Santa Anita Stable Notes Sunday, May 4, 2025

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

SANTA BARBARA: OLDER FILLIES AND MARES GO 1 ½ MILES ON TURF

Featured on Sunday’s 10-race card is the Santa Barbara Stakes for older fillies and mares at 1 ½ miles on turf. It goes as the fourth race on the program at 2:36 p.m. PT.

Sophisticate, the 4-1 third choice, will look to give trainer John Shirreffs, jockey Hector I. Berrios and owner John M.B. O’Connor a stakes double at Santa Anita this weekend. On Saturday, Atitlan scored as the favorite in the GII Charles Whittingham Stakes with Berrios up for Shirreffs and O’Connor. For Shirreffs, Atitlan’s victory was his third time winning the Whittingham at 1 ¼ miles on turf.

Looming as the 3-2 favorite for trainer Jonathan Thomas is Mrs. Astor, a two-time graded winner who will look to bounce back after a runner-up effort in the GIII Santa Ana at 1 ¼ miles on March 15. She will break from the outside under Umberto Rispoli

The other major player in the Santa Barbara is 5-2 second choice Starry Heavens. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Ireland-bred Starry Heavens made her U.S. debut in the Santa Ana and finished third, a half length back of runner-up Mrs. Astor. It was Starry Heaven’s first start in more than eight months. Jockey Antonio Fresu was aboard for the Santa Ana and again has the call.

The field in post position order: Sophisticate, Hector Berrios (4-1), Sakura Blossom, Armando Ayuso (10-1); Mahina, Kazushi Kimura (8-1); Khinjani, Mike Smith (SCR); Starry Heavens, Antonio Fresu (5-2); Mrs. Astor, Umberto Rispoli (3-2).

DOUBLE CARRYOVER OF 77K IN SUNDAY’S $2 PICK 6

There is a double carryover of $77,347 in Sunday’s $2 Pick Six after on Saturday no one again successfully selected all six winners in the Pick Six sequence. Track officials estimate the total pool exceed $600,000.

First post Sunday is 1 p.m. PT for a 10-race card and the Pick Six will start with the fifth race at approximately 3:08 p.m. The competitive sequence averages a robust 9.8 starters per race before scratches.

To help in making informed decisions, Santa Anita and Daily Racing Form have joined forces to provide free past performance for the entirety of Sunday’s card. They can be accessed at promos.drf.com/santaanita25.

The double carryover was triggered in Saturday’s 10th and final race when Nene Diamond, ridden by Abel Lezcano for trainer Mike Puype, scored from off the pace and paid $36.20. There were two winning favorites in Saturday’s Pick Six. Atitlan won the GII Charles E. Whittingham under Hector I. Berrios for trainer John Shirreffs and paid $3.20; and Majestic Palisades, trained by Dean Pederson, won the ninth race with Armando Aguilar aboard and paid $3.40.

The consolation payout for tickets with 5-of-6 winners was $785.40.

The winning horses in Saturday’s Pick Six starting with the fifth race were #5 Spotted Haze ($11.80), #7 Atitlan ($3.20), #4 Papa Love’s Vegas ($16.80), #6 Nitti ($24.80), #10 Majestic Palisades ($3.40) and #9 Nene Diamond ($36.20).

JOURNALISM POSSIBLE FOR PREAKNESS; BAEZA EYES BELMONT

Saturday’s Kentucky Derby runner-up Journalism, third-place finisher Baeza and Citizen Bull were all reported to be doing well Sunday morning by Churchill Downs publicity.

Trainer Michael McCarthy said Journalism was “in good order this morning, and everything going forward is now in play,” indicating the possibility Journalism could wheel back in two weeks in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.

Journalism, who went off the 3-1 favorite, led in the stretch of the Kentucky Derby but was overtaken near the eighth pole by winner Sovereignty and lost by 1 ½ lengths.

“It didn’t quite work out the way we hoped, but he ran a good race against a good horse,” McCarthy said.

Baeza rallied in the stretch under Flavien Prat and finished a neck back of Journalism to be third at 13-1. Baeza had initially on the also-eligible list but drew into the Derby field on Thursday when Rodriguez was scratched.

“Quite a trip for him the whole week,” Shirreffs said. “He’s never been on a wet surface before, so there was that. Then that big field and the bumping that went on. But in the end he ran well and we’re very proud of him.”

Shirreffs added Baeza will not run in the Preakness but could return in the Belmont Stakes on June 7.

Citizen Bull, trained by Bob Baffert, set a lively pace for six furlongs before fading to finish 15th.

“He’s fine,” said Jimmy Barnes, Baffert’s assistant. “He’ll walk for a couple of days and we’ll see what’s up from there.”

Baffert told Churchill Downs publicity his only planned Preakness starter is Rodriguez, who was withdrawn from the Derby because of a bruised foot.

WORKS: GI WINNNERS FORMIDABLE MAN, RAGING TORRENT LEAD TAB

Grade I winners Formidable Man and Raging Torrent were among 216 horses to record timed workouts at Santa Anita Sunday.

Formidable Man, recent winner of the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile March 1 at Santa Anita, worked five furlongs in 1:02.20 for trainer Michael McCarthy. Raging Torrent worked for the third time since returning from Dubai where he won the GII Godolphin Mile on April 5. Trained by Doug O’Neill, Raging Torrent worked five furlongs in 1:01.80.

Also working for McCarthy was Liguria, winner of the GII Buena Vista on March 1 at Santa Anita. Liguria worked five furlongs in 1:02.20.

Among trainer Phil D’Amato’s workers were Motorious and Vodka With a Twist. Motorious worked four furlongs on the training track in 47.60 seconds. The 7-year-old hasn’t started since winning the GII Joe Hernandez on Dec. 28 at Santa Anita. Prior to that effort, Motorious finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 2.

Vodka With a Twist worked five furlongs in 59.60 seconds, which tied for the fastest of 58 works at the distance. Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up, Vodka With a Twist most recently finished third in the GII Santa Anita Oaks April 5 when making her sophomore debut.

Graded winner Spirit of Makena also worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds. Trained by George Papaprodromou, Spirit of Makena returned from an 18-month layoff March 29 with a promising third-place finish in the GIII San Carlos at Santa Anita.

Air Force Red, who earned his third stakes win in the GIII San Simeon March 8 at Santa Anita, worked four furlongs on the training track in 52.80 seconds for trainer Leonard Powell.

FINISH LINES: Atitlan was reported to be in good order Sunday morning following his win in Saturday’s GII Charles Whittingham Stakes…Sunday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 1:43 p.m. PT with the eighth race from Gulfstream Park…Featured next weekend are the Siren Lure Stakes on Saturday and Cinema Stakes on Sunday. The Siren Lure is for older horses at six furlongs on turf, while the Cinema is for 3-year-olds at one mile on turf…Following Sunday’s card, live racing will resume Friday at Santa Anita. Every Friday during the Hollywood Meet, on-track fans receive free parking and admission plus $3 beers, $5 margaritas and drink specials in Sirona’s Bar and Horseshoe Bar in Clubhouse Mezz.

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