known to man trying to get back.”

Kimura’s injury was to his left ankle. While initially not expected to miss much time, persistent swelling and other issues led to a longer recovery time for the 25-year-old native of Japan. Beach said doctors put two screws into Kimura’s injured ankle and last week he flew to Costa Rica for stem cell therapy

At the time of the injury, Kimura ranked third in earnings among jockeys at the Classic Meet and was fourth in wins. His victories included the GI La Brea with Kopion for trainer Richard Mandella, the GIII Las Flores aboard Richi and Blue Norther on Casalu. Both Richi and Casalu are trained by Bob Baffert.

Kopion returned to win the GII Santa Monica Feb. 1 and Richi was a gallant second in Saturday’s GI B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile. Kopion and Richi in those starts were both ridden by Antonio Fresu. Casalu returned to win the Sweet Life on Feb. 9 with Flavien Prat aboard.

“It’s been tough,” Beach acknowledged. “He was riding a lot of good horses.”

Kimura has been riding in the U.S. and Canada since 2018. That year he won the Canada’s Sovereign Award as outstanding apprentice jockey. The following year, he won the Eclipse Award as outstanding apprentice jockey. Kimura was also Canada’s outstanding jockey in both 2021 and 2022.

In North America, Kimura has won 939 races and banked $40,487,619 in earnings.

EAGLES FLIGHT

BENOIT PHOTO

CAVALIERI, EAGLES FLIGHT EARN TRIPLE DIGIT BEYERS SATURDAY

Cavalieri and Eagles Flight each earned triple digit Beyer Speed Figures for their smashing wins Saturday at Santa Anita.

Cavalieri, trained by Bob Baffert, won the GI B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile by a half-length over stablemate Richi to remain perfect in four starts. She covered a mile in 1:34.96, which earned a 101 Beyer according to Daily Racing Form’s Brad Free.

Baffert Sunday morning reported Cavalieri and Richi “both came out of the race great.”

Cavalieri, who Baffert dubbed “a superstar” from the Winner’s Circle Saturday, is a 4-year-old Nyquist filly owned by Speedway Stables. She previously won the GIII La Canada when making her stakes debut Jan. 19 at Santa Anita.

As for Eagles Flight, the half-brother to 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline scored in a one-mile allowance by 4 ½ lengths for trainer John Sadler. It was his third start and first since being scratched from a similar allowance in early February at Santa Anita due to a quarter crack.

Eagles Flight won in a time of 1:35.14, which earned a 100 Beyer. On Sunday morning, Eagles Flight was at the front of his stall nipping on his hay net and appearing bright and alert. Barn personnel cautioned that the 4-year-old Curlin colt will bite. Sadler Sunday morning was on his way to Ocala for the upcoming OBS March sale of 2-year-olds in training and was unavailable for comment.

Eagles Flight is out of graded stakes winner Feathered, by Indian Charlie. He is 3: 2-1-0 with $84,800 in earnings for an ownership group that includes breeder Summer Wind Equine, Hronis Racing and W.S Farish.

GETAWAY CAR

BENOIT PHOTO

WORKS: GETAWAY CAR, RAGING TORRENT, MIXTO AMONG NOTABLES

Among the notables on a massive work tab Sunday at Santa Anita were Getaway Car, who is entered in this Saturday’s GIII Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs, and a pair of runners trained by Doug O’Neill—Raging Torrent and Mixto—who are ticketed for starts on the Dubai World Cup program on April 5.

Getaway Car worked three furlongs in 36.60 seconds for trainer Bob Baffert. By Curlin, Getaway Car won the Sunland Park Derby on Feb. 16 in his 3-year-old debut. Last year, he won the GIII Best Pal at Del Mar, was second in both the GI American Pharoah at Santa Anita and GII Los Alamitos Futurity, and finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar.

Raging Torrent, winner of the GI Malibu on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita, worked six furlongs in 1:12.20. The Maximus Mischief colt is slated to run next in the GII Godolphin Mile in Dubai. Mixto worked five furlongs in 59.40 seconds, which was the second-fastest of 86 works at the distance. Winner of last year’s GI Pacific Classic, Mixto finished fourth in the GI Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25 in his only start this year. The 5-year-old Good Magic horse is set to go in the GI Dubai World Cup.

Also working for Baffert were Nysos and Fort Bragg. Unbeaten Nysos, who hasn’t started since February 2024 when winning the GIII Robert B. Lewis, drilled five furlongs in 1:00.00. It was the sixth work since Jan. 30 for the 4-year-old Nyquist colt. Grade III winner Fort Bragg, off since an allowance win in December at Santa Anita, worked five furlongs in 1:00.40.

There were a combined 273 workouts between the main track and training track.

GIII SANTA ANITA, IRISH O’BRIEN HIGHLIGHT 4-DAY RACE WEEK

With the addition of a special St. Patrick’s Day card on Monday, March 17, Santa Anita will host four consecutive days of racing beginning this Friday.

The stakes action includes the GIII Santa Ana on Saturday for fillies and mares going 1 ¼ miles on turf and the Irish O’Brien Stakes on Sunday for California-bred fillies and mares sprinting about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course. Among the 19 horses nominated to the Santa Ana are Mrs. Astor, who has won two consecutive graded stakes for trainer Jonathan Thomas, and Kathynmarissa, who most recently finished second in the GI American Oaks on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. Kathynmarissa is trained by Richard Dutrow Jr.

Among the 13 horses nominated to the Irish O’Brien are statebred stakes winners Moment’s Pleasure for trainer Craig Lewis and Pushiness for trainer Michael McCarthy.

On St. Patrick’s Day, fans in attendance will receive free parking and admission plus drink specials.

FINISH LINES: Both Will Then (9-2) and Shea Brennan (9-2) were scratched from Sunday’s Pasadena Stakes for 3-year-olds going a mile on turf. That leaves a field of six led by 2-1 morning line favorite Tiz Secure, who will be ridden by Juan Hernandez for trainer Bob Baffert…Trainer Felix Rondon and jockey Alfredo Bautista teamed for their first-ever wins at Santa Anita Saturday. They scored in the sixth race with longshot Cee’s The Image, who paid $33.000…Sunday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 2:08 p.m. PT with the ninth race from Gulfstream Park…After Sunday’s 11-race card, live racing returns to Santa Anita this Friday. Every Friday during the Classic Meet, on-track fans receive free parking and admission plus $3 beers and $5 margaritas.

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