Santa Anita Stable Notes Friday, Sept. 26, 2025

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

GI GOODWOOD: GAMING TO SCRATCH LEAVING 2 FOR BAFFERT

Bob Baffert said Friday morning that Gaming will be scratched from Saturday’s GI Goodwood Stakes, leaving Privman and Nevada Beach to go postward for the Hall of Fame trainer.
Gaming, who drew the rail, was the 6-1 fourth choice on the morning line for the 1 1/8-mile Goodwood.

“Not a good spot for him. We’ll look for something else,” Baffert said.

The Goodwood serves as a “Win and You’re In” for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1. Privman (6-1) and Nevada Beach (12-1) will be joined in the lineup by morning line favorite First Mission (8-5), who shipped in from Kentucky for trainer Brad Cox; second choice Full Serrano (2-1), Ultimate Gamble (8-1) and Express Train (20-1).

As for First Mission, a new rider has been named to replace Paco Lopez. In his stead will be Umberto Rispoli, the racing office confirmed Friday morning.

Privman will be making his stakes debut in the Goodwood. A 3-year-old colt by Justify, he most recently prevailed by a half-length in a one-mile allowance at Del Mar despite racing erratically in the stretch on Aug 6. The runner-up that day, Lyell’s Song, would come back to win a similar allowance a month later for trainer Mark Glatt.

“He’s still a bit immature. He got a little erratic when he made the lead the other day,” Baffert said. “This is a tough race. I’ll see how he handles it, but we’re looking down the road with him. We’ll see how he handles it, but he’s going to be a better older horse.”

Privman, named after longtime Daily Racing Form correspondent Jay Privman, will be ridden by Antonio Fresu for the first time. Juan Hernandez, who rode Privman in his allowance win, sticks with Full Serrano.

Nevada Beach exits a dominant 4 ¼-length in the Los Alamitos Derby on June 28, also contested at 1 1/8 miles. It was just the third start for the 3-year-old colt by Omaha Beach. Prior to that effort, he finished second to Gaming in the 1 1/16-mile Affirmed at Santa Anita on June 8 when facing winners for the first time.

“He’s a horse I’ve always been high on,” Baffert said. “I was going to take him to Parx (for last weekend’s GI Pennsylvania Derby), but I wasn’t happy with his breeze. But he’s come back and breezed well.”

Last Saturday, Nevada Beach worked six furlongs in 1:12.

“The talent is there. When he got beat in the Affirmed, we thought he couldn’t lose,” Baffert said.

Nevada Beach will be ridden by Mike Smith for the first time after having Hernandez aboard in all three previous starts.

Full Serrano, trained by John Sadler, will be making just his second start since winning last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. On Sept. 1 at Del Mar, Full Serrano returned from a 10-month layoff and aired by 7 ¼ lengths in a classified allowance going a mile.

“We were really pleased with his comeback,” Sadler said. “He had a little injury early in the year and we so gave him time. He came back really well.”

A 5-year-old horse by Full Mast, Full Serrano has been nearly perfect since being imported from his native Argentina last year. His only loss in four U.S. starts came in last year’s GI Pacific Classic when he finished second by just a half-length to Mixto.

While Full Serrano has been based at Santa Anita since his arrival stateside, this will be his first time racing at The Great Race Place.

“It will be interesting to see how he runs here,” Sadler said.

The Goodwood goes as the ninth race on a 10-race program Saturday. Post time is set for 5:08 p.m. The field in post position order: Gaming, Kyle Frey (6-1); Ultimate Gamble, Kazushi Kimura (8-1); Privman, Antonio Fresu (5-1); First Mission, Umberto Rispoli (8-5); Nevada Beach, Mike Smith (12-1); Express Train, Hector Berrios (20-1); Full Serrano, Juan Hernandez (2-1).

GII EDDIE D: WELL-MATCHED FIELD OF 8 SET FOR HILLSIDE TEST

There is no shortage of contenders in Saturday’s GII Eddie D Stakes, which attracted a field of eight set to go about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course.

The 3-1 program favorite is Reef Runner for trainer David Fawkes. Reef Runner most recently was disqualified from what would have been his first stakes win in the GIII Green Flash at Del Mar on Aug. 30. In the Green Flash going five furlongs on turf, Reef Runner and jockey Paco Lopez crossed the wire first by a nose over race favorite Motorious, but the stewards ruled that shortly after the break Reef Runner came in and caused interference that warranted a disqualification.

Reef Runner, a 5-year-old Florida-bred gelding by The Big Beast has remained in Southern California since the Green Flash. He will have Antonio Fresu aboard in the Eddie D.

Among the other key principals are second choice Yellow Card (7-2), First Peace (9-2), Nesso’s Lastharrah (9-2) and Sorrento Sky (5-1).

Yellow Card, trained by Michael McCarthy, is exiting a second-level allowance win going five furlongs on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 23. The Eddie D will be his third start following a 10-month layoff.

Last year, Yellow Card was based with McCarthy’s string in Kentucky. In his only previous graded stakes try, the 4-year-old colt by Lost Treasure was second by a length in last September’s GI Franklin-Simpson going 6 ½ furlongs on turf at Kentucky Downs.

McCarthy said after a pair of five-furlong turf sprints for Yellow Card on the comeback trail, “we’ve been looking forward to stretching him out a little bit.”

Yellow Card will have regular rider Kazushi Kimura aboard.

First Peace, trained by Mark Glatt, won last year’s Eddie D when coming from the pace off under Mike Smith. This will be just his second start since that victory. Following an 11-month layoff, First Peace returned in the Green Flash where he endured a rough trip and was never factor. He beat just one horse to the wire in a 12-horse field.

“That was kind of a disaster,” Glatt said. “But he should bounce back on Saturday.”

Nessos’ Lastharrah is making his stakes debut for Peter Eurton. The 4-year-old colt by Sharp Azteca will be cutting back in distance after going gate-to-wire in a second-level allowance at a mile on turf on Aug. 15 at Del Mar.

“I think his tactical speed should play pretty well on the hill,” Eurton said.

Sorrento Sky, trained by Phil D’Amato also endured a rough out in the Green Flash. He was in the first half of the field early before dropping back on the turn and then finishing with interest to only be beaten two lengths.

“We were definitely disappointed,” D’Amato said. “Our game plan might be a little different in the Eddie D. I like our post (4) with this kind of horse. He’s tactical and should be able to save ground as they come down the hill.”

The Eddie D goes as the eighth race with post time set for 4:38 p.m. The field in post position order: Reef Runner, Antonio Fresu (3-1); Nesso’s Lastharrah, Hector Berrios (9-2); Mucho Del Oro, Edwin Maldonado (20-1); Sorrento Sky, Umberto Rispoli (5-1); Yellow Card, Kazushi Kimura (7-2); Beyond Brilliant, Ricky Gonzalez (6-1); Kale’s Angel, Juan Hernandez (12-1); First Peace, Mike Smith (9-2).

WORKS: JOURNALISM FIRES A BULLET IN COMPANY

GI Santa Anita Derby and Preakness winner Journalism worked a half mile in company in 47.0 seconds Friday at Santa Anita.

Journalism shared the bullet for the distance with his workmate, Touch of Destiny, an import from Uruguay who has not started in the U.S. A Group III winner in South America, Touch of Destiny has worked four times since Sept. 4.

Of Journalism, McCarthy said “I thought he worked well. It was just an easy half mile, a leg stretcher.”

Journalism most recently was second in the GI Pacific Classic on Aug. 30 at Del Mar. He is pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

Other notables on the tab included Formidable Man (5f, 1:00.20), Sammy Davis (4f, 47.80) and Hay Nay Nay (4f, 48.60).

FINISH LINES: The new $1 Sunset Pick Six on Friday starts at 1:05 p.m. PT with the seventh race from Gulfstream Park…Friday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 1:37 p.m. with the eighth race from Gulfstream Park…Daily Racing Form’s Brad Free will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Saturday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:50 a.m. PT.

About The Stronach Group and 1/ST

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, training centers and premier events including: Santa Anita Park and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); Laurel Park, The 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 1/ST TV. 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.