Stakes Advances

ARCADIA, Calif.

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 14, 2010) – Under a respectful burden of 124 pounds, Irish-bred Tuscan Evening goes after an extremely rare achievement – four graded stakes victories during a single Santa Anita meet -- on Saturday when challenged by five ambitious fillies and mares in the 62nd running of the Grade II, $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap at 1 ¼ miles on turf.

Only one horse, Hall of Famer Round Table in 1958, has won five stakes races during a Santa Anita meet.

ARCADIA, Calif.

ARCADIA, Calif.

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 7, 2010) – British-bred Fantastic Pick, a solid fourth at odds of 50-1 when making his U.S. debut in the Pasadena Stakes on March 6, figures as one of the top contenders Saturday among nine 3-year-olds set to compete in Santa Anita’s 30th running of the $100,000 La Puente Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Joel Rosario will take over aboard the gelded import who closed steadily to just miss third behind Make Music for Me, Macias and Alfarabi in the one-mile turf Pasadena.

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 1, 2010) – Hard-hitting Free Flying Soul, a 5-year-old mare trained by Bruce Headley who has been out-of-the-money but once in her last 11 races, heads a field of eight fillies and mares who have signed up for Sunday’s 58th running of the Grade III, $100,000 Las Flores Handicap over 6 ½ furlongs at Santa Anita.

Marsha Naify’s Kentucky-bred daughter of Quiet American will carry high weight of 120 pounds, jockey Mike Smith and the most earnings -- $319,986 from a 5-1-4 record in 12 starts -- into the Las Flores.

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 25, 2010) – Winner of last fall’s California Cup Juvenile Fillies following a close third in the Grade I Del Mar Debutante, La Nez on Sunday will carry high weight of 118 pounds and an apparent class edge into Santa Anita’s Grade III, $100,000 Santa Paula Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 6 ½ furlongs.

With Mike Smith aboard for trainer Eric Kruljac, La Nez shows high earnings of $162,600 among seven entrants in the 35th running of the Santa Paula.

ARCADIA, Calif.

ARCADIA, Calif.

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 17, 2010) – When Bourbon Bay enters the gate in Saturday’s 59th running of the Grade II, $150,000 San Luis Rey Handicap, Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale’s 4-year-old gelding likely will be a solid favorite to complete a victorious double in Santa Anita’s twin mile-and-one-half turf marathons that began with a 4 ¼-length domination of the San Luis Obispo Handicap on Feb. 21.

If successful, David and Jill Heerensperger’s son of Sligo Bay would become the eighth marathoner in Santa Anita history to accomplish the back-to-back feat.