Santa Anita Stable Notes Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026

STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

LAS VIRGENES: MEANING LURES PRAT FOR SOPHOMORE BOW

For an idea of the regard Meaning is held by her connections, last year the daughter of top stallion Gun Runner was sent directly into the deep waters of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies with just a debut maiden win sprinting on the resume. Meaning would prove worthy of the ambitious challenge. Navigating two turns for the first time in the Juvenile Fillies going 1 1/16 miles at Del Mar, Meaning finished a solid fourth behind winner Super Corredora and runner-up Explora.

On Sunday at Santa Anita, Meaning, Super Corredora, Explora will clash for a second time in the Las Virgenes Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going one mile at Santa Anita.

“It’s obviously a field not big on quantity, but certainly on quality,” Meaning’s trainer Michael McCarthy said.

For the Las Virgenes, Meaning has prompted North America’s reigning two-time champion Flavien Prat to travel from out of state and ride. She is the 7-2 third choice behind favorite Explora (3-5) and Super Corredora (3-2).

“Obviously her pedigree proceeds her being by Gun Runner,” McCarthy said. “And you would think she’ll get better with age and racing.”

Meaning is out of the Into Mischief mare Figure of Speech, who most notably finished third in the 2019 GI Spinaway at Saratoga in 2019. Meaning was purchased by owners Bridlewood Farm and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners for $440,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September yearling sale.

In the Breeders’ Cup, Meaning finished 3 ¾ lengths behind Super Corredora. McCarthy thinks she could have finished even better with a cleaner trip.

“It was a big effort,” McCarthy said. “She got bounced around some a couple furlongs from the wire. I think it made the difference in her running third or fourth, for sure.”

Meaning has worked seven times since Dec. 18 for the Las Virgenes. McCarthy is more than satisfied with what he’s seen from the filly.

“We gave her plenty of time for what’s hopefully a solid 3-year-old campaign this year,” McCarthy said. “It seems like with every work she just keeps getting better and better. I think we’re where we need to be to get the year started.”

The Las Virgenes goes as the eighth race on a nine-race card Sunday. With early first post of 11 a.m. PT, the Las Virgenes is set for 2:32 p.m. The field in post position order: Meaning, Flavien Prat (7-2); Explora, Juan Hernandez (3-5); Bank Shot, Adrian Escobedo (30-1); Super Corredora, Hector Berrios (3-2).

WORKS: LITMUS TEST, BOYD, GOLD PHOENIX AMONG NOTABLES ON TAB

Litmus Test and Boyd, two of the leading 3-year-olds in the Bob Baffert barn, each worked on Saturday at Santa Anita. Other notables on the tab included Madaket Road for Baffert; Gold Phoenix and Thought Process for trainer Phil D’Amato; graded winners Big City Lights, Stark Contrast; and top California-bred Man O Rose.

Litmus Test, who was scratched from Friday’s GIII Southwest at Oaklawn, worked four furlongs in 48.40 seconds. By Nyquist, Litmus Test most recently won the GII Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 13. Boyd worked five furlongs in 1:00.40. By Violence, Boyd won his debut in September at Del Mar and then took down the Ed Brown Stakes at Churchill Downs in his most recent start Nov. 29.

Gold Phoenix worked five furlongs on the synthetic training track in 59.0 seconds. It was the fastest of 19 works at the distance. D’Amato last week said the venerable 8-year-old gelding was slated to make his seasonal bow in the GIII San Marcos going 1 ¼ miles on turf next Saturday at Santa Anita. Thought Process worked five furlongs on the main track in 1:02.20. A 4-year-old filly by Collected, Thought Process hasn’t started since finishing third in the GI Del Mar Oaks Aug. 16. Her resume includes wins in last year’s GII San Clemente at Del Mar and the 2024 GIII Surfer Girl at Del Mar.

Man O Rose, a winner of four consecutive stakes for statebreds, worked five furlongs in 1:00.80. Trainer Jeff Mullins on Friday said Man O Rose was a candidate to take on open company in next weekend’s GIII Palos Verdes going six furlongs on the main track.

Big City Lights worked for the first time since being scratched from the Jan. 17 Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint, which was ultimately won by Man O Rose. The 7-year-old horse by Mr. Big drilled three furlongs on the training track in 35.20 seconds.

CLOCKERS’ CORNER: SUMTER TABBED AS 2-1 FAVORITE FOR MANDELLA
Sunday’s co-feature, the Clockers’ Corner Stakes at six furlongs on turf, has attracted a competitive group of seven older horses that have not won a graded stakes in 2025-26. Tabbed as the 2-1 favorite on the morning line is Sumter for trainer Richard Mandella.

Sumter, a 7-year-old gelding by War Front, will be getting class relief in the restricted Clockers’ Corner. Most recently, Sumter on Dec. 29 tried the GII Joe Hernandez sprinting on the hillside turf course. He led in deep stretch that day before being rundown by Gas Me Up to finish second by 1 ¼ lengths. Gas Me Up, trained by Peter Eurton, is the 6-5 program favorite in Saturday’s GIII Thunder Road at one mile on turf.

The other key principles in the Clockers’ Corner are Yellow Card (7-2) and Speed Boat Beach (4-1). Yellow Card, trained by Michael McCarthy, checked in sixth in the Joe Hernandez after a troubled trip. As noted in the race chart, Yellow Card had to pause when descending the hill, then lacked racing room at the top of the stretch before finally splitting horses.

Speed Boat Beach most recently returned from a layoff and was beaten by a neck in a high-level allowance sprinting on the hillside turf course Jan. 23. Trained by Bob Baffert, Speed Boat Beach was a two-time stakes winner on turf as a juvenile. Most notably in 2023, Speed Boat Beach won the GI Malibu on dirt.

The Clockers’ Corner goes as the seventh race Sunday. Post time is 2:02 p.m. PT. The field in post position order: Sumter, Flavien Prat (2-1); Yellow Card, Emisael Jaramillo (7-2); Irish Royalty, Antonio Fresu (12-1); Speed Boat Beach, Juan Hernandez (4-1); Sorrento Sky, Kazushi Kimura (9-2); Flyover, Florent Geroux (5-1); Vitali, Hector Berrios (10-1).

FINISH LINES: Sunday has an early first post of 11 a.m. for a nine-race program. The full card will be completed prior to kickoff of the NFL championship game at 3:30 p.m. After the races, patrons are invited to stay for a ‘Big Game Watch Party’ at Sirona’s bar on the main floor where there’ll be “Big Game Bingo” and a variety of drink specials…Saturday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 2:18 p.m. PT with the 11th race from Gulfstream Park…The $1 Sunset Pick Six starts at 1:49 p.m. with the 10th race from Gulfstream…Santa Anita track announcer Frank Mirahmadi will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Sunday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 9:50 a.m.

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