STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

__FRIDAY, JUNE 9, 2023 __

- • D’AMATO PAIR LOOMS LARGE IN SATURDAY’S GIII HONEYMOON - • BAFFERT’S FORT BRAGG WITHDRAWN FROM GI WOODY STEPHENS __- • 2-YEAR-OLD COLT OUT OF TOP-CLASS MARE CAVORTING GEARING UP __ - • INFIELD FAMILY FUN ZONE SET FOR WEEKENDS IN JUNE - • FREE PARKING & ADMISSION, DRINK SPECIALS EVERY FRIDAY - • HOLLYWOOD MEET SANTA ANITA CLOSES JUNE 18 - • 450 STUDENTS FROM JFK HIGH SCHOOL ON-HAND FRIDAY MORNING

D’AMATO PAIR LOOMS LARGE IN SATURDAY’S GIII HONEYMOON

Santa Anita’s leading trainer Phil D’Amato will look to bag yet another stakes win at the Hollywood Meet when he saddles top contenders Paris Secret and Comanche Country in Saturday’s GIII Honeymoon for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Entering the final six days of the Hollywood Meet, D’Amato leads all trainers in both total wins (14) and stakes wins (5). His stakes victories at the stand have come in the GI Gamely (Macademia), GIII Providencia (Paris Secret), Desert Code (Conclude), Mizdirection (Elm Drive) and Wilshire (Macadamia).

Paris Secret is the 5-2 morning-line favorite to win her second straight Grade III in the Honeymoon. An Irish-bred by Zoffany, Paris Secret made one start last fall in her native Ireland before arriving at Santa Anita this winter.

Paris Secret made her local bow in the one-mile China Doll on turf and was an even fourth. Wheeled back in the Providencia at 1 1/8 miles, Paris Secret sat last in a five-horse field through a quick opening half mile in 46.15 seconds. She took aim at the leaders entering the stretch under Kazushi Kimura, surged to the front at the eighth pole and held nicely to win by three-quarters of a length.

With Kimura now again riding full time at Woodbine, Santa Anita leading rider Juan Hernandez will take over in the irons Saturday.

“She got a nice ride from Kimura last time. Unfortunately he’ll be in Canada, but getting leading rider Juan Hernandez means were good there,” D’Amato said. “Juan breezed her on Sunday. I’m expecting a good effort from her.”

While Paris Secret benefited from a quick pace in the Providencia, D’Amato does not see her as being necessarily pace dependent.

“She can be tactical. She doesn’t need to be way out of it,” he noted. “It was just the way the race shape was last time, that’s where we were at. She made first run at them and kept going.”

Comanche Country started her career last year in her native Ireland. Upon arriving at D’Amato’s barn last summer, the Highland Reel filly won her first three starts including the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf Sept. 10 and the GIII Surfer Girl at Santa Anita Nov. 4. All were at a mile on grass. Sent to Keeneland for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 4, Comanche Country checked in seventh.

Comanche Country resurfaced as a 3-year-old in the China Doll and finished second. She was then sent to Churchill Downs for the GII Edgewood at 1 1/16 miles on turf May 5 and finished ninth beaten four lengths.

While Comanche Country made little impact in the Edgewood, D’Amato believes it was a better-than-looked effort. He’s expecting a big effort on Saturday under regular rider Umberto Rispoli. Comanche Country is the 3-1 co-second choice on the morning line.

“I think it was a deceiving race last time in the Edgewood,” D’Amato said. “She really had nowhere to go and no pace to run into. I think you’re going to see the filly of old Saturday. With a shorter field and more room to maneuver, Umberto should be in good shape.”

The Honeymoon goes as the seventh race on Saturday’s 10-race card. The field in post position order: Broadway Girls, Antonio Fresu (8-1); Comanche Country, Umberto Rispoli (3-1); Pleasant Wave, Diego Herrera (6-1); Selenaia, Joe Bravo (3-1); Tea N Conversation, Kent Desormeaux (8-1); Paris Secret , Juan Hernandez (5-2); Fast and Shiny, Tiago Pereira (8-1); Una Palabra, Ramon Vazquez (30-1).

__BAFFERT’S FORT BRAGG WITHDRAWN FROM BELMONT’S GI WOODY STEPHENS __

Trainer Bob Baffert notified track officials at Belmont Park that Fort Bragg would be scratched from Saturday’s GI Woody Stephens due to illness.

Fort Bragg, who shipped to New York from Santa Anita earlier this week, reportedly had a fever and elevated blood cell count on Friday. Baffert told Daily Racing Form Fort Bragg would be rerouted to the GIII Dwyer going a mile at Belmont Park on July 1.

“When he got here, the next morning after shipping, he didn’t finish his grain and we checked him and he had a slight temperature,” Baffert told Belmont Park publicity. “When we took his blood, he had an elevated white blood cell count. He’s fine, it’s just bad timing.”

By Tapit, Fort Bragg most recently was beaten a neck in the GII Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs while with Tim Yakteen on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 6. He was the 5-1 third choice on the morning line for the seven-furlong Woody Stephens.

Baffert will still be represented in the Woody Stephens by Arabian Lion, the recent Sir Barton winner who is the 4-1 second choice on the morning line.

2-YEAR-OLD COLT OUT OF $2 MILLION EARNER CAVORTING GEARING UP FOR GLATT

Judge Miller, a 2-year-old colt by top stallion Curlin out of $2 million earner Cavorting, was among 82 workers at Santa Anita Friday.

Trained by Mark Glatt, Judge Miller is a full brother to multiple Grade I winner Clairiere, who runs in Saturday’s GI Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park. Judge Miller worked for the fifth time Friday when going four furlongs in 48.60 seconds. He was purchased by Muir Hut Stables for $550,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Cavorting won eight of 13 starts including three Grade I’s from 2014-16 for owner Stonestreet Stables and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. By Bernardini, she finished with $2,063,000 in career earnings. Her three Grade I’s came in the 2015 Test as a 3-year-old and the Ogden Phipps and Personal Ensign the following season.

Also working for Glatt was I’m A Gambler, a European import who was fourth in the GII Santa Anita Mathis Mile in his U.S. bow Dec. 26. The 4-year-old No Nay Never gelding, who was a stakes winner in Ireland, drilled three furlongs in 37.60 seconds.

Trainer John Shirreffs had several workers Friday including promising debut winner Smart Mo and multiple graded stakes winner Midcourt.

Smart Mo, a 3-year-old colt by Mo Town, worked four furlongs in 49.00 seconds. It was his first drill since scoring at 9-1 in his debut here going a mile on dirt May 26.

Midcourt had his first start in almost 15 months in the GIII San Luis Rey here on turf and finished last. Prior to the race, Shirreffs said the race was being used as a launching point for the 8-year-old gelding. In 19 previous starts, the two-time graded stakes winner had never run on grass.

Also beginning to gear up for trainer John Sadler is Bran, who hasn’t started since winning last year’s GII Turf Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 10. He worked for the third time Friday when going four furlongs in 50.00 seconds.

Trainer Michael McCarthy also sent out several workers including Clearly Unhinged, who was fourth in GII Santa Anita Oaks April following a debut win here sprinting on Feb. 5. The Into Mischief filly went five furlongs in a bullet 59.20 seconds.

FINISH LINES: Closing day of the Santa Anita Hollywood Meet is a week from Sunday, June 18…The Santa Anita Infield will host a Family Fun Zone on Saturdays and Sundays through the remainder of the meet. Attractions include inflatable jumpers, arts and crafts, face painting, pony rides, carnival games and more …An energetic group of 450 students from John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills were late morning visitors to Santa Anita on Friday. Transported by the LA Unified School District, the JFK students were on-hand to rehearse for their formal graduation ceremony here on Monday. The JFK graduation marks the fourth high school graduation to be hosted by Santa Anita this month…Drew Coatney, winner of the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge, will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:50…Every Friday during the Hollywood Meet on-track fans will receive free parking and admission plus $3 beers and $5 margaritas.